The Puerto Rico Air National Guard on Thursday identified the nine airmen killed in a WC-130 crash in Georgia.
The airmen who died in the Wednesday crash near Hilton Head Airport in Savannah, Georgia, were:
- Maj. José R. Román Rosado, the plane’s pilot. He was from Manati, Puerto Rico, had 18 years of service, and is survived by his wife and two sons. In January 2016, he and five other airmen received a Flight Safety Award for “exceptional execution during a local night training sortie in which an engine flamed out while returning to base,” according to a photograph posted on the 156th’s official Facebook page.
- Maj. Carlos Pérez Serra, the plane’s navigator. He was from Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, had 23 years of service, and is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
- 1st Lt. David Albandoz, the plane’s co-pilot. He was from Puerto Rico and recently resided in Madison, Alabama, had 16 years of service, and is survived by his wife and daughter.
- Senior Master Sgt. Jan Paravisini, a mechanic. He was from Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, had 21 years of service, and is survived by his two daughters and a son. A photograph posted on the 156th’s Facebook page last November showed Paravisini loading supplies onto a truck at the Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico, to help with relief efforts after Hurricane Maria.
- Master Sgt. Jean Audriffred. He was from Carolina, Puerto Rico, had 16 years of service, and is survived by his wife and two sons.
- Master Sgt. Mario Braña, a flight engineer. He was from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, had 17 years of service, and is survived by his mother and daughter.
- Master Sgt. Víctor Colón. He was from Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, had 22 years of service, and is survived by his wife and two daughters.
- Master Sgt. Eric Circuns, a loadmaster. He was from Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, had 31 years of service, and is survived by his wife, two stepdaughters, and a son.
- Senior Airman Roberto Espada. He was from Salinas, Puerto Rico, with three years of service, and is survived by his grandmother.
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The Puerto Rico National Guard pledged in the Thursday release to continue supporting their families “for as long as it takes.”
“Taking care of our fallen airmen’s families and loved ones is our top priority,” Army Brig. Gen. Isabelo Rivera, the adjutant general of the Puerto Rico National Guard, said in the release. “We are fully supporting them and providing all the assistance and resources of the Puerto Rico National Guard during this difficult moment.”
The Guard said that the Puerto Rico chapter of the American Red Cross has also been supporting their families with mental health and spiritual care resources.
“For all of us at the Red Cross this is a very mournful moment,” Lee Vanessa Feliciano, regional executive officer for the Red Cross, said in the release. “On behalf of our employees and volunteers, we offer our most sincere condolences to the families. Our support teams are working with the families by identifying their needs and providing all necessary support during this process.”
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
