Basking Ridge Marine Among Helicopter Crash Victims Honored at MARSOC Ceremony

The 11 victims in a helicopter crash that occurred during a training exercise in March were honored at a ceremony hosted by the Second Marine Special Operations Battalion, United States Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command last week, according to a published report.

Among the victims was Capt. Stanford H. Shaw, III, 31, from Basking Ridge. Shaw died after a United States Army UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter crashed near Eglin, Florida, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on March 10, according to the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). Shaw served as a team commander within the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operational Command.

Shaw, a 2002 graduate of Ridge High School, was the recipient of numerous awards during his military tenure, including the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment ribbon (with two stars), according to MARSOC.

The ceremony took place on Friday, May 15, at the Camp Lejeune base theater.

According to a report from the United States Marine Corps, the other victims honored at the ceremony included: Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 George Wayne Griffin, Jr., 37, from Delhi, Los Angeles; Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 George David Strother, 44, from Alexandria, Los Angeles; Master Sgt. Thomas A. Saunders, 33, from Williamsburg, Virginia; Staff Sgt. Marcus S. Bawol, 26, from Warren, Michigan; Army Staff Sgt. Lance J. Bergeron, 40, from Thibodaux, Los Angeles; Staff Sgt. Trevor P. Blaylock, 29, from Lake Orion, Michigan; Army Staff Sgt. Thomas Florich, 26, from Fairfax County, Virginia; Staff Sgt. Liam A. Flynn, 33, from Queens, New York; Staff Sgt. Kerry M. Kemp, 27, from Port Washington, Wisconsin; and Staff Sgt. Andrew C. Seif, 26, from Holland, Michigan.

In addition to family and friends, United States Secretary of the Navy Raymond E. Mabus Jr., U.S. Special Operations Command Commander Gen. Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., and MARSOC Commander Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman were also in attendance, the report said.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, family members were presented with posthumous awards recognizing the 11 victims.

For more information, visit United States Marine Corps website.

(Photo courtesy of the United States Marine Corps)