Alabama man among seven Marines killed in helicopter crash

SAN DIEGO, Ca.
 Details of the personal lives of the seven Marines killed in one of the Corps’ deadliest aviation training accidents in years emerged Friday as families across the nation expressed their grief.

Capt. Benjamin N. Cerniglia

One of the victims was Capt. Benjamin N. Cerniglia, 31, of Montgomery, Alabama.
Cerniglia was the son of senior Pastor Mark Cerniglia at The Lutheran Church of Our Savior in South Carolina, and the father of two children, Ben Jr. and Ashlyn Cerniglia.
The church spoke for the grieving family.
“We grieve for the loss of these talented young lives and pray for all the families and communities that are in mourning also,” said a statement on the church website.  Associate Pastor Sean Miller stated that Benjamin N. Cerniglia, the son of the church's pastor, Mark Cerniglia, was killed in the crash involving two Marine helicopters during a training flight.
"A child of God in Holy Baptism, we take comfort in knowing that Ben has been received into eternal rest in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," the statement reads. "May the peace of Christ be with us during this time of mourning." A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday Feb. 27th at the church.
 A scholarship fund has been set up at the church and donations can be made payable to the church, marked "Cerniglia Children Scholarship Fund" at 2600 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, South Carolina 29615.
"The Cerniglia family and church congregation request the prayers of our community, and respect for privacy during this difficult time."

The Marine Corps released the names of all seven of the dead Marines late Friday, as crews worked to clean up the accident site on a sprawling desert range near Yuma, Ariz.
The other dead were listed as Maj. Thomas A. Budrejko, 37, of Montville, Conn.; Capt. Michael M. Quin, 28, of Purcellville, Va.; Sgt. Justin A. Everett, 33, of Clovis, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Corey A. Little, 25, of Marietta, Ga.; Lance Cpl. Nickoulas H. Elliott, 21, of Spokane, Wash. and Capt. Nathan W. Anderson, 32, of Amarillo, Texas.
Anderson was based in Yuma and the others were from Camp Pendleton in Southern California, the West Coast’s largest base.
“Every single one of these Marines impacted our squadron in their own special way, and the entire Marine Corps aviation community is feeling their tragic loss,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Lightfoot, commanding officer of the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469. “I ask that you pray for the families and friends of the warriors we have lost.”
Officials said it could take weeks to determine what caused two helicopters, an AH-1W Cobra and a UH-1 Huey, to crash in midair during a routine exercise Wednesday night, killing all aboard the aircraft. Skies were clear and the weather was mild.
The accident occurred near the Chocolate Mountains along the California-Arizona border — a sprawling desert range favored by the U.S. military because its craggy mountains and hot, dusty conditions are similar to Afghanistan’s harsh environment.