Tustin : Services to Be Held for 2 Marine Crash Victims

A memorial service will be held Thursday for two members of a Tustin-based Marine Corps helicopter squadron who were killed when their aircraft plunged into the sea off the coast of the Philippine Islands.

Killed in the crash were 1st Lt. Michael Milnes of Ann Arbor, Mich., the co-pilot, and crew chief Cpl. Kenneth J. Badeaux Jr. of Baton Rouge, La. The pilot, Capt. Paul S. Desantis of Norwood, Mass., was picked up by rescuers and was hospitalized in stable condition, according to Marine spokesman Lt. Timothy H. Hoyle. All three had resided in Orange County while assigned to the Tustin base.

The CH-46 Sea-Knight helicopter was from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268, which had been deployed early last month from Tustin Marine Corps Air Station to the Western Pacific as part of the 11th Marine Amphibious Group, Hoyle said.

It was on a routine night operation when it crashed Friday about 10 miles southwest of Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Hoyle said. A 17-hour search of the area failed to locate either Milnes or Badeaux and the cause of the accident is under investigation.

The announcement of the crash was not made until three days later so that the families of the two men could be notified.