Names Of Marines Killed In Helicopter Crash Released

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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — Officials have released the names of seven Marines killed in a Black Hawk crash in Florida's panhandle.

The helicopter was carrying seven special operations Marines forces based in North Carolina, along with four National Guard soldiers from Louisiana. =

The salvage of the helicopter could begin Friday afternoon and is expected to take several hours.

Also on Friday, military officials released the names of the Marines killed. All were from the 2nd Special Operations Battalion of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command at Camp Lejeune.

Here are some of their stories:

ANDREW SEIF

On March 6, just days before the helicopter crash, Staff Sgt. Andrew Seif was awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Seif received the award for facing enemy fire to save a mortally wounded friend in Afghanistan in July 2012.

The Camp Lejeune Globe reported that Seif was from Holland, Michigan. He grew up playing soldier in his backyard and joined the Marines just weeks after graduating from high school.

By 2012, he was a critical skills operator with the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command. Seif and his teammate, Sgt. Justin Hansen, were closing in on one of western Afghanistan's bomb experts, according to the paper. They came under fire, and Hansen was hit. Seif moved Hansen to safer position, treated his teammate's wounds and returned fire.

"The fact that (Seif) continued to fight through the objective to get Sgt. Hansen taken care of, putting himself in the line of fire, speaks volumes to who he is and demonstrates that he would never leave a Marine behind," said Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman.

Seif's wife was at his side when he received the medal.

He was born in Fairbanks, Alaska.

"I think sometimes the worst situations bring out the best in people, and that day a lot of people showed their worth," Seif told the newspaper.

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