Published on March 19, 2025
MARANA- The public is invited to a memorial service honoring the 19 U.S. Marines who lost their lives in an Osprey crash 25 years ago. The ceremony will take place on April 5, 2025 at the Nighthawk-72 Memorial Park at Marana Regional Airport.
The memorial service is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by a candlelight service later that day at 8:00 p.m.
The Marana Regional Airport Nighthawk-72 Memorial Park is located at 1700 W Avra Valley. Road, Marana AZ 85653. It is at the intersection of Avra Valley Road and Sandario Road.
View the invitation here.(PDF, 578KB)
Click here to view the calendar event.
Additional Background Information
The MV-22 Osprey Tilt rotor aircraft was conducting a training mission in support of Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) when it went down at the Marana Regional Airport in Marana, Arizona on April 8, 2000. During the mission, the crew and Marines conducted Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) exercises as part of the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, with Marines embarking and disembarking the aircraft. The mission was conducted at night utilizing night vision goggles and forward looking infrared radar to enhance night operational capability. This mishap aircraft was part of the Multiservice Operational Test Team, based at Patuxent River, Maryland, but was temporarily attached to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.
The 19 Marines Lost were as follows: