Mr.RonGilbert
03-18-2011, 21:37
27883
Houston Marine sergeant killed in training flight
A Marine sergeant from Houston who survived four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan was killed during a training flight in California on Thursday, family members said.
Sgt. Alexis Fontalvo, 24, was an aircraft mechanic and aspiring pilot, said his mother, Norma Fontalvo, of Houston.
She always feared her son would die in a war zone, but never imagined she might lose him during training in the United States.
"Never crossed my mind ever," she said.
A statement from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif., confirmed that a Marine was pronounced dead after an incident there on Thursday afternoon, but gave no further details. The statement said the incident and cause of death are under investigation.
Marine Corps officials who notified family members of Fontalvo's death on Thursday told them the left main landing gear apparently collapsed prior to takeoff on a training flight as Fontalvo pulled the landing gear pin. When the landing gear collapsed, they said, Fontalvo was pinned underneath the left sponson, a projection from the side of an aircraft often used to house fuel or landing gear.
Rescue crews managed to lift the aircraft off Fontalvo, but he did not survive his injuries.
Fontalvo graduated from Pasadena High School in 2004 and joined the Marines soon after, his mother said.
He deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan, she said.
In Iraq, he met his fiance, Tashina Peshlakai, a fellow Marine who is Navajo. Fontalvo is half-Colombian, half Navajo, his mother said.
Fontalvo became a father to Peshlakai's daughter, Tanika Long, 10. The couple also have a son, Dominic, who just turned 1 in February.
Fontalvo, who had been stationed in Japan, returned to California in October because his son was ill, his mother said.
The child had to have a cyst removed from his lung, but he is in good health now.
Fontalvo's mother said she was stunned when Marines came to her door Thursday night.
"They give me a paper and tell me there was an accident but they didn't give me any details," she said.
Fontalvo would have celebrated his 25th birthday next Friday, the mother said.
"Such a good son," she added. "He cared about family and everything. He called me almost every day. He called me yesterday. He said, 'Don't worry mom, I'll be OK.' Because he knew I worry about him. He said, 'I'll call you when I get back,' but he never did. So I was waiting for the phone call when the Marines came to my door."
Fontalvo is the second service member from the Houston area to die during training in San Diego in the past few weeks.
Petty Officer Third Class Daniel M. Shirar, 27, of Baytown, died March 7 when the water truck he was riding in overturned while supporting Exercise Pacific Horizon at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Shirar was assigned as an equipment operator to Amphibious Construction Battalion One, Reserve Detachment 107 home-ported in Houston.
In addition to his mother, fiance, son, and stepdaughter, Fontalvo is survived by father Rolando Fontalvo, brothers Rolando Fontalvo Jr. and Rafael Fontalvo, sisters Giselle Fontalvo and Elvirita Fontalvo, and grandmother Elvira Fontalvo.
Houston Marine sergeant killed in training flight
A Marine sergeant from Houston who survived four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan was killed during a training flight in California on Thursday, family members said.
Sgt. Alexis Fontalvo, 24, was an aircraft mechanic and aspiring pilot, said his mother, Norma Fontalvo, of Houston.
She always feared her son would die in a war zone, but never imagined she might lose him during training in the United States.
"Never crossed my mind ever," she said.
A statement from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif., confirmed that a Marine was pronounced dead after an incident there on Thursday afternoon, but gave no further details. The statement said the incident and cause of death are under investigation.
Marine Corps officials who notified family members of Fontalvo's death on Thursday told them the left main landing gear apparently collapsed prior to takeoff on a training flight as Fontalvo pulled the landing gear pin. When the landing gear collapsed, they said, Fontalvo was pinned underneath the left sponson, a projection from the side of an aircraft often used to house fuel or landing gear.
Rescue crews managed to lift the aircraft off Fontalvo, but he did not survive his injuries.
Fontalvo graduated from Pasadena High School in 2004 and joined the Marines soon after, his mother said.
He deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan, she said.
In Iraq, he met his fiance, Tashina Peshlakai, a fellow Marine who is Navajo. Fontalvo is half-Colombian, half Navajo, his mother said.
Fontalvo became a father to Peshlakai's daughter, Tanika Long, 10. The couple also have a son, Dominic, who just turned 1 in February.
Fontalvo, who had been stationed in Japan, returned to California in October because his son was ill, his mother said.
The child had to have a cyst removed from his lung, but he is in good health now.
Fontalvo's mother said she was stunned when Marines came to her door Thursday night.
"They give me a paper and tell me there was an accident but they didn't give me any details," she said.
Fontalvo would have celebrated his 25th birthday next Friday, the mother said.
"Such a good son," she added. "He cared about family and everything. He called me almost every day. He called me yesterday. He said, 'Don't worry mom, I'll be OK.' Because he knew I worry about him. He said, 'I'll call you when I get back,' but he never did. So I was waiting for the phone call when the Marines came to my door."
Fontalvo is the second service member from the Houston area to die during training in San Diego in the past few weeks.
Petty Officer Third Class Daniel M. Shirar, 27, of Baytown, died March 7 when the water truck he was riding in overturned while supporting Exercise Pacific Horizon at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Shirar was assigned as an equipment operator to Amphibious Construction Battalion One, Reserve Detachment 107 home-ported in Houston.
In addition to his mother, fiance, son, and stepdaughter, Fontalvo is survived by father Rolando Fontalvo, brothers Rolando Fontalvo Jr. and Rafael Fontalvo, sisters Giselle Fontalvo and Elvirita Fontalvo, and grandmother Elvira Fontalvo.