Officials say they have not yet heard from the Blue Angels whether they will perform following Thursday’s deadly crash in Tennessee. Capt. Kuss, who was from Durango, Colorado, served in Afghanistan before joining the Blue Angels in 2014. “Prayers to his family”.
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U.S. Navy Commander Ryan Bernacchi spoke from the Smyrna airport on the tragic loss of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, who died Thursday after his jet crashed nearby.
The five remaining jets landed safely, but Capt. Kuss was killed.
He accumulated more than 1,400 flight hours and received various awards, including the Strike Flight Air Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
The Associated Press reported a USA official said the pilot is identified as Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss from Durango.
Update: The Blue Angels performance has been canceled, but the air show will still go on as scheduled.
For now, she added, the squadron’s pilots, crew and support staff are planning to fly home to Pensacola, Florida, to regroup.
The Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform this weekend at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. “They were incredible. It actually inspired me and probably nearly everyone else to somewhat go Naval aviation because it’s an awesome route”, Midshipman Lauren Greenberg said. The Blue Angels are grounded pending an investigation. Kuss’ jet crashed Thursday afternoon while practicing for an air show outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
Another military jet crashed in Colorado on Thursday after flying over the Air Force Academy’s graduation.
Kuss, 32, was from Durango, Colo., officials said.
Kuss had just taken off when the crash occurred in Smyrna about 3 p.m., according to a Navy statement.
After the plane went below the tree line, Bucher said he saw a cloud of smoke come up over the tree line.
“He gave his life and service to his country and the blue Angels their incredible they’re the most highly trained pilots in the Navy and it’s really an unfortunate accident”, Midshipman Eddie Zhang said. “And those characteristics are what the Blue Angels will harness as we move forward”.
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The thrill of seeing a show by the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels can not be denied.
