Navy officials have identified the 21-year-old sailor killed Monday while securing an aircraft to the flight deck of a carrier.
Airman Apprentice Joseph Min Naglak died aboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush on Monday, according to a Navy news release. Naglak was struck by the propeller of an E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft while he was securing the plane to the flight deck.
His death was felt by the entire crew, Navy officials said in a statement.
"The loss of a shipmate is a heartbreaking experience for a crew of a naval vessel and those aboard USS George H.W. Bush will mourn Naglak's passing and remember him always for his devoted service and sacrifice to our nation," the statement said.
The incident remains under investigation. No other sailors were injured.
Naglak, of West Windsor, New Jersey, joined the Navy in April 2017. He served as an aviation boatswain's mate (handling) airman apprentice and reported to the Bush four months after completing his training in Pensacola, Florida.
He attended West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, according to his Facebook page, and just this month became engaged to be married.
Pilots assigned to the Bush were conducting carrier flight qualifications at the time of Naglak's death, Cmdr. Dave Hecht, a spokesman for Naval Air Force Atlantic, told Military.com on Tuesday. Those flights, which had initially been suspended, have resumed, according to the release.
The Bush, which is based in Norfolk, Virginia, remains at sea as the pilots complete their qualifications.
-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins.
