SEATTLE—The Navy announced that the remains of two aviators who tragically lost their lives in a jet crash during a training flight in Washington state last month will be returning home from Dover Air Force Base in the upcoming days.
Lt. Serena Wileman, a California native, is set to return on Monday, as confirmed by Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay Evans’ remains will follow later in the week in a private ceremony as requested by her family.
The duo perished in the crash of their EA-18G Growler jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron, also known as the “Zappers,” east of Mount Rainier on Oct. 15.
The unfortunate incident took place at an altitude of approximately 6,000 feet in a remote, rugged, and densely forested area. An investigation is currently ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.
Evans, a naval flight officer hailing from Palmdale, California, made history as part of a group of female pilots who performed the first-ever all-female flyover at Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12, 2023, commemorating 50 years of women’s involvement in naval aviation.
The initial female candidates entered the U.S. Navy flight school in 1973.
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Wileman, a naval aviator, was commissioned in 2018 and joined the Zapper squadron on Washington state’s Whidbey Island in 2021. She earned the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, and a Combat Action Ribbon.
The EA-18G Growler, a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, offers tactical jamming and electronic protection to U.S. forces and allies, according to Boeing, its manufacturer. The inaugural Growler was delivered to Whidbey Island in 2008.
