Sgt. Jacob Hess pictured here with his wife Bridget . Picture was from his profile picture on facebook – posted on November 3, 2013.
The Pentagon announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
According to the press release:
“Sgt. Jacob M. Hess, 22, of Spokane, Wash., died Jan. 1, 2014, while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Hess was assigned to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The incident is currently under investigation” (source: DOD http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16458).
We tried to solicit more information in this case from the Pentagon and was referred to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs Office during duty hours at 252-466-5895 and after duty hours at 252-288-8375. We asked specifically what the cause of death was in this case – they refused to discuss that saying the incident is still under investigation.
Sgt. Hess was assigned to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
His unit mission statement reads:
“Provide aviation logistics support, guidance, planning and direction to Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) squadrons on behalf of the commanding officer, as well as logistics support for Navy- funded equipment in the supporting Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS), Marine Air Control Group (MACG), and Marine Aircraft Wing/Mobile Calibration Complex (MAW/MCC)” (source: http://www.mag26.marines.mil/MAG26Units/MALS26.aspx).
Somehow this soldier died in support of that mission statement.
It should be noted that Sgt. Jacob M. Hess was the first Marine to die in Afghanistan during the new year.
According to his Facebook page, Hess graduated in 2009 from Kubasaki High School in Okinawa, Japan. Kubasaki is a U.S. Department of Defense Dependents School. He joined the U.S. Marine Corp in October 2010. In 2008 Hess attended Spokane Falls Community College, in Spokane Washington. Hess had 195 friends on Facebook at the time he was killed or murdered in Afghanistan (source: https://www.facebook.com/jake.hess.9461).