Marine officers assist family of crash victim
By Jimmy Norris, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, December 17, 2008

SEOUL — Officials from U.S. Marine Forces Korea were on hand Monday at Incheon International Airport to receive the remains of a South Korean woman who died when a U.S. military jet crashed into her San Diego home Dec. 8.

According to a Combined Forces Command news release, Col. Douglas Fegenbush and Maj. Steven Keane also helped transport Suk Im Kim’s remains to her family’s hometown in Damyang.

South Korean Army Maj. Gen. Jang Yong-goo and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Frank Panther were also to visit the funeral home on Tuesday to pay their respects to Kim’s family on behalf of U.S. Army Gen. Walter Sharp, head of the Combined Forces Command, and deputy commander Gen. Lee Sung-chool of the Korean army, CFC spokesman Dave Palmer said.

Also killed were Kim’s 36-year-old daughter, Young Mi Yoon, and two granddaughters, Grace, 15 months, and Rachel, 2 months, according to The Associated Press.

The AP reported that the accident occurred when an F/A-18 sustained engine failure and crashed about two miles from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

The pilot ejected and was found hanging by his parachute from a tree in a nearby canyon and was treated for unspecified injuries at a Navy hospital, according to the AP report.

According to the release, Sharp expressed his condolences to Kim’s son-in-law, Dong Yun Yoon, saying all of U.S. Forces Korea’s prayers were with the family.

Ellie