The Navy has posthumously advanced the 10 sailors who died aboard the destroyer John S. McCain to their next higher rank, the chief of naval personnel’s office announced Thursday.
The 10 sailors died in the aftermath of a collision between the guided-missile destroyer and the Liberian-flagged merchant vessel Alnic MC on Aug. 21 near the Strait of Malacca.
The Navy previously honored the seven sailors killed onboard the guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald in a similar manner. The advancements are symbolic and intended to honor the deceased. The gesture extends to the titles, but does not reflect any alteration in benefits
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Here’s a look at at the advancements:
Electronics Technician 1st Class Charles Nathan Findley, 31, from Kansas City, Missouri, advanced to Chief Electronics Technician.
Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Abraham Lopez, 39, from El Paso, Texas, advanced to Chief Interior Communications Electrician.
Electronics Technician 2nd Class Kevin Sayer Bushell, 26, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, advanced to Electronics Technician 1st Class.
Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Corey George Ingram, 28, from Poughkeepsie, New York, advanced to Information Systems 1st Class.
Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jacob Daniel Drake, 21, from Cable, Ohio, was posthumously officially advanced to Electronics Technician 2nd Class. Drake had was already been selected for promotion and authorized to wear the rank of a second class petty officer, but had not yet been officially advanced.
Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Timothy Thomas Eckels Jr., 23, from Manchester, Maryland, was posthumously advanced to Information Systems Technician 2nd Class. Eckels had already been selected for promotion and authorized to wear the rank of a second class petty officer, but had not yet been officially advanced.
Electronics Technician 3rd Class Dustin Louis Doyon, 26, from Suffield, Connecticut, advanced to Electronics Technician 2nd Class.
Electronics Technician 3rd Class John Henry Hoagland III, 20, from Killeen, Texas, advanced to Electronics Technician 2nd Class.
Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Logan Stephen Palmer, 23, from Decatur, Illinois, advanced to Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class.
Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kenneth Aaron Smith, 22, from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, advanced to Electronics Technician 2nd Class.
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
