Monday, March 10th, marks the 10th anniversary of the UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that crashed in Navarre’s Santa Rosa Sound killing eleven (11) service men. Seven Marines from Camp Lejeune, NC, along with four (4) Army Louisiana National Guardsmen, lost their lives when their helicopter plunged into Santa Rosa Sound that foggy night while on a training mission. The Navarre community went into a frenzy over this tragic loss. Services were held at the Navarre Pier honoring the Men of MOJO 69 and a couple folks got together a few weeks later to form the Remembering BlackHawk 11 Ceremony Committee. Their goal was to bring back the families of these servicemen and to honor their memory by letting the families know that our great military community of Navarre greaves along with them.
For ten (10) plus months, Donna Harvell, Connie Jones, Adam Tiechner, and another person who would like to remain anonymous, held meetings in Jersey Jerry Foster’s Keller Williams conference room. Together with Nathain Harris, an active duty Marine stationed in Camp Lejeune, they worked tirelessly to create an event that would take place one year late on Navarre Beach. Together they created a logo for the event, along with a ‘challenge coin’ to be sold to help defray the cost of bringing the families back on the one-year anniversary. In February they held a cookout at Broxton Outdoors, and the weekend prior to the families getting here, Amy & Patrick Fitzgerald held an event at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds called Spring Fling ’16, with nine (9) bands playing on two different stages to help raise funds for the Remembering BlackHawk 11 Ceremony.
Arrangements were made to pick-up family members and a few Marines from Camp Lejeune and fly eighty-one (81) people to the Destin Airport, where transportation would bring them to the Day’s Inn Conference Center. Folks from Louisiana drove themselves to Navarre. The committee was able to house ALL eleven (11) family members on Navarre Beach, in condos and some in homes that were donated for this cause. One home had twenty-six (26) people sleeping in it. Each family had a sponsor representing our great Navarre community that met them at the Day’s Inn Conference Center and would be there for them to contact during their two-day, three-night stay. Santa Rosa County Sheriff Wendal Hall cooked and provided a Fish Fry dinner for over three-hundred folks that first night. In the morning, the committee had arranged for the US Coast Guard to meet the families at Juana’s dock and two different vessels took them to the site of the crash and a Chaplen from the base was with them to hold a memorial service. While the adults were honoring their loved ones, the kids were being entertained at the Marine Science Center, with volunteers to watch over each family’s children.
An early dinner was held at the Conference Center again, with Golden Corral serving a beef-burgundy entree that once again fed over 300 people. Then arrangements were made to attend the Remembering BlackHawk 11 Ceremony held at the pavilion next to Mother’s Beach on the island. A portable stage was in place and several folks spoke. A letter from Senator Marco Rubio was read by USN Captain Kandy that was very moving and brought the crowd to tears. Senator Rubio couldn’t attend as he was in Miami that evening at the Presidential Debate. When the event was over, a short ‘ruck-march’ took place with most of the folks walking from this venue across the bridge to Navarre Park. Along the way, the committee had arranged with the Iron Order Motorcycle Club to have well over 100 cycles parked along the route with their lights on. It was a very moving and solemn march to Navarre Park. Once there a short prayer was said, and everyone convened the following morning for the final ceremony.
The families were able to view the Memorial Monument that was being constructed as a gift from the Santa Rosa County Leadership Class #29. At the end of the ceremony and prior to everyone heading home, Nathan Harris lead the 770-mile Ruck-March back to Camp Lejeune, NC. The committee had made arrangements for the 20 or-so Marines to receive both food and sleeping accommodations along their march back to their base.
A few weeks later, once all the funds were in and expenses were paid, each widow received a check for over $1,200 from the Committee with a letter expressing our sorrow for their loss and to let them know that their loved ones will never be forgotten by the people of Navarre. When visiting Navarre Park, you’ll now have a better understanding why we have such a wonderful memorial dedicated to the Men of MOJO 69!
Article written by Jerry Foster
Filmed at Navarre pier by Navarre Newspaper
