Marine who died trying to save crew in fiery Osprey crash to receive service's top noncombat medal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexia and Bart Collart braced for a hard visit. Marines came to their home in Arlington, Virginia, last week to brief them on what caused the Osprey crash in Australia last year that resulted in the death of their son and two other Marines.

But they weren’t expecting to hear these words: Your son didn’t die in the crash.

Cpl. Spencer R. Collart had safely escaped the aircraft. But the 21-year-old saw that the Osprey's two pilots were unaccounted for. Despite the smoke and flames, he went back in.

Collart “heroically reentered the burning cockpit of the aircraft in an attempt to rescue the trapped pilots,” the official Marine Corps investigation into the crash found. “He perished during this effort.”

For his valor, Collart will be posthumously awarded the service’s highest noncombat award: the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. It is an honor awarded for acts of heroism at great risk to the service member’s life.

It didn’t surprise his dad that Spencer tried to save the pilots.

“I heard a song the other day. I’ve heard it many times,” Bart Collart said. “There was a quote in there, about how ‘the last thing on my mind was to leave you.’ And I think that was Spencer talking with me a little. He had no intention of leaving us. I think he thought he’d go in and get the job done.”

Spencer Collart was a goal-driven, 6-foot-2, grinning Washington-Liberty High School lacrosse player who walked into the house on his 18th birthday with a surprise: He’d just enlisted.

“The Marines are the top of the top. The best of the best,” Spencer told his mom Alexia Collart, when she asked him why. The Collarts weren’t a military family, but Spencer wanted to serve. And he wanted to fly.

He got his top assignment choice and met his two best friends, Lance Cpl. Evan Strickland and Cpl. Jonah Waser. They spent a year together training to become crew chiefs, enlisted Marines responsible for the aircraft and its passengers. There’s a photo of them posing with their class on April 22, 2022, the day they earned their wings.

They were flying the V-22 Osprey, which functions as both an airplane and a helicopter. But it’s an aircraft that has a troubled history and four fatal accidents in two years.

In June 2022, Strickland was killed along with four other Marines in a training crash in California. Collart served as a pallbearer. He stayed in close touch with Strickland's family, calling to check on them, Facetiming them on the crash anniversary, and reading the accident investigation report from cover to cover, Strickland's mother, Michelle, said.

“He wanted to really understand,” she said.

When Spencer's unit deployed to Australia in April 2023, he asked his mother if he could give Michelle Strickland her number so they could text each other.

“He had the foresight to connect me with Michelle. I don’t know if he was concerned or worried. I suspect maybe he was,” Alexia Collart said.

Still, Spencer flourished in his role. He took on hard jobs no one wanted, like packing the unit’s plane before they deployed. His squadron kept showing up with more gear, so he kept unpacking and repacking it, again and again.

By the fourth try Spencer was “red and black, just covered in grease and sunburn,” his commander told Bart Collart. Spencer earned a first-class ticket to Australia for his effort.

In the Osprey, Spencer spent most of the flight in the “tunnel,” the area right behind the pilot and co-pilot, learning from them, with a goal to become a pilot himself. When Spencer’s personal effects arrived after his death, Bart Collart found his son’s Marine Corps camouflage cap, known as a cover. He put it on and metal nudged his forehead.

Spencer had pinned a 2nd lieutenant’s gold “butter bar” and a set of pilot’s wings into the band.

“He put these in here to remind himself every time he put his cap on of his next goal,” Bart Collart said. “He was all in. He walked the walk, he talked the talk, and he was just, he just loved it so much.”

On August 27, 2023, two Marines came to the Collart's door.

Spencer Collart's Osprey had crashed during an Australian military exercise, killing him and Capt. Eleanor LeBeau and aircraft commander Maj. Tobin Lewis. For months, that's all his parents knew. Then, last week, the Marines came back, to brief their findings.

Seconds after the Osprey hit the ground, the aircraft filled with smoke and flames. Collart had been standing in the tunnel even as the plane was going down. Most of the 23 troops on board escaped out the back, including a commander who told investigators he saw Collart escape out a side door.

A site team later found Collart’s tether — what he’d use to latch onto the Osprey to move around during flight — undamaged outside the aircraft.

But not everyone made it out. The pilots were still inside. The Osprey had crashed nose first, and they were trapped.

Collart went back. Investigators believe he may have unbuckled Lewis from his restraints before he succumbed.

Collart “thought the world" of Lewis and LeBeau, Bart Collart said. He believes Lewis' last-minute maneuver to level the plane as it was crashing right side down helped the troops in the back survive.

The fourth member of the flight crew, Cpl. Travis Reyes, has been at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for the last year recovering from critical injuries. Saturday marked the first time he got to fly home to his parents' house in Maryland.

Spencer's family met Waser for the first time at the funeral. This time it was Waser who put on dress blues to serve as a pallbearer and escort his best friend's remains from Dover Air Force Base to Arlington National Cemetery.

Spencer’s younger sister, Gwyneth Collart, felt instant chemistry. Her parents saw it too.

“As soon as I met him, I was like, this is not the time or the place to be falling in love,” Gwyneth Collart said of Waser. “Grieving will never be easy, but he made grieving a little bit more comfortable to do. And he just, I mean, he took my breath away.”

Months later, Waser asked her father for Gwyneth’s hand.

“You guys told me that Marines work fast, and you weren’t kidding,” Bart Collart said, laughing.

Gwyneth Collart and Waser married July 6 in Arlington and held their reception at Top of the Town, a ballroom that has a terrace overlooking Arlington National Cemetery. They could see the section where Spencer was buried, and Gwyneth pinned her brother’s portrait to her bouquet.

“I think that Spencer knew what I needed and what my family needed after this, and it feels like I got exactly what I needed to get through this,” Gwyneth Collart said.

Gwyneth Collart sits for a portrait while holding the uniform of her brother Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart at her home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Her brother was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Family members of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, father Bart Collart, left, sister Gwyneth Collart, right, and mother Alexia Collart, talk about their relative at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Alexia Collart holds a pin belonging to her son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at her home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Her son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Family members of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart sister Gwyneth Collart, from left, father Bart Collart and mother Alexia Collart talk about Collart at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

A model of a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is seen at the family home of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with Marine Corps Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau and US Marine Corps Major Tobin J. Lewis when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Alexia Collart, right, and her husband Bart Collart talk about their son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Their son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Bart Collart, left, and his wife Alexia Collart talk about their son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

In this image provided by Tell It Well Photography, Gwyneth Collart holds a bouquet with a portrait of her brother the late Marine Corps Cpl. Spencer Collart, during her wedding to Cpl. Jonah Waser, July 6, 2024, in Arlington, Va. Spencer Collart was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (Tell It Well Photography via AP)

Bart Collart, right, and his wife Alexia Collart, talk about their son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Their son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Bart Collart talks about his son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at his home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart's son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Bart Collart, right, and his wife Alexia Collart, talk about their son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Their son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Alexia Collart, left, and her daughter Gwyneth, right, talk about her son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, in their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Gwyneth Collart sits for a portrait while holding the uniform of her brother Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart at her home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Her brother was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Patches belonging to Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart are seen at the home of his parents in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

"Challenge coins" belonging to Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, are seen at the home of his parents in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Family members of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, from left, father Bart Collart, sister Gwyneth Collart and mother Alexia Collart, hold his portrait as they pose for a photo at their home in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

A Certificate of Commendation for Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart is seen at the home of his parents in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

This image provided by Tell It Well Photography shows Gwyneth Collart, left, and Cpl. Jonah Waser at the alter during their wedding, July 6, 2024, in Arlington, Va. Collart is the sister of the late Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, who was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (Tell It Well Photography via AP)

Bart Collart, left, hugs his daughter Gwyneth at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart's son Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Alexia Collart stands near a photograph of her son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at her home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Her son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

The helmet of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart is seen at the home of his parents in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Bart Collart, right, and his wife Alexia Collart, talk about their son, Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, at their home, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Their son was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Family members of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, from left, father Bart Collart, sister Gwyneth Collart and mother Alexia Collart, hold his portrait as they pose for a photo at their home in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with two other Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Photographs of Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart and his fellow marines, Marine Corps Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, bottom left, and Marine Corps Major Tobin J. Lewis, bottom right, are seen at the home of his parents in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 19, 2024. Collart, 21, was killed along with the two Marines when the MV-22B Osprey aircraft they were on crashed during drills on a north Australian island on Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Taiwanese company Gold Apollo said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria but that another company based in Budapest manufactured them.

Hundreds of handheld pagers exploded almost simultaneously Tuesday across Lebanon and in parts of Syria, killing at least nine people, government and Hezbollah officials said. Officials pointed the finger at Israel in what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack. The Israeli military declined to comment.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire daily, coming close to a full-blown war on several occasions and forcing tens of thousands on both sides of the border to evacuate their homes.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Here's the latest:

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says four soldiers were killed in southern Gaza and five others were wounded, with three of them in serious condition.

The deaths on Tuesday came nearly a year into the war in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The army did not describe the circumstances, but Israeli media reported that the soldiers were killed by a hidden bomb that exploded inside a building.

One of the four, Staff Sgt. Agam Naim, an army paramedic, was the first female soldier to have been killed in combat in Gaza, according to Israeli media.

Hamas and other armed groups remain active across the territory despite months of heavy Israeli bombardment and ground operations that have destroyed vast areas and displaced most of the population.

Israel says 346 of its soldiers have been killed since the start of ground operations last October. The military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese company Gold Apollo said Wednesday that it authorized its brand on the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria but that another company based in Budapest manufactured them.

Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded near-simultaneously Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and wounding more than 2,000. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack.

The AR-924 pagers used by the militants were manufactured by BAC Consulting KFT, based in Hungary’s capital, according to a statement released Wednesday by Gold Apollo.

“According to the cooperation agreement, we authorize BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in designated regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC,” the statement read.

Gold Apollo chair Hsu Ching-kuang told journalists Wednesday that his company has had a licensing agreement with BAC for the past three years, but did not provide evidence of the contract.

The AR-924 pager, advertised as being “rugged,” contains a rechargeable lithium battery, according to specifications once advertised on Gold Apollo’s website before it was apparently taken down Tuesday after the sabotage attack. It could receive text messages of up to 100 characters and claimed to have up to 85 days of battery life. That’s something that would be crucial in Lebanon, where electricity outages have been common as the tiny nation on the Mediterranean Sea has faced years of economic collapse. Pagers also run on a different wireless network than mobile phones, making them more resilient in emergencies — one of the reasons why many hospitals worldwide still rely on them.

FILE - Israeli soldiers move next to destroyed buildings following Israeli strikes during a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Civil Defense first-responders carry a man who was wounded after his handheld pager exploded, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.(AP Photo)

People gather outside the American University hospital after the arrival of several people who were wounded by exploding handheld pagers, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Palestinians in Lebanon wave their national flags during a protest in front of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

People gather around an ambulance carrying wounded people whose handheld pager exploded, at the emergency entrance of the American University hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

The supermoon rises behind the houses in Mas'ade, a village in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Lebanese Red Cross volunteer collects blood donations for those who were injured by their exploded handheld pagers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at a Red Cross center in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)