Tragic Marine’s mother hailed from Achill

Tragic Marine’s mother hailed from Achill


Anton McNulty

The shockwaves caused by the death a US Marine who was killed in a tragic helicopter crash in Florida last week reached as far as Achill, as his mother, Ann, was native of the island.
Staff sergeant Liam Flynn (33), originally from Clane, Co Kildare, was tragically killed along with six fellow Marines and four National Guard soldiers from Louisiana when the Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the waters off Florida during a training mission.
Mr Flynn’s mother Ann, nee English, was originally from the village of Meelan on Achill Island, and he has family and relations living on the island. Prayers were said for him at Bunnacurry Church at Saturday evening Mass.
Following a memorial service in Clane Church over the weekend, his mother Ann said he was fully aware of the risks of his job and asked her not to be sad if he died in the line of duty.
“He always wanted to do it, always. And he was always very happy in his work and would always discuss matters. He told me if anything happened to him, that I wasn’t to be sad and he told me that he was going to be buried in Washington,” she told RTÉ.
Mr Flynn’s sister, Leona, said the family was ‘devastated’ by his tragic passing.
His wife, Destiny, and one-year-old daughter, Laliane, were being comforted at their home in North Carolina.
All the marines who died were from the 2nd Special Operations Battalion of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Mr Flynn joined the Marine Corps in 2006 having moved to New York in 2002. He graduated basic training from the renowned boot camp on Parris Island in January 2007. He then attended the School of Infantry and received orders to 2nd Battalion 8th Marines, Camp Lejeune, NC.
In 2007, he was deployed on his first tour of duty to Iraq, and he returned in 2009, deployed as a squad leader in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 2011, Mr Flynn was assigned to 2D Marine Special Operation Battalion, Hotel Company, and he was deployed to Badghis Province, Afghanistan, from January 2012 to September 2012. He was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in May 2013, and his final tour of duty during Operation Enduring Freedom was from November 2013 to June 2014.
He was decorated with three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals of Valor, the Bronze Star with Valor and Combat Action Ribbon.
Major General Joseph L Osterman – who is commander of Marine Corps special operations forces – said the Marines were flying offshore to practise rappelling down ropes into the water and then making for land.
He said he didn’t know whether the Marines were planning to reach shore by swimming or in small rubber boats, but the same drill had been practised hours earlier during daylight.