On Monday, October 21, the United States Navy revealed the identities of the two female pilots who crashed their fighter jet near Mount Rainier in Washington state last Tuesday, the 15th.
They were identified as 31-year-old Navy Lieutenant Lyndsay Evans and 31-year-old Navy Lieutenant Serena Wileman. Both were members of the “Zappers” of VAQ-130, an electronic attack squadron stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
VAQ-130 is the oldest electronic warfare squadron in the history of the U.S. Navy, and their nickname is “Zappers.”
According to a statement previously issued by the U.S. Navy, the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft that the pilots were flying crashed east of Mount Rainier around 3:20 p.m. on the 15th while on a routine training flight.
Search and rescue teams took several days to locate the wreckage, which was found in a remote, steep, and densely wooded area 6,000 feet east of Mount Rainier. The cause of the accident is still unknown.
The EA-18G Growler is an electronic warfare aircraft, a variant of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, designed for low-altitude flying to disrupt enemy communications.
Last October, Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, leading to a rapid escalation of the situation in the Middle East. VAQ-130 was deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the Middle East for nine months and returned to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington state in July.
Evans and Wileman both served on the Eisenhower aircraft carrier. They were recently deployed to the Red Sea, carrying out strikes against Houthi terrorist organizations in western Yemen and receiving multiple flying awards.
The Navy noted that they were among the few female personnel in the unit who had carried out combat missions on land.
Evans received two Single-Action Flight Medals for her outstanding performance in an airstrike operation in January and three Attack Flight Medals for missions conducted in December of last year and March of this year. Wileman also received three Attack Flight Medals for her role in combat missions in December last year and April this year.
Captain Marvin Scott, commander of Carrier Air Wing 3, praised the dedication of the two women as pilots and said they will be remembered with honor.
Evans enlisted after graduating from the University of Southern California in 2014 and joined VAQ-130 in September 2023. Wileman enlisted after completing Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island in 2018 and joined the squadron in November 2022.
“We mourn the loss of two beloved Zapper members with heavy hearts,” stated Colonel Timothy Warburton, commander of VAQ-130, on the 20th. “Our primary focus now is to care for the families of the fallen aviators and ensure the well-being of our sailors and the Growler community.”
In a statement on Monday, President Biden called the pilots some of the finest aviators. “We pray for their families, loved ones, and squadron mates. We will forever respect their service and sacrifice,” the statement read.