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UPDATE: 3rd Airman recovered following Okinawa incident

  • Published
  • Robins Public Affairs
The body of a third Airman has been recovered in Okinawa, Japan, after he and two other Airmen were swept out to sea Sunday by high waves.

The name of the deceased, a member of the 116th Air Control Wing, is being withheld until 24 hours following the notification of next of kin.

The body of 51-year-old Senior Master Sgt. James Swartz, an aerospace propulsion superintendent with the 116th, was recovered late Sunday.   The body of 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Joshua Schoenhoff, an instrument and flight control systems specialist with the 461st Air Control Wing, was recovered Monday.

The three Airmen were on temporary duty at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and visiting the northwest coast of the island when the incident occurred.  A combined search and rescue effort for the Airmen was conducted by the U.S. Air Force and the Japanese Coast Guard.