PICTURED: Wisconsin-based military pilot and father-of-two, 37, who was killed after crashing his F-16 fighter jet during routine training mission in Michigan forest
The Wisconsin Air National Guard pilot who was killed after crashing an F-16 fighter jet in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has been identified as 37-year-old father-of-two Durwood 'Hawk' Jones.
The 115th Fighter Wing revealed the heartbreaking news Friday afternoon, three days after Jones' plane went down in Hiawatha National Forest during a routine training mission.
'Capt. Jones joined the Air National Guard in 2011 and graduated from F-16 basic qualification training in 2015,' the Fighter Wing wrote in a Facebook post beneath two photos with Jones.
One snap showed him with this wife and two young children, while the other featured him holding one of his young sons while dressed in his flying gear.
The Wisconsin Air National Guard pilot who was killed after crashing an F-16 fighter jet in Michigan 's Upper Peninsula has been officially identified as 37-year-old father-of-two Durwood 'Hawk' Jones. He is pictured with his wife and two children
Jones is seen in a recent social media photo holding one of his young sons while dressed in his flying gear
The Wisconsin Air National Guard said Thursday that Jones was flying a F-16 Fighting Falcon (file image) before it crashed into a forest
'Jones is a decorated combat veteran, deploying as a part of a United States Pacific Command Theater Support Package to Japan in 2015 and to Korea in 2017. He deployed again in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel to Afghanistan in 2019,' the post continued.
'Capt. Jones has been awarded two Air Medal's with combat 'C' devices, which are awarded to individuals who have been personally exposed to hostile action or under significant risk of hostile action.'
He was a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
It's believed Jones' aircraft went down just north of the Garden Peninsula along the Delta-Schoolcraft county line in the Hiawatha National Forest, according to WLUC.
At the time of the incident, the aircraft was partaking in a routine training mission with only the pilot on board.
Searches were conducted by emergency service crews and the US Coast Guard throughout Tuesday night, while U.S. Forest Service workers also assisted local authorities in the search and set up a perimeter in the area.
Searches were conducted by emergency service crews throughout the week at the Hiawatha National Forest , which is about 250 miles from where the jet took off
Jones was assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing based in Madison, Wisconsin
Search and rescue efforts continued Wednesday on the ground, in the air, and in the water. Poor cell phone connectivity in the very rural area was reported to have hindered communication efforts.
Delta County Sheriff Ed Oswald said the crash occurred in 'a very remote area with no cellphone service,' the Air Force Times reported.
The Hiawatha National Forest covers about 879,000 acres and is about 250 miles northeast of the Truax Field, where the Fighting Falcon was based.
The 115th Fighter Wing was conducting evening training missions during the week, according to a statement posted to its Facebook page, with aircraft reportedly taking off or landing as late as 10pm.
Training flights normally take place during daylight hours, but pilots and maintenance personnel are required to conduct evening and nighttime operations as part of their overall readiness, the guard said.
Pilots are tasked with following flight paths designed to minimize noise to residents.
The 115th Fighter Wing training missions were set to come to an end on December 10.
Originally built for the U.S. Air Force, F-16s - also referred to as vipers - gained a reputation as a nimble, multi-role fighter plane.
The aircraft continue to be in wide use by different military groups, including the Air National Guard.
In April, the Air Force had announced that in 2023, Truax Field will be given a fleet of 18 new F-35 fighter planes to replace its aging F-16s.
There have been at least two crashes involving F-16 jets this year.
In June, a US Air Force F-16CM Fighting Falcon crashed during a late-night flight departing from South Carolina's Shaw Air Force Base. Pilot 1st Lt. David Schmitz was killed during the incident.
And in July, an Air Force F-16C Viper crashed during landing at New Mexico's Holloman Air Force base. The pilot ejected from the fighter jet, surviving the crash with only minor injuries.
In November last year, Air Force Magazine reported that the Air Force said that it had seen no data pointing to any safety issues with the fighter aircraft, despite a string of F-16 crashes over the years.
The military has been using variations of F-16s since 1978. The Air Force's Thunderbirds fly F-16s during their aerial demonstrations and the US Navy also uses them.