A Massachusetts airman was killed when a U.S. Air Force Osprey crashed during a training mission off Japan on Wednesday.
The Pittsfield Police Department said in a social media post Friday that U.S. Air Force member Jacob "Jake" Galliher, a Pittsfield native and 2017 graduate of Taconic High School, died in the crash. Only one of the eight crew members has been confirmed dead by the U.S. Air Force, and they have not released the names of any of them.
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"The Pittsfield Police Department extends its condolences to the family of U.S. Air Force member Jacob 'Jake' Galliher, a 2017 graduate of Taconic H.S.," the department's Facebook post said. "Jake served his country proudly. Jake was one of 8 crew members flying in an Osprey V-22 which crashed in the ocean off the coast of Japan on Nov. 29th. Jacob's body has been identified as the only crew member found so far."
The police department said Galliher leaves behind a wife and two sons, a 2-year-old and a 6-week-old, "as well as his loving family in Lanesborough."
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Galliher's family issued a statement Saturday saying they are "mourning the loss of their beloved Jacob."
"Jacob was an incredible son, brother, husband, father and friend to so many," the family's statement said. "His short life touched and made better the lives of hundreds, if not thousands in Pittsfield, in this region and everywhere he served. Jacob lived to serve his family, his country and the people he loved. We will in time have more to say about his life and its deep and lasting impact. For now, we are mourning and ask for privacy and prayers for his wife, his two amazing children and all of us while we grieve and prepare for his return home.”
Taconic High School Principal Matthew Bishop issued a statement Friday mourning Galliher's death.
"It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we learned of the passing of one of our beloved former students, Jacob Galliher, in a tragic military accident," he said. "Jake was a dedicated and exceptional individual who touched the lives of many with his kindness and compassion."
Bishop added that Galliher was known "for his exemplary character, leadership qualities, and commitment to Taconic High School." He said he was an outstanding student, played on the football team and is remembered by staff members for his "kind, fun-loving spirit and how much he positively impacted our school."
"Pittsfield is mourning a devastating loss," Mayor Linda Tyer said in a statement Friday. "We are a tight-knit community that comes together in the darkest hour. I extend my deepest condolences to Jake's family and friends. I stand beside them in their grief. Jake will always be a beloved son of Pittsfield and a national hero in his service to our nation."
Gov. Maura Healey and Secretary of Veteran's Services Jon Santiago also issued statements upon learning of Galliher's death.
"I'm heartbroken to learn of the passing of Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher, who lost his life while proudly serving his country," Healey said. "My thoughts are with his family, especially his two young sons, and the Berkshire County community as they mourn the loss of one of their best and brightest."
“The Galliher family is enduring every service family's nightmare, and we hold them in our hearts and prayers as they grieve,” added Santiago. "May his memory serve as a source of solace and strength to his family, friends, and fellow servicemembers. Our Massachusetts military community extends our deepest condolences to his family and will honor his legacy."
Sen. Ed Markey released a statement on Saturday saying he was deeply saddened by Galliher's tragic death in a "terrible training crash."
"A son of Pittsfield and graduate of Taconic High School, Staff Sgt. Galliher served our nation with honor and pride. This is a heartbreaking loss for the Commonwealth and our nation," Markey wrote. "My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, sons, mother, father, stepfather, and entire family.”
The cause of Wednesday's crash in Japan is not yet known.
The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but during flight it can rotate its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane.
Ospreys have had a number of accidents in the past, including in Japan, where they are deployed at U.S. and Japanese military bases.
The Japanese coast guard said it received an emergency call Wednesday afternoon from a fishing boat near the crash site off Yakushima, an island south of Kagoshima on the southern main island of Kyushu.
Coast guard aircraft and patrol boats found one male crew member, who was later pronounced dead by a doctor at a nearby port, an official said. They also found gray debris believed to be from the aircraft and an empty inflatable life raft in an area about 1 kilometer off the eastern coast of Yakushima. Search and rescue operations are continuing on Friday. Seven other servicemembers remain missing and unaccounted for, Markey's office said.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command said in a statement that the CV-22B Osprey was from Yokota Air Base and assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing. The aircraft had departed from the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi prefecture and crashed on its way to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.
While the U.S. Marine Corps flies most of the Ospreys based in Japan, the Air Force also has some deployed there.
Last year, Air Force Special Operations Command ordered a temporary stand down of its Osprey fleet following back-to-back safety incidents where the Osprey clutch slipped, causing an uneven distribution of power to Osprey's rotors.
The Marine Corps and Navy have reported similar clutch slips, and each service has worked to address the issue in their aircraft, however clutch failure was also cited in a 2022 fatal U.S. Marine Corps Osprey crash that killed five.
According to the investigation of that crash, “dual hard clutch engagement” led to engine failure.
Separately, a U.S. Marine Corps Osprey with 23 Marines aboard crashed on a northern Australian island in August, killing three Marines and critically injuring at least five others who were onboard during a multinational training exercise.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
