A moment from our regular programming for this note—Yesterday USMC Captain Jeff Kuss, pilot of Blue Angels #6, died in a crash during practice for an air show. We had the honor of seeing his last performances last weekend at Jones Beach, this photo is from one of the performances.
Honestly, if you asked me if it was worth Captain Kuss’s life to have an air show, I’d tell you hands-down, no. But Captain Kuss was a veteran pilot, a man that loved to fly and the mission of the Blue Angels is to demonstrate the precision and power of U.S. military aviators.
Captain Kuss began military aviation instruction in 2007, and received his “wings of gold” in 2009. He joined Strike Fighter Squadron 125 for training in the F/A-18 Hornet.
Captain Kuss then was at Fighter Attack Squadron 312 in South Carolina, was part of Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), where he graduated in 2012. He served aboard the USS Harry S. Truman in active combat duty, where his squadron won the award for Fighter Attack Squadron of the Year.
At the time of his death, he had racked up more than 1400 flight hours, and 175 carrier-arrested landings.
His decorations included Strike Flight Air Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal as well as numerous personal and unit awards.
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