Current and former commanding officers of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA(AW)) 224 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 224 observe the pass and review during a squadron redesignation and change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, June 26, 2025. The ceremony represented the squadron's transition from an all-weather F/A-18D Hornet squadron to an F-35B Lightning II squadron and signified the transfer of responsibility, authority, and accountability from Lt. Col. Jarrod Allen to Lt. Col. John P. Stuart. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gavin K. Kulczewski)
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 and Sailors aboard San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) conduct deck qualifications off the coast of eastern North Carolina, June 24, 2025. II Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Second Fleet, along with NATO Allies from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, are conducting Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25). AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, taking place along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Maine and focusing on the unique amphibious capabilities offered by the Navy-Marine Corps team. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Mya Seymour)
The day was sunny and the roads were dry – ideal conditions for driving – as U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Willie Stewart drove his truck down Interstate 95. He was heading to Norfolk, Virginia, on May 17, 2025, to board a U.S. Navy ship that would take him to Fleet Week New York.
As Stewart drove, he witnessed a traffic accident on the opposite side of the highway. A Chevrolet Colorado had collided into a Chrysler Sebring, causing a serious accident. After the collision, the Chevrolet went into the ditch in the grassy median of the highway. Stewart immediately pulled over his vehicle and rushed onto the scene. The feeling of needing to act raced through his mind as he leapt out of his truck to assess the accident.
Stewart, a...
06.24.2025 | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
Story by Lance Cpl. Bryan Giraldo
