(AP) - Seven of the 16 U.S. troops killed in a military plane crash in Mississippi were special operations forces based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Six were Marines and one was a sailor.
The Marine Corps refueling and cargo plane went down in a soybean field on Monday. The Marines said Tuesday that the air tanker was based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, and headed to El Centro, California.
Marine Corps Maj. Andrew Aranda said Tuesday that the flight of the KC-130T originated Monday from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
One of the plane's stops was presumably to pick up the seven commandos. The plane was scheduled to drop them and their equipment off for training at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, and fly on to a naval air field at El Centro.
Officials have not released the names of those killed. The crash is under investigation.
