Noticed flags at half-staff Thursday?
You’re not alone. Flags were ordered to half-staff at Washington buildings through sunset.
Here’s why.
On Thursday, the Washington and United States flags at state agencies were ordered to half-staff in honor of two service members who died during a routine training flight near Mount Rainier.
Naval aviators Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay Evans and Lieutenant Serena Wileman, both 31, died in the line of duty Oct. 15.
“Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay ‘Miley’ Evans and Lt. Serena ‘Dug’ Wileman will be remembered as role models, trailblazers, and women whose influence touched countless people on the flight deck and well beyond,” stated the U.S. Navy in an article released after the crash.
They both had accomplished careers in the military. Evans was also an Electronic Warfare Officer with two sea tours under her belt and numerous medals. She was part of the 2023 all-female Super Bowl flyover, in recognition of the 50-year anniversary of women flying in the Navy, according to the article. Additionally, she was named the 2024 Growler Tactics Instructor of the Year.