LEOMINSTER (WHDH/AP) — A Marine officer from Leominster who was killed last month during a NATO training exercise in Norway will be laid to rest Tuesday following a funeral Mass.
Capt. Ross Reynolds, a 27-year-old Osprey pilot who joined the Marines in 2017, was one of four Marines killed when their aircraft crashed March 18 during a NATO drill in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle.
Reynolds, who just got married in February, was an Eagle Scout who graduated from Leominster High School and Worcester State University.
The funeral Mass will be held at St. Cecilia’s Church. The burial at the Massachusetts Memorial Veterans’ Cemetery in Winchendon will be private.
Hundreds of people, including friends, family, and local officials attended a public wake that was held Monday at Leominster City Hall.
“He was someone I looked up to, he helped me through flight school and through college,” said Navy Pilot Joe Tomellini, who was in the ROTC with Reynolds at Holy Cross. “I couldn’t have asked for a better friend.”
Dozens of people gathered Sunday night for candlelight vigil to honor Reynolds’ sacrifice and service. A plane carrying the remains of Reynolds landed at Logan International Airport in Boston on Saturday, where it was met by his family and Gov. Charlie Baker.
The others who died were Capt. Matthew Tomkiewicz, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.; Gunnery Sgt. James Speedy, of Cambridge, Ohio; and Cpl. Jacob Moore, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but Norwegian police reported bad weather in the area. Officials in Norway said the MV-22B Osprey crashed in Graetaedalen in Beiarn, south of Bodoe.
The men were all assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
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