A Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune has died from a skydiving accident in Australia – a trip that his wife had won on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Gunnery Sgt. Brandon E. McGraw, 32, of Brookville, Ohio, died December 13th.
McGraw was a well-trained free-faller, according to Capt. Barry Morris with Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.
According to WNCT, McGraw’s wife, Cherilyn, posted several pictures on her Facebook
page as a tribute to her husband, calling him her hero and said he was happy and doing what he loved, and that she loved him.
Cherilyn was making a tandem skydive jump with another person at the time of the accident. She was not injured.
McGraw was assigned to Company G, 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
McGraw deployed to both Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. His personal decorations include (3) Navy Achievement Medal, (2) Combat Action Ribbon, (3) Good Conduct Medal, (2) National Defense Medal, (1) Afghanistan Campaign Medal, (2) Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, (7) Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the NATO International Security Assistance Forces Medal.
The accident remains under investigation in Melbourne.
