Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Slayton Richard Saldana

Died July 30, 2019 Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

24, of Manassas, Virginia, was declared dead on July 30 by the Defense Department. Saldana was listed as duty status whereabouts unknown following a July 17 man overboard incident while the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was underway in the Arabian Sea. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, part of Carrier Air Wing 7, assigned to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.

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The Navy on Tuesday said it has changed the duty status of the sailor believed to have fallen overboard into Arabian Sea to deceased.

Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Slayton Richard Saldana had been listed as duty status whereabouts unknown, or DUSTWUN, ever since he went missing on board the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on July 17.

A search and rescue effort for the missing sailor conducted by the Abraham Lincoln and its two escorts officially ended on July 19.

The Navy identified Saldana as the missing sailor in a press release on July 22.

Saldana was assigned to the Norfolk-based Nightdippers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5.

He joined the Navy in 2015 and was on his first deployment when he disappeared.

The Navy has not released any information explaining how Saldana went overboard.

https://www.navytimes.com/2019/07/30/navy-declares-missing-carrier-lincoln-sailor-dead/