The two US Navy pilots who were killed when their EA-18G Growler crashed east of Mount Rainier in the US state of Washington have now been identified.
The Naval Air Station Whidbey Island confirmed in a statement that the two pilots were Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay P. Evans, aged 31, and Lieutenant Serena N. Wileman, also aged 31.
The Navy statement declared that Evans and Wileman, described as highly skilled, combat-decorated aviators, had recently returned from a deployment with their squadron, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, ‘Zappers’, with whom they spent nine months at sea as a part of Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE).
The Navy noted that Evans and Wileman had distinguished themselves in combat operations during their deployment, adding that the two women’s efforts “directly contributed to the Navy’s mission defending US and Coalition forces while keeping the seas open and free with precision and purpose”.
Evans was an EA-18G Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) and veteran of two sea tours. According to the Navy’s statement, she earned the respect of the entire Growler community for her tactical expertise,
During their 2023-24 deployment, both Evans and Wileman coordinated and executed multiple combat strikes into Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, making them two of the few women to fly combat missions over land.
Wileman’s exceptional leadership was highlighted during VAQ-130’s ‘Dirt Det’, where she was designated the Officer in Charge.
“Overcoming the challenges of operating from an austere location, she successfully oversaw all detachment operations enabling the support of multiple flights in the defense of US and Coalition forces in support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and PROSPERITY GUARDIAN,” the Navy statement said of Wileman.
Evans and Wileman were on a routine training mission near Mount Rainier on October 15, 2024, when their aircraft crashed.
Poor weather conditions and challenging terrain made the search for the EA-18G difficult, taking three days before being located. The Navy said that search and rescue teams found the remains of the aircraft in a “remote, steep, and heavily-wooded area” at about 6,000 feet east of Mount Rainier.
According to the Navy, Evans and Wileman often flew together on an EA-18G.