10/05/2026
πΊπΈπ΅π REST IN HONOR, SGT. JACOB M. DURHAM
"We mourn the loss of Sgt. Jacob Durham, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country."
β Lt. Col. Mabel B. Annunziata, Commanding Officer, 1st Radio Battalion
On February 6, 2025, the skies over Maguindanao del Sur, Mindanao fell silent as we lost a warrior who gave everything in service to his country and in support of his Filipino allies.
Sgt. Jacob M. Durham, 22, of Long Beach, California β an electronic warfare analyst assigned to the 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group β was among the four killed when the UC-12W Beechcraft King Air 350 he was aboard went down in Maguindanao del Sur. (Stars and Stripes)
The aircraft crashed during a routine mission in support of U.S.-Philippine security cooperation activities. The aircraft was providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of Philippine allies. (Stars and Stripes) He was not on a battlefield. He was fulfilling a quiet but vital role β watching over, listening, and protecting β a mission born out of the deep and enduring partnership between the United States and the Philippines.
What makes his sacrifice even more profound: Sgt. Durham had been promoted to his rank just five days before he died. (Stars and Stripes) Five days. He had barely pinned on his new rank when he answered his last call to duty.
Sgt. Durham joined the Marine Corps in January 2021. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Meritorious Mast, and Naval Aircrew Insignia. (CBS News)
His commanding officer remembered him as one who "embodied the highest traditions of the Marine Corps β exemplifying composure, intelligence, and selfless leadership," adding that he was "deeply respected and loved by his fellow Marines." (Task & Purpose)
The U.S.-Philippines alliance is more than a treaty on paper β it is written in the lives of men and women like Sgt. Durham, who cross oceans not for conquest, but for cooperation, for peace, and for the security of a region they may never have called home, but chose to protect nonetheless.
To the family of Sgt. Jacob M. Durham β your grief is shared across two nations. The Filipino people stand with you in mourning, in gratitude, and in remembrance.
Semper Fidelis, Sergeant. Always Faithful β even unto the end.
ποΈ Rest easy, Marine. You are not forgotten.