A former Fallon resident who had a zest for life is being remembered for both his athletic and academic endeavors.
Naval Air Crewman 3rd Class (AW/NAC) Sean M. Ward, 20, of Lovelock was one of five crewman who died when their HH-60 helicopter plunged into the Pacific Ocean Tuesday during normal training maneuvers.
The helicopter crashed into the ocean while conducting training operations during a composite training unit exercise.
According to the Naval Air Forces Public Affairs in San Diego, HS-6 is homeported in that city and is part of Carrier Air Wing 11 assigned to the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. The helicopter was operating from USS Nimitz when the mishap occurred.
The bodies of three crewmembers were recovered from the crash area on Wednesday, and the search for the remaining two individuals was called off Thursday. The Navy's search efforts are now focused on the feasibility of salvage operations.
The mishap is under investigation.
Ward had attended elementary school in Fallon before his family moved to Lovelock in 1996 where his parents work for state of Nevada.
Pete Murphy coached Ward in Fallon Farm League baseball in the mid-1990s.
"He was one of those kids who was an all-around athlete," Murphy said Friday. "Everyone liked him."
Murphy said Ward played second base, shortstop and pitcher.
"He could play anywhere," Murphy recollects.
Because of the age cutoff in baseball at the time, Murphy said Ward was upset with the age limit because he couldn't move up to the next level with his friends. Classmate Marissa Smith, who graduated with Ward in 2006 from Pershing County High School, said she saw him in April when his unit returned to Nevada to train at Naval Air Station Fallon.
She said Ward was "military looking" but still had his "happy go lucky" attitude.
Smith said they served on student council together and had been friends since he moved to Lovelock to attend elementary school.
"He was outstanding in football and baseball and even basketball," she said.
While at PCHS, Ward led his high school to a state football championship, prompting him to write his most memorable moment: "My greatest achievement since I've been in high school has been when I won the Nevada 2A State Championship. It's a memory that I will never forget."
Ward ended his football career in June 2006 when he played in the Sertoma Football Classic in Reno. Ward, who guided his team to a win, was named the most valuable player. His coach of that game, who was also his high school coach, was unavailable for comment because he was out of town on school business.
Smith said he was also voted Best Actor, Funniest and Most Popular during his senior year.
Superintendent Daniel Fox of the Perishing County School District said the news has been very upsetting to the Lovelock community and to the students.
"Everyone was close to Sean," Fox said. "He was part of this community. He was just here in April."
Zip Upham, public affairs officer at NAS Fallon, said Ward and the other crewmen were conducting a normal training exercise which is conducted prior to deployment. He said the type of helicopter that was used on that training mission is similar to the Seahawks used at Fallon.
According to Upham, the Carrier Air Group (CAG) was the last wing that trained at NAS Fallon. He said the CAG was in Fallon for four weeks.
Upham said the investigation will be very thorough and take some time to complete. He said the investigation will center on two aspects: Flight factors and legal. Upham said the legal investigation will assess the degree of responsibility.