USMC KC-130 breaks apart in midair on the day that the Deputy Commandant for Aviation retires....is this part of his legacy?

Thanks to Sherman's War for the link!

via USNI News.

A Marine Corps KC-130 plane crashed in a field in northwest Mississippi and killed several of the nine Marines onboard, according to local press reports.

The Clarion-Ledger reported that emergency calls began coming in around 4 p.m. and that firefighters battled thick smoke and several explosions. The coroner’s office was on the scene, and the sheriff’s office confirmed at least five fatalities, according to the newspaper. The Associated Press and CBS News reported eight fatalities, and cited an official with the local Greenwood Airport as saying that the KC-130 suffered a structural failure at 20,000 feet altitude that caused it to crash.

USNI News understands that nine Marines were aboard the plane. The Marine Corps only confirmed this evening that “a USMC KC-130 experienced a mishap the evening of July 10. Further information will be passed as available.” The service has not yet released any additional details.

Jesus!

A freaking structural issue?

Look.  I wanted to post about the Deputy Commandant retiring and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it has to be stated plainly.

He's leaving Marine Air in much worse shape than when he came aboard.

While he focused like a laser on promoting the F-35, the rest of Marine Air withered on the vine, good Marines died, and others were fired because of the problems that were allowed to fester under his watch.

How many times have we seen Marine Aviators blamed for crashes when they were flying bad gear?  How many squadron commanders were sacked because they had to work Marines like dogs and a "bad command climate" resulted because they were trying to accomplish mission?

I'm mad right now and you never blog while mad but FUCK!  Marines are dead and I'd like some answers.