Black Hawk Loss Hard on Navarre Community

Black Hawk helicopter crash rocks Florida community built on military, faith
AL.com
By Carol McPhail
March 11, 2015

In the Navarre community, where the military and faith reign supreme, residents gathered at candlelight ceremonies Wednesday night to pray and pay homage to the 11 personnel missing and presumed dead in a Black Hawk helicopter crash Tuesday.

The missing soldiers and Marines were from Louisiana and North Carolina, but that mattered little to residents of the unincorporated community in Santa Rosa County, a short drive from three military installations: Pensacola Naval Air Station, Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base.

"There are children missing their fathers, wives missing their husbands," said Rev. Jon Skipper, pastor of Navarre First Assembly of God, during a candlelight service Wednesday night. "Although we don't know them, they're part of one family."

"These men were patriots of the highest order," said Skipper.

Outside the church on U.S. 98 near the beach, a flag stood at half-staff. Inside worshippers stood at attention as a Hurlburt color guard did the honors. They prayed, raised their hands and lit candles from a row of 12 laid out on the communion table. Eleven of the candles represented the four U.S. Army National Guard soldiers and the seven Marine Corps members missing. The 12th was for "the 12th man" - who is Jesus, said Skipper.
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