The 13th sailor dies of complications from COVID-19

Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 1st Class Ryan Crosby, 39 years old. US Navy Photo

A Virginia Beach, Va. Sailor assigned to the Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic died of complications from a COVID-19 infection on Sunday, the Navy said today.

Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 1st Class Ryan Crosby, 39, tested positive for the virus on August 26 and was admitted to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center on September 8 and transferred to hospital General of Sentara Norfolk on September 9, a spokesperson for the service told USNI News on Monday.

Crosby is the 13th Sailor to die of complications from COVID-19, according to a USNI News tally of active duty deaths since the start of the pandemic. Navy officials would not tell USNI News if Crosby was vaccinated, but he contracted the virus before the Navy released the mandatory vaccination policy on September 1.

“It should be noted that all Navy COVID deaths have been unimmunized individuals (one individual has been partially vaccinated),” Navy officials wrote in a Navy post., published on August 31 and detailing the new vaccination policy. “Given this continuing threat to the health and readiness of members of the Navy, vaccination against COVID-19 is now mandatory. “

Now, active duty sailors and Marines must be fully immunized by November 28, and Reservists must be immunized by December 28.

To date, 13 Sailors and one Marine have died from complications from COVID-19.

August 14, Staff Sgt. Edmar Ismael, 27, electrician with Support Platoon, Engineer Support Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.

On August 14, Robert McMahon, Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class, 41, died in hospital from complications from COVID-19 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

On August 13, Personnel Specialist First Class Debrielle Richardson, 29, died in hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.

In July, Captain Corby Ropp, 48, an active-duty naval medic, died in Durham, North Carolina, at Duke University Hospital.

On April 29, senior fire control chief Michael Wilson, 45, died at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia. At the time, Wilson was on a short-term assignment with Information Warfare Training Command in Virginia Beach.

On February 22, Hull chief technician Justin Huf, 39, died in the intensive care unit at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. He was then assigned to Assault Engine Unit (ACU) 4 at the time. Marcglenn Orcullo, 42, an aviation support equipment technician, who was on the crew of USS Wasp (LHD-1), died at a hospital in Norfolk, Va., From complications related to COVID-19 on February 12.

On February 4, Second Class Information Systems Technician (Submarines) Cody Andrew-Godfredson Myers, 26, died of COVID-19 in the intensive care unit at Health Shands Hospital in the University of Florida. Myers was part of the blue crew on the Ohio-class submarine USS Tennessee (SNLE-734).

On February 2, Navy training camp instructor, Chief Quartermaster Herbert Rojas, 50, died of COVID-19 at home while in quarantine.

Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker Jr., 41, died in Guam in April 2020 following the outbreak aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).

Three reservists also died from the virus. Petty Officer First Class Allen Hillman, 47, died July 26 in a hospital in Boise, Idaho. Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Abdigafar Salad Warsame, 52, died of COVID-19 in January. 2nd Class Builder Nathan Huff Bishop, 33, died in December. Bishop had been posted to the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) in Akron, Ohio, while Warsame was posted to the NOSC Columbus, Ohio.

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