Sixteen people tragically lost their lives in a Marine Corps airplane crash in Leflore County, Mississippi. The incident involved a Lockheed KC-130T Hercules aircraft, which went down on July 10, 2017. The aircraft, operating under the call sign “Yanky 72,” was part of Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York.The plane was en route to Naval Air Facility El Centro in California when it lost radar contact approximately 85 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft on fire before it crashed, with debris scattered over a five-mile radius. The subsequent investigation revealed that improper repairs conducted on a corroded propeller blade contributed to the accident.

This crash marked the deadliest incident for the Marine Corps since 2005. In the aftermath, a memorial was dedicated near the crash site, and part of U.S. Highway 82 was renamed “YANKY 72 Memorial Highway” to honor those who perished in this tragic event.