Hero of deadly Melville Island Osprey crash that claimed 3 lives during war exercise honoured

A US marine officer has been honoured for his heroism in saving the lives of his 18 member Lima company when their MV-22 Osprey, plummeted to the ground after a near-mid-air collision during a training exercise at a remote airfield near Darwin.

PICTURE CAPTION: Marine Corps Capt. Joshua C. Watson is awarded the navy and Marine Corps Medal at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida on Feb. 28, 2025. Marine Corps photo.

A US marine officer has been honoured for his heroism in saving the lives of his Lima company when their MV-22 Osprey, plummeted to the ground at a remote airfield close to Darwin, after a near-mid-air collision during a training exercise.

Three marines died and 20 survived in the crash in August 2023.

Of the survivors five marines were hospitalised, including Captain Joshua C. Watson who, despite having a broken ankle, rallied his marines and got them clear of the Osprey inferno.

The MV-22 went down on Melville Island, just off the coast of Darwin.

While serving as the Ground Force Commander for a 38-Marine element inserting to Melville Island’s Pickertaramoor Airfield, north of Darwin then-1st Lt. Watson and 18 of his marines, one sailor, and four aircrew crashed into a wooded area two kilometres short of the landing zone

It has been reported that Captain Watson’s team had been in the rear of the twin-propeller Osprey when it plunged to the ground after veering to avoid a collision with another Osprey it was trailing behind.

Captain Watson is credited with rallying his fellow marines in the face of a chaotic and dynamic situation, to get them clear of the inferno.

While he himself suffered a broken ankle, Watson’s first action was to unstrap and physically wake his radio operator, who was unconscious.

Despite the aircraft being on fire, Watson remained inside until his radio operator regained consciousness and safely exited the aircraft with Watson’s support. Watson then directed the remaining marines on-board to evacuate, facilitating their safe escape as the situation rapidly escalated.

Three American Marines Captain Eleanor LeBeau, 29, Corporal Spencer Collart, 21, and Major Tobin Lewis, 37, have been remembered as 'heroes' following a fatal Osprey crash in the Northern Territory on Sunday August 27.

Captain Watson’s heroics and that of Corporal Spencer Collart were detailed in the report of the medal presentation.

Corporal Spencer Collart sacrificed his life in an attempt to reach the Osprey pilots, who he knew were trapped in the cockpit.

Captain Watson was awarded the navy and Marine Corps Medal last week, the Department of the Navy’s highest non-combat award for heroism.

An after action report written by captain Watson has given graphic detail of what ensued after the Osprey hit the ground and the desperate wait for help.

Watson detailed that as the Osprey veered and began to fall, the crew gave the hand signal to the Marines to “brace,” to for the looming impact.

The report said Watson passed yelled the order to his marines.

“Then the plane hit,” the report said.

“Anything that was not strapped down became a projectile flying from the rear to front of the aircraft,” Watson wrote in his report.

“I could not see the marine seated five feet across from me, nor could I see out of the rear ramp of the aircraft. Heavy flames, thick smoke, spraying fluid, dirt, dust, gear, and aircraft wreckage made visibility extremely poor.

“The heat from the fire was overwhelming.

“The only light piercing through the smoke came from the rear of the aircraft and this soon became the primary exit.”

Two US Marine MV-22 Ospreys take off from Darwin Airport after a personnel and logistic transfer.

Watson recounted that in the shock of the moment, that many of the marines did not immediately move.

“After noticing that nobody was really moving, I directed the Marines to ‘leave everything and get out the back of the aircraft,’” Watson said in a Marine Corps release.

The report said that as the platoon began to pile out of the rear of the plane, Watson saw that his radio operator was not moving. He shook him until he woke and got him moving towards the exit.

“As I unstrapped and untangled myself, I handed off my radio operator to another Marine towards the rear exit, checking under seats as I went to ensure no one remained trapped.”

The report said that as he left he encountered a remarkable sight: one of the Osprey’s crew chiefs was pinned under the plane’s ramp as flames rapidly engulfed the wreckage.

“Still standing at the rear of the aircraft from which the fire was rapidly spreading, I witnessed the rear member of the aircrew who was pinned underneath the fuselage of the plane and severely injured, being cut free and buddy dragged to safety by my Marines who had come back to his rescue,” Watson wrote in the report.

Within minutes after impact, Watson established radio communication with a mixed section of AH-1Z and UH-Y1 helicopters circling overhead, which had been escorting the assault force and medics began to work on the most seriously injured.

“Fortunately, we had those Marine helicopters above, because we wouldn’t have been able to start getting casualty resources to our position if that wasn’t the case,” said Watson.

“They were our lifeline.”

With no viable helicopter landing zones near the wooded crash site and no roads or trails leading to the Melville Island airfield, the marines needed to execute a ground recovery through two kilometres of unimproved, wooded terrain to Melville Island’s Pickertaramoor Airfield.

Watson detailed that about 45 minutes later, Australian soldiers arrived at the crash site and, soon after, civilian medical helicopters arrived overhead, hoisting rescuers down to the marines to evacuate their most critically injured.

Eventually, Australian Army ground vehicles reached the site, and began ferrying the rest of his Lima company to the Melville Island airfield. Five hours after the crash, Watson and two other leaders were the last marines out.

“Almost everyone was injured in the crash, but we didn’t realise the severity due to the shock, we kept checking on each other because we didn’t know the true conditions of everyone,” said Watson in the news release.

“Self-aid was critical. My marines being solid in Tactical Combat Casualty Care was essential.”

Three American Marines Captain Eleanor LeBeau, 29, Corporal Spencer Collart, 21, and Major Tobin Lewis, 37, have been remembered as 'heroes' following a fatal Osprey crash in the Northern Territory on Sunday August 27.

An investigation into the crash found that corporal Collart “heroically re-entered the burning cockpit of the aircraft in an attempt to rescue the trapped pilots.”. His autopsy showed “higher levels of combustion product inhalation.”

Pilots Major Tobin J. Lewis, 37, and Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, died in the crash with Collart, who was posthumously awarded the navy and Marine Corps Medal

Originally published as Hero of deadly Melville Island Osprey crash that claimed 3 lives during war exercise honoured