SEAL trainee dies during basic training
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Seaman James “Derek” Lovelace in an undated photo. Lovelace, a 21-year-old Navy SEAL trainee died last week during his first week of basic training in Coronado, Calif., a Navy spokesman said Tuesday.
SAN DIEGO » A 21-year-old Navy SEAL trainee died last week during his first week of basic training in Coronado, California, a Navy spokesman said.
Seaman James “Derek” Lovelace was pulled out of the pool Friday after showing signs he was having difficulty while treading in a camouflage uniform and a dive mask, Naval Special Warfare Center spokesman Lt. Trevor Davids said.
Lovelace lost consciousness after being pulled out of the pool and was taken to a civilian hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Davids said Tuesday. The death was first reported by NBC News and The Virginian-Pilot.
The exact cause of the death is unknown, and Navy officials are investigating, Davids said.
Lovelace was in his first week of training as a SEAL trainee after joining the Navy about six months ago, Davids said. The exercise is designed to assess students’ competency, confidence and safety in the water, according to the Navy.
Lovelace was born in Germany, and he dreamed of becoming a SEAL, according to a death announcement from Whitehurst Powell Funeral Home and Southern Heritage Crematory in his home town of Crestview, Florida.
He enjoyed any activity on the water and played baseball at Crestview High School and Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette, Alabama, according to the death announcement. Lovelace joined the Navy and graduated basic training on Jan. 28, 2016, in Great Lakes, Illinois. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Ribbon and Sharpshooter Pistol Qualification.
“I don’t know what to say. He was wonderful,” his sobbing grandmother, Jan Pugh, told The Virginian-Pilot. “It was a dream he was chasing out there. He was determined to become a SEAL . We are all just in shock.”
His mother, Katie Lovelace, died in June 2015 at the age of 44, according to the two media outlets. He is survived by his father and two sisters.
Final arrangements are pending.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of SN Lovelace,” said Capt. Jay Hennessey, commanding officer of the Naval Special Warfare Center. “Though Derek was very new to our community, he selflessly answered his nation’s call to defend freedom and protect this country. He will be sorely missed. We share in his family’s grief from this great loss.”
The death comes only days after another Coronado-based SEAL — Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Keating IV — was shot and killed during a gunbattle involving Islamic State fighters in Iraq. Naval Special Warfare will hold a private memorial service for Keating on Thursday for his family, friends and fellow SEAL team member, followed by a private funeral on Friday.
A special procession in Coronado will also be held Friday that will be open to the public. Keating will be buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
27 responses to “SEAL trainee dies during basic training”
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Why is this story the splash headline? It has nothing to do with Hawaii that I can see.
He was just another American that lost his life , why should you care right?
Why? To give you the opportunity to show how cold & heartless you are.
Hokuahi, show a little more respect for the personnel serving in the military. They are defending our country and possibly putting their life in harms way.
Nah, just be thankful Hokuahi dodged a coathanger a while back…
Maybe you just don’t care about anyone but yourself. I pity you. If you have no one who cares I get it.
Hoku sounds like another self-hating Hawaiian who thinks that their failures are due to the USA. Truth is, he is nothing without the USA. This is a tragedy for all of who care about America and humanity.
Whoa, why you gotta get racial on just a screen name. For all you know allie, hoku could be an Islamic extremist that is part German…or whatever race. Point your comments to Hoku, not an entire race based on an anonymous screen name. I guess at the very least, you showed your true colors. With that said, Hoku, have some heart for this young man who was trying to be the best warrior he could.
Thank You
Thank You
exactly
I know who Hoku is hon.
Who cares? Really, who are you?
Ha! You know Hoku…right. pfft!
Alie, read the terms of service and be careful about personal attacks.
Actually, I should say refrain from personal attacks, instead of just “be careful.” … This applies to everyone: “An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks.”
That comment should apply to EVERYONE, not just one person which you did earlier.
Your comment is so heartless, This man was training to be a Navy Seal, these guy’s protect our country, let’s see you go through that training. I think if your Commanding Officer would yell at you, you would P!ss your pant’s.
“Fair Winds and Following Seas.
See You On The Other Side Brother”
It stands to reason, anyone who yearned to be a SEAL since they were little would’ve learned to swim like a fish and familiarized himself with these kinds of boot camp activities. The fact he got in so much trouble after just five minutes in the pool makes me think he suffered some kind of medical issue. What a shame.
Not clear if he had a pre-existing medical condition or he was so exhausted due to physical or mental stress, he lost consciousness, swallowed water and by the time his instructors pulled him out of the pool he was brain dead and his heart stopped. There are cases that kids or adults die on a roller coaster not because of equipment malfunction but the 2-5 G’s they experience coupled with mental distress and a preexisting heart, brain or other medical condition leaves them dead after riding a roller coaster. From videos and accounts of seal training, it is so intense, it is possible they went beyond the mental and physical limits of this seal trainee in the first week but I don’t think you can blame the instructors as they were just doing their job. They just have to clear that the instructors pulled this trainee immediately out of the water as soon as they knew he was in trouble and did not do anything different from this trainee compared to the other trainees.
agree
Pretty sure it wasn’t boot camp. … the term “basic training” is misleading in this case, as it says he successfully completed basic training at Great Lakes months earlier. I think he was at BUD/S which his Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALS which is heavy duty training much more rigorous than boot camp.
I thought that a applicant had to have several years of service before being selected for SEAL training…….
That was true until a few years ago when SEAL Operators finally got their own Job Classification Code. Instead of selecting Sailors from other “Rates” or other jobs, a Sailor can now enter the Navy and go straight into BUD/S training after their initial Boot Camp.
Sad, another willing to give his all passing on!
HOOYAH CHARLES KEATING