Fla. base marks 1st anniv. of crash in Africa

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A military base in the Florida Panhandle is remembering four airmen killed with their reconnaissance plane crashed in Africa last year.

The four airmen were members of the Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing. They were based at Hurlburt Field.

Monday marks the first anniversary of the crash near the only U.S. base in Africa. Military officials say the crew had been returning from a mission in support of the Afghanistan war.

Friends and family of Capt. Nicholas Whitlock, Capt. Ryan Hall, 1st Lt. Justin Wilkens and Senior Airman Julian Scholten tell the Northwest Florida Daily News that they will hold a private memorial service Monday at Hurlburt. They will have a moment of silence at 10:19 a.m., the time the plane crashed.

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Information from: Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.), http://www.nwfdailynews.com