President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday honored a fighter pilot who died after his F-5E jet crashed into the sea off Pingtung County following a mid-air collision on March 22.
At a memorial service at the Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County, the president presented a citation to Lo Shang-hua’s (羅尚樺) widow.
The 26-year-old pilot was also posthumously promoted from the rank of first lieutenant to major and awarded a posthumous Order of Loyalty and Valor, which his father accepted on his behalf from air force Commander General Hsiung Hou-chi (熊厚基).
Photo: CNA
Tsai thanked Lo for his dedication and the sacrifices he made to protect Taiwan.
“As a guardian of Taiwan’s national airspace, we are all proud of him,” she said.
She instructed the Ministry of National Defense to provide the best possible care to his family.
During the memorial procession, members of the military police performed a three-volley salute and four F-5 jets flew the missing man formation over the air base.
Lo is to be interred at the Hualien Martyrs’ Shrine.
His F-5E, a single-seat variant of the F-5 “Tiger” jet, crashed into the sea after it brushed against his wingman in mid-air as they were switching formation during a training mission over Pingtung County.
He ejected from the aircraft after the collision, but did not show any vital signs when found at sea and was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.
The other pilot, Captain Pan Ying-chun (潘穎諄), is thought to have also ejected from his aircraft, but he has not yet been found.
The air force said yesterday that it has not given up the search to find Pan.
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