Cpt. Sean Elliott

Capt. Sean Endecott “Puffin” Elliott, a USMC KC-130 pilot, died unexpectedly on July 10, 2017 when the aircraft he was co-piloting experienced a mishap at cruising altitude and crashed in Leflore, Mississippi, killing all 16 on board.

Sean was born on March 20, 1987 in Colorado Springs, CO. He enjoyed many outdoor sports and was an avid junior and high school tennis player. Sean graduated from the University of California Davis in 2009 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He was a member of the UC Davis ski team as well as the house manager for the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. While attending UCD, he was selected by the Marine Corps for Officers Candidate School in 2008. Upon graduation Sean was commissioned at UCD and later became the operations duty officer to the Raiders of Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 in Miramar, CA.

After completing flight school in 2012, Sean became a co-pilot with the C-130 Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 based out of Cherry Point, North Carolina. In his nearly eight years of service, he deployed to the Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf, North and Central Africa, Norway, Japan, Korea and Afghanistan. At the time of his tragic death, Elliott was part of the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452, a reserve KC-130T squadron, based out of Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, NY.

In addition to being a talented pilot and dedicated Marine, Sean will always be remembered for his positivity, enthusiasm and devotion to his family. Sean is survived by his loving wife and best friend Catherine Johnson, his parents John and Cynthia Elliott and his brother Erik Elliott. He also was a loving “father” to his two dogs, Nibbler and Ava, and two cats, Luna and Buttercup. Sean was extremely creative, passionate, intelligent and quirky, and all who truly knew him acknowledge him as one of the most authentic people they’ve ever met. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and all who had the honor of knowing him.

Visiting hours will take place on August 16, 2017 at the Cunningham-Turch Funeral Home in Alexandria Virginia from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Sean will receive full military honors at his interment scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on August 17, 2017 at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please consider donating in Sean’s honor, to the NEADS Organization www.NEADS.org or the Wounded Warrior Project.