KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An airman stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base was found dead Tuesday in Texas.
Airman 1st Class Elijah R. Posana, 22, served as a defender with the 509th Security Forces Sqdn. He was on leave with family in Surfside Beach, Texas, where he was reportedly “pulled by a rip current” roughly 100 feet from shore on Sunday, according to a news release.
Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders conducted a search over the course of 28 hours with assistance from local agencies, but ended the search on Monday.
Lt. Col. Devin Sproston, 509th SFS commander, said in the release that every defender is “part of the fabric of this unit.”
“We held out hope until the last second that our airman would be found alive,” Sproston said. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with airman Posana’s family and friends with deepest condolences for this irreplaceable loss.”
As part of the 509th SFS, Posana protected “personnel and assets” of the 509th Bomb Wing and its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers fleet.
