Trevor Blaylock

Staff Sergeant, United States Marine Corps

November 27, 1985 – March 10, 2015

Age – 29

Lake Orion, MI

2d Marine Special Operations Battalion, US Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Born in Lake Orion, MI and a 2004 graduate of Lake Orion High School, Staff Sergeant Blaylock enlisted in the Marine Corps through the Delayed Entry Program and completed Basic Training in February 2006. SSgt. Blaylock was a member of his high school’s Varsity Swim team during his four years at Lake Orion High School.  He briefly attended Henry Ford Community College and Central Michigan University before enlisting in the Marine Corps.

SSgt. Blaylock attended Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger, followed by Basic Light Armored Vehicle Repairman’s School at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD, where he was the Honor Graduate. His first duty station was with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Camp Pendleton, where he served as a mechanic. SSgt. Blaylock underwent advanced training and was re-assigned as Charlie Company Ramp Chief, later receiving orders to Light Armored Vehicle Training Company, School of Infantry-West, where he was assigned as Red Team Platoon Sergeant.

SSgt Blaylock has also served two tours of duty in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.

SSgt. Blaylock joined MARSOC in August 2010, attended ITC, and upon graduation in May 2012 was given orders to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, NC. SSgt. Blaylock deployed in support of both Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

On March 10, 2015, during a training exercise, SSgt. Blaylock died in a Blackhawk Helicopter crash near Navarre Beach, FL.

SSgt. Blaylock’s personal decorations include Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat V, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Combat Action ribbon.

He was one of seven Marines from the 2nd Special Operations Battalion of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command that were killed along with four members of the Louisiana National Guard, in an UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter crash.

The other six Marines were identified as: Capt. Stanford Henry Shaw III of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; Master Sgt. Thomas Arthur Vaughan Saunders of Camp Lejeune; Staff Sgt. Liam Anthony Flynn of Queens, New York; Staff Sgt. Kerry Michael Kemp of Port Washington, Wisconsin; Staff Sgt. Andrew C. Seif of Holland, Michigan; and Staff Sgt. Marcus Bawol from Warren, Michigan