STURGIS, SD – Seth Rasmuson always knew he wanted to be a Marine. The 21-year-old crew chief of the 3rd Marine Airwing’s Marine Aircraft Group 39 at Camp Pendleton, was born in Rapid City and raised in Buffalo, WY.
He is coming home to his final resting place today (Fri., July 1st) in the Little Dane Cemetery in St. Onge, with military graveside rites to be held at 2:00 p.m. The family has requested that those who can help honor his last journey, gather near the Whitewood Exit to St. Onge at 11:30 a.m. to join the procession to the cemetery.
He was among five U.S. Marines killed when a military aircraft crashed during a training mission in a remote area in Southern California the U.S. Marine Corps said.
All five were from Camp Pendleton, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor (VMM) Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW).
Also killed were two pilots, Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire, and Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, California, and two additional tiltrotor crew chiefs, Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois, and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico.
Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, was a Tiltrotor Crew Chief and a Marine for three years. He served one overseas deployment. During his service, he was awarded the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
He graduated from Buffalo High School with the Class of 2019. According to his Dad, Curtis Rasmuson, Seth loved big game hunting, fishing, riding his dirt bike around town with his friend and playing baseball and hockey. And he “loved to fly.”
In spring 2020, Cpl. Ramuson married his high school sweetheart, Avery Burtenshaw, in a small ceremony in Buffalo. Their son, Reed, was born in October 2021.
Seth is survived by his wife, Avery (Burtenshaw) Rasmuson; son, Reed Rasmuson; parents, Curtis and Jennifer (Whatley) Rasmuson; brothers, Blaine (Emma), Trevor, Ryan, and Cole Rasmuson; dearest friend Augie T. Wagner; nieces, Ava and Hazel Rasmuson; grandfathers, Dean Rasmuson and Loyd Whatley; several aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his grandmothers, Marlene (Hansen) Rasmuson and Viola N. (Gilbert) Whatley.
A GoFundMe campaign has been organized to assist the young mother and son.
See more at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/cpl-seth-rasmuson-memorial
See Also: VFW Post 1273
