Jonathan Richard Clement

1987 - 2018

Jonathan (Jon) Richard Clement

Vero Beach, FL

With his family by his side, Jonathan (Jon) Richard Clement was called home to his heavenly father on the afternoon of July 31st, 2018 in San Diego, California.

Jon, a U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Aircrewman/Rescue Swimmer, suffered severe head injuries as a result of a fatal mishap while performing a quick-turn post-flight inspection of a U.S. Navy HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter during training at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, CA.

Jon is survived by his parents, Chris and Laura Clement of Vero Beach FL, his brother Christopher & wife Stephanie Clement, his niece Caroline Clement - all of Vero Beach FL, his brother Matthew Clement and niece Milania Clement of Clarkesville TN, his sister Rebecca Clement of Imperial Beach CA, grandparents Al and Jeanne Elias of Vero Beach FL, grandmother Joan Goddard of Manassas Park VA, nine (9) Aunts, ten (10) Uncles, forty-four (44) first cousins and numerous 2nd cousins.

Born at Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. June 10, 1987 to Chris & Laura Clement, Jon, the second oldest of four children, spent the first 7 wonderful years of his life living in Herndon, VA. With both sides of his parents' immediate families living in the Northern VA area at the time, family gatherings were always special to him as he had a plethora of older cousins (mostly boys) to "hang" and rough-house with. Jon spent many weekends with his parents, siblings, grandparent's and numerous cousins, aunts and uncles at his grandparent's lake house at Lake Anna learning to swim, fish, canoe, waterski, play cards and do pretty much all the things adventurous young boys do.

In the summer of 1993, the family moved to Boca Raton, FL where Jon's continued development into the man he eventually became really began to take hold. Jon played baseball, soccer and ice hockey in the local youth programs while attending St. Paul's Lutheran Church School through the 6th Grade. Jon's love for sports was nurtured by the countless professional football, baseball and hockey games that his grandparents took him and his brother Chris to. Despite moving to South Florida however, Jon's passion and love for the Washington Redskins never faded.

In 2000, Jon's family moved to Vero Beach, FL where Jon attended Gifford Middle School and later Vero Beach High School. While at Gifford M.S. Jon played soccer, ran AAU track and played youth baseball. At Vero Beach H.S., Jon played baseball his freshman and sophomore years and football his freshman, sophomore and junior years.

Jon graduated from Vero Beach High School in 2006. Although Jon was a very good student, he never intended or expressed a desire to go to college, but that he would rather go to work and get his "life" started as he put it.

After working construction for The Hill Group the summer after graduation, Jon was hired by Piper Aircraft Co. and worked as an apprentice in their sheet metal shop. Jon's supervisors at Piper did not know it at the time, but Jon had already laid out a roadmap that would have him leaving Piper to start his Navy career the following summer.

Jon enlisted in the Navy in June of 2007 and began his career with basic training at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL. Following basic training, he arrived in San Diego to begin the journey that led him to requesting aircrew training in Pensacola, FL. He excelled in the program as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer and Aircrewman. Following the training in Pensacola, Jon he was transferred to HELSEACOMBATRON THREE (HSC-3) in San Diego, CA where he completed Fleet transition training in 2009 and was officially designated a deployable Naval Aircrewman/Rescue Swimmer.

Jon was then assigned to the HSC-12 "Golden Falcons" crewing the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from 2009-2014. During that time frame, Jon went on two 9-month deployments aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On the second deployment in 2012, just by sheer coincidence, Jon found himself serving with his younger brother Matthew whose squadron, the "Vigilantes" of VFA-151 was also assigned to the Lincoln. Jon's third deployment was aboard the U.S.S Washington (CVN-73) crewing the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter where his squadron, HSC-12, was highly instrumental in supporting humanitarian relief operations in the Philippine Islands, rescuing survivors, delivering food, water, and materials following the devastating Typhoon Haiyan.

Following Jon's three WESTPAC deployments, he was assigned to shore duty at HSCWEPCOLPAC (HSC Weapons School) at NAS North Island, San Diego, CA where he served as a Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor (SWTI) from 2014 to 2017. After completion of this shore duty in June of 2017, Jon was assigned to the elite "Fire Hawks" of HSC-85 where he continued to serve providing fleet honed training and leadership to his aircrew shipmates in addition to himself serving as an HH60-H Sea Hawk Door Gunner and NATOPS Leading Petty Officer providing dedicated rotary wing support to U.S. Special Operations Command.

Jon's personal Awards and commendations include five (5) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, three (3) Good Conduct Medals and a Flag Letter of Commendation. Additionally, he received various unit awards to include a Meritorious Unit Citation and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

Family & Navy Friends Visitation/Viewing: Friday 8/17/18 4:30-6:00pm - Strunk Funeral Home - Vero Beach

Public Visitation/Viewing: Friday 8/17/18 6:00-8:00pm - Strunk Funeral Home - Vero Beach

Memorial Service: Saturday 8/18/18 10:00-11:00am - Community Church of Vero Beach

Gravesite Burial w/ Military Honors: Saturday 8/18/18 11:30am-12:15pm - Crestlawn Cemetary - Vero Beach

Reception: Saturday 8/18/18 12:30-3:30pm -

Quail Valley River Club - Vero Beach

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a Go Fund Me account which has been set up to benefit one of Jon's favorite programs, the Special Liberty Project's Gold Star Corp Mentoring Program. Jon shared his passion for the sport of archery with others by volunteering his time teaching and mentoring children of fallen service members through this program.

For more information go to: https://www.gofundme.com/jon-clement