A U.S. Air Force airman was killed Thursday in a heavy-equipment accident at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, after the machinery he was operating rolled down an embankment, officials said.
Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna was the sole fatality in the incident, which base officials described as a tragic accident.
“Our Vandenberg family is grieving alongside Cedric’s loved ones and his teammates,” said U.S. Space Force Col. James T. Horne III, commander of Space Launch Delta 30 and Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“He made a lasting impression on his teammates through his character, dedication, and genuine care for others.”
The exact circumstances surrounding Eneluna’s death remain under investigation. Officials have not publicly identified the type of equipment he was using when the accident occurred.
Eneluna, 23, was originally from the Philippines and later moved to St. Louis, Missouri. He enlisted in the military on March 5, 2024.
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Vandenberg Space Force Base was his first duty station, according to officials.
He served as part of the “Dirt Boyz,” the informal name given to U.S. Air Force pavements and equipment specialists.
The group supports Vandenberg’s launch, test and range operations.
The base is used for launching satellites into Earth orbit and for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles without warheads in long-range missions that end in a splashdown at the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range in the Marshall Islands, Stars and Stripes reported.
No one else was injured in the fatal incident.
“Our Vandenberg family is grieving alongside Cedric’s loved ones and his teammates,” said US Space Force Col. James T. Horne III, commander of Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“He made a lasting impression on his teammates through his character, dedication, and genuine care for others.”
