U.S. Navy Aviation Boatswain Mate Joseph Naglak, 21, of Naval Station Norfolk and formerly of West Windsor, died suddenly in an accident aboard the USS George H.W. Bush on Sept. 17.
In a statement released by Naval Air Force Atlantic, Navy officials said that Naglak died as the result of being struck by the turning propeller of an E-2C Hawkeye aircraft after securing the aircraft to the flight deck.
The incident happened during routine operations while the vessel was operating in the Atlantic Ocean. The Navy said that the cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
Born in South Korea, Naglak was adopted in February of 1999 by his parents, Kenneth Naglak and the late Jeanne Rand Naglak.
He was a member of the 2015 graduating class at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, where he lettered in varsity football.
While in high school, Naglak attended Mercer County Technical School for automotive restoration and also attended Monmouth University, where he studied Homeland Security. He enlisted in the Navy in 2017.
Naglak was engaged to be married to his fiancée, Nicole Weber, in a wedding planned for July 2019.
