The Defense Department on Monday recognized 5 Army troopers who had been killed when their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed within the jap Mediterranean Sea whereas working towards refueling operations.
The helicopter crash Friday night killed all 5 crew members: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R. Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M. Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt. Tanner W. Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt. Andrew P. Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona; and Sgt. Cade M. Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.
“The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting aerial refueling training when the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency resulting in the crash,” the Pentagon stated Monday. “There are no indications the crash was caused by enemy (or) hostile actions.”
The Army’s Combat Readiness Center at Fort Novosel, Alabama, is investigating the deadly crash.
The troopers had been assigned to the first Battalion, one hundred and sixtieth Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). The regiment, referred to as the Night Stalkers, is predicated at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“We mourn the loss of these five incredible soldiers, each one of them a national treasure. They hail from rare patriotic families with deep military service ties that span multiple generations and formations,” stated Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Army Special Operations Command. “This is devastating news that reverberates across the entire Special Operations community. Every loss is tough, but in this case, service to the nation is truly a family business and it’s hard to express the amount of sorrow that we all feel right now.”
The commander of the one hundred and sixtieth SOAR stated the Blackhawk crew members had been “among the nation’s finest soldiers.”
“Their loss has left an indelible void within this Regiment that will never be filled,” stated Col. Roger P. Waleski Jr. “Their exemplary service in the Army is the embodiment of what it means to be a Night Stalker and a soldier.”
