TACOMA, Washington (AP) – The Army has revealed names of four soldiers The military helicopter they crashed was killed on Wednesday Near a Washington state base.
The victims said that Andrew Curry and Andrew Krauss’ chief warrant officers, and that Donabon Scott and Sergeant Jadalyn Goode were released Monday.
Curry, 35, was from Sparta, Missouri. Klaus, 39, was from Sanibel, Florida. Scott, 25, was from Tacoma, Washington, and 23, was from Mount Vernon, Washington.
The helicopter was in regular flight training west of Lewis McCord’s joint base, according to the US Army Special Operations Command.
The base is approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Tacoma, under the jurisdiction of the US Army Joint Base Headquarters.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. According to the National Weather Service, the skies in the area were mostly clear with light winds from the south at the time of the crash.
The soldiers “embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness and excellence that define the spirit of Army and Army’s special operations,” Colonel Stephen Smith said at his release.
They were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, an elite team that conducted night missions when the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed around 9pm
The regiment’s mission is to organize, equip and employ Army Special Operations Air Forces around the world, according to the Army website.
“These soldiers, known as night stalkers, are recognized for their proficiency in night operations,” the website says. “They are highly trained and ready to accomplish extremely demanding missions anywhere in the world, day and night, with unparalleled accuracy.”
This was the second fatal crash of this elite force in recent years.
Five Army Air Special Operations Units As part of military training, during a routine air-fueling mission, he was killed in 2023 when a helicopter crashed in the eastern Mediterranean. They were all part of the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
In March 2024, two soldiers from the joint base, Lewis-McChord Soar Unit I’ve been hospitalized When their Apache helicopter crashed at the base during regular training exercises.
