3 of the 4 US soldiers missing in Lithuania found dead
Three of the four American Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania last week were found dead, the country's president, Gitanas Nausėda, said Monday. A search-and-rescue operation will continue until the fourth soldier is found, Nausėda said. 'The Soldiers we have lost in this tragedy were not just Soldiers — they were a part of our family. Our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home,' Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, said in a statement. 'We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary 'Dogface Soldiers' during this unimaginable time. But the search isn't finished until everyone is home.'
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'He set an example every day': Body of fallen soldier returns home to Joliet
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Yahoo
03-04-2025
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Lithuanians bid farewell to 4 US troops who died in training accident
VILNIUS, Lithuania — Lithuania's political and religious leaders joined thousands of people on Thursday to bid farewell to four American soldiers who died during a training exercise in the Baltic nation. President Gitanas Nausėda and other dignitaries were among those who stood in respect as hearses carried the bodies of the four young Americans to Vilnius airport before being flown to the United States for burial. Many of the onlookers were in tears, and Nausėda said that the reaction of the population and the military to the disappearance of soldiers was rooted in Lithuania's own difficult history. 'For us, it is more than a duty, it is an emotion. We have experienced trials in our history and therefore we understand well what loss is, what death is, what honorable duty is,' Nausėda said in a speech to those gathered. Army identifies final soldier found deceased in Lithuania peat bog Schoolchildren accompanied by teachers waved Lithuanian and U.S. flags to honor the soldiers, who died in an accident along NATO's eastern flank, a region that is on edge due to Russia's aggression in nearby Ukraine. Leading one group was Justin Boyd, the secondary school principal of the American International School in Vilnius, who said his group was there 'to honor the fallen soldiers from the United States and to honor the relationship between Lithuania and America and the defensive pact that represents.' 'It's important for us to give dignity to the fallen and to let the families know that we are with them and we support them in this time,' Boyd said. The soldiers, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle went missing a week ago, the Army said. Lithuanian, Polish and U.S. soldiers and rescuers searched through the forests and swamps at the Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in the town of Pabradė, 6 miles west of the border with Belarus. The M88 Hercules armored vehicle was pulled from a peat bog Monday and the final body was recovered Tuesday. 'I feel sorry for these young men,' said one mourner from the town of Pabradė as he watched the hearses make their way towards the airport. 'I live nearby, and I know that swamp. Dangerous places for anyone who enters that area.' The U.S. Army has identified the soldiers as Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, of Battle Creek, Michigan; Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam. About 3,500 soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team deployed in January to Poland and the Baltic states for a nine-month rotation as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which supports NATO allies and partners following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. AP Video reporter Siarhei Satsiuk contributed reporting.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Battle Creek soldier killed in U.S. Army training accident in Lithuania
(This story has been updated with a new photo.) The Army has identified the fourth soldier who died during a training in Lithuania as a 28-year-old man from Battle Creek. 'Although we are relieved to have found all our Dogface Soldiers, it does not make the pain of their loss any less,' said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Inf. Div. commanding general. 'We will continue to care for and support the Soldiers' Families and loved ones as we bring them home and honor their memory.' The soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins. Knutson-Collins, Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois and Edvin Franco, 25 of Glendale, California, were all posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam, also died in the training. Their M88A2 Hercules was reported missing March 25 during a recovery mission in support of regularly scheduled training at Pabradė, Lithuania. Three soldiers and the vehicle was dug out of a peat bog Monday by U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces. The Army said the fourth soldier was recovered Tuesday. 'Words cannot express how deeply this loss is felt by everyone in our unit,' said Capt. Jackson Patillo, commander, Foxtrot Company, 1st Bn., 41st FAR. 'Staff Sgt. Troy Collins was an exceptional friend to all of us and an irreplaceable member to our entire Fox family that we will truly miss.' Knutson-Collins was an artillery mechanic with more than seven years in the Army. He arrived at Fort Stewart, Georgia in February 2018 and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment. According to the Army, Knutson-Collins graduated from the Army Basic Leader Course, the Advanced Leaders Course, the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations course, and the Combat Lifesaver course. He deployed to Korea in 2020. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Master Technician Badge. 'The pain we feel from this loss is insurmountable,' said Lt. Col. Erick Buckner, 1st Bn., 41st FAR commander. 'Staff Sgt. Knutson-Collins was well loved throughout our unit and a brother to all. He was an expert, an incredibly talented mechanic and a warrior. We will never forget his dedication to his unit, his family and his country.' This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek soldier dies in U.S. Army training accident in Lithuania
