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Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army identifies three of four soldiers killed in Lithuania training accident
Three 3rd Infantry Division soldiers recovered Monday from a Lithianian bog were from Illinois, California and Guam, the Army said Tuesday afternoon. The three soldiers were Sgt. Jose Duenez, Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam. All were assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. A fourth soldier was found Tuesday but the Army has not yet released their identity. 'This loss is simply devastating,' said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. 'These men were honored soldiers of the Marne Division. We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our soldiers during [an] incredibly difficult time.' 'No words can capture the depth of sorrow or gratitude we feel for their service. To the families, please know you are not alone in your grief, as they were immensely loved by this division; we stand with you united in honoring their memory,' Norrie said. The soldiers went missing March 25 after they were dispatched to repair and tow another tactical vehicle during an exercise at the Pabradė training ground in Lithuania. It prompted a seven-day search operation with hundreds of U.S. and Lithuanian troops, radar systems, and dive teams that were gathered to help find the four missing soldiers and pull their vehicle from the swamp. Sgt. Jose Duenez, Jr., 25, from Illinois, was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer and served for over seven years. He arrived at Fort Stewart in February 2022 and was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment after previously serving with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. Duenez deployed to Poland in 2021 and Germany in 2022. His awards included the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal. 'Sgt. Jose Duenez will always hold a special place in our hearts. As both a leader and a soldier, he set an example every day — always the first to arrive and the last to leave, greeting every challenge with a smile and a readiness to support anyone who required assistance,' said Capt. Madyson K. Wellens, diesel forward support troop commander for the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. 'He was the definition of a silent professional.' 'We remember Jose not just for what he has done for the unit, but for the way he made us feel inspired to give our best each day,' she said. 'His legacy is a personal reminder of the leader we all aspire to be. He will forever be a part of the Diesel Family.' Sgt. Edvin Franco, 25, from California, was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer who served for over six years. He finished initial entry training at Fort Benning, Georgia and was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment in February 2019. He served with U.S. Forces Korea in 2020 and was based in Germany in 2022. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terror Service Medal. 'Sgt. Edvin Franco's legacy will remain with us always. His infectious smile and genuine joy in being with his team were matched only by the tenacity and drive. He never asked more of his Soldiers than he was willing to give himself — a true testament to his character,' Wellens said. 'More than an exceptional leader and Soldier, Edvin was a friend whose influence touched so many.' Pfc. Dante Taitano, 21, from Guam, was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer who had served for nearly two years. He arrived at Fort Stewart in October 2023 and was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. He completed his initial entry training at Fort Benning. Taitano was serving on his first deployment in Lithuania. He was previously awarded the Army Commendation Medal. 'Pfc. Dante Taitano will always be remembered as the spark of the team. He wore a smile on his face no matter the environment or task and constantly brought the team together with his charisma and laughter,' said Capt. Matthew Lund, a troop commander with the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. A fourth soldier who died in the training accident was found Tuesday but has not been identified by the Army, pending notification to the next of kin. The soldier was assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. Approximately 3,500 soldiers deployed to locations across Poland and the Baltic states in January 2025. The nine-month deployment was part of a regular rotation of American forces in support of NATO and U.S. European allies, called Operation Atlantic Resolve. 'Sgts. Duenez, Franco, and Pfc. Taitano were more than just members of our unit, they were family, and we loved them,' said Lt. Col. Michael Hefti, commander of the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team. 'They were known for being the best at their jobs and they have left a hole that cannot be replaced. As we grieve together, we will continue to honor them by showing the same type of selfless love that they demonstrated to our team every single day. Their legacy as Dogface Soldiers will live on forever in our hearts and every time we share stories and memories, their legacy will continue to live on.' 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Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army IDs 3 of 4 soldiers killed in Lithuania training accident
The U.S. Army on Tuesday identified three of the four U.S. soldiers who died during a training exercise in Lithuania last week. Sgt. Jose Duenez, Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were recovered Monday from a peat bog at a training site near Pabrade, Lithuania, the Army said. 'This loss is simply devastating,' said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, in a statement posted on the 3rd Infantry Division's Facebook page. 'These men were honored soldiers of the Marne Division. We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our soldiers during [this] incredibly difficult time.' A fourth soldier was recovered earlier Tuesday. The Army has not released their name, pending confirmation of notification of next of kin. At the time the soldiers were reported missing March 25, they had been conducting a maintenance mission with an M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle to recover another Army vehicle at a training area near Pabadre, Army officials previously said. The soldiers were deployed to Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which has been sending rotations into Europe since Russia invaded the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014. The soldiers were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. According to the 3rd Infantry Division, Duenez was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer and had served more than seven years in the Army. He deployed to Poland in 2021 and Germany in 2022, and he was currently serving in the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. 'Sgt. Jose Duenez will always hold a special place in our hearts. As both a leader and a soldier, he set an example every day — always the first to arrive and the last to leave, greeting every challenge with a smile and a readiness to support anyone who required assistance,' said Capt. Madyson K. Wellens, a commander in his squadron. Franco was also an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer who had been in the Army for more than six years. He deployed to Korea in 2020 and Germany in 2022. Wellens said Franco's 'infectious smile and genuine joy in being with his team were matched only by the tenacity and drive. He never asked more of his soldiers than he was willing to give himself — a true testament to his character.' Taitano was also an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer. He had been in the Army for nearly two years, and this was his first deployment. Cpt. Matthew Lund, another 5th Squadron commander, said, 'Taitano will always be remembered as the spark of the team. He wore a smile on his face no matter the environment or task and constantly brought the team together with his charisma and laughter.' The initial search for the soldiers included military helicopters, Lithuanian diving teams and hundreds of U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers and law enforcement officers looking through thick forests and swampy terrain. On March 26, search teams found the soldiers' vehicle 15 feet underwater. What followed was an arduous, multiday effort to get to the vehicle, which continued to sink and be encased in mud as time went on. Officials brought in engineers, tons of gravel, excavators and slurry pumps. The Polish Armed Forces volunteered a unit of 150 military engineers to help in the recovery. And over the weekend, a U.S. Navy dive crew from Commander, Task Force 68, headquartered in Rota, Spain, arrived on site. There was a breakthrough in the recovery effort Sunday when the Navy dive crew — after multiple failed attempts — attached steel cables to two of the hoist points on the M88A2 Hercules, the Army said. To get to the hoist points, divers maneuvered through layers of mud, clay and sediment, using a ground-penetrating radar provided by Lithuanian experts to find their way. Two hours after the cables were attached, the vehicle was unearthed from the bog. By that time, the recovery team grew to include hundreds of personnel from multiple services and countries, the Army said. Recovery operations continued Monday after the crews recovered the bodies of three of the soldiers. Recovery dogs and their handlers flew in from Estonia on Monday to assist in the search for the fourth soldier. Crews also employed two specialized drone systems, including one equipped with ground-penetrating radar. 'We are incredibly relieved that we were able to bring this recovery to an end and bring closure to all the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers,' said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of 1st Armored Division. 'We cannot thank our Allies and fellow service members enough, especially the Lithuanians, who spared no resource in support of this mission. Together, we delivered on our promise to never leave a fallen comrade.' An investigation into the incident is ongoing, the Army said. Military Times Senior Editor Nikki Wentling and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
