Latest news with #Knutson-Collins
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan's flags are at half staff today. Here's why they've been lowered
U.S. flags are half staff today in Michigan to honor a U.S. Army staff sergeant from Battle Creek who was killed during a training accident in Lithuania, along with three other soldiers. '(Staff Sgt. Troy) Knutson-Collins represented the best of Michigan as he served our nation in uniform,' Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. 'A fierce friend and proud son, he leaves behind a legacy we should all strive to live up to. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.' Knutson-Collins, Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois, and Edvin Franco, 25 of Glendale, California, all were posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam, also died in the training. Here's what to know. The soldiers' M88A2 Hercules was reported missing March 25 while conducting a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle in support of regularly scheduled training at Pabradė, Lithuania. Three soldiers and the vehicle were found in a peat bog by U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces on March 31. The Army said the fourth soldier was recovered later. Knutson-Collins joined the Army in 2018, the release said. 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. Knutson-Collins graduated from the Army Basic Leader Course, the Advanced Leaders Course, the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations course, and the Combat Lifesaver course, according to the Army. He deployed to Korea in 2020. Knutson-Collins' awards and decorations 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. A full obituary is available online. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments, and other organizations also are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff, the governor said in a news release. Flags should be returned to full staff on Saturday, May 3, 2025. To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day. Flagpoles on the ground or buildings are called staffs. Flags lowered on shore are called half-staff, according to Half-mast refers to flags lowered on a ship, while flagpoles are called staffs. Certain holidays and events when flags are flown at half-staff in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website are: Memorial Day, when the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. Patriot Day. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. National Firefighters Memorial Day. Detroit Free Press, Battle Creek Enquirer contributed. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Flags at half-staff honor Battle Creek soldier Troy S. Knutson-Collins
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Whitmer orders flags lowered Friday to mark funeral of fallen Michigan soldier
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags across the state to be lowered Friday to honor Army Staff Sgt. . The 28-year-old was one of four soldiers killed during a tactical training exercise in March in Lithuania. Community invited to honor soldier who died in Lithuania Three of the soldiers were found dead in their armored vehicle. It took for rescue teams composed of multiple military agencies to find the remains of the fourth soldier, Knutson-Collins. Knutson-Collins was a father of five and grew up in the Battle Creek area. He was stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia. His family says he enlisted in the Army in 2017 when he was 20 years old. 'Sergeant Knutson-Collins represented the best of Michigan as he served our nation in uniform,' Gov. Whitmer said in a statement. 'A fierce friend and proud son, he leaves behind a legacy we should all strive to live up to. My thoughts are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers.' Lithuanians bid farewell to 4 US soldiers who died during training exercise Flags will be lowered on Friday to coincide with his funeral. They will return to full staff on Saturday. To to half-staff, they should be hoisted to full staff, held there briefly and then lowered to half-staff. The process is reversed when they are lowered at the end of the day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Community invited to honor soldier who died in Lithuania
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — The Battle Creek-area U.S. Army soldier who was killed in Lithuania in March will be buried at Fort Custer National Cemetery on Friday, and the public is invited to line the procession route. Troy Smith Knutson-Collins' funeral procession will make its way to the national cemetery starting at 9 a.m. at Bailey Park, located at 1350 Capital Ave NE, a said. The procession will travel to the Battle Creek Police Station before ending at Fort Custer National Cemetery. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. The post said lunch will follow at 11 a.m. at American Legion Post 298, located at 228 N 20th St. US Army identifies 4th soldier who died in training accident in Lithuania Knutson-Collins was one of four soldiers, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, in Lithuania. They and their vehicle were reported missing on March 25. Their bodies and the M88 Hercules vehicle were found during a weeklong search. West Michigan family hopes soldier missing in Lithuania is found safe Family said Knutson-Collins went into the Army in 2017 at the age of 20. He was stationed in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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
Los Angeles Times
03-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
U.S. Army identifies 4th soldier who died in training accident in Lithuania
WASHINGTON — The Army has released the identity of the fourth soldier who died in a training accident in Lithuania, a day after his body was recovered during a weeklong search that took hundreds of troops and other rescue workers from three nations. The 3rd Infantry Division said Wednesday that the soldier was Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, of Battle Creek, Mich. It said Knutson-Collins and two of the other soldiers who died have been posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. The other two sergeants who were promoted were Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Ill., and Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale. The other soldier who died was Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam. Their three bodies were recovered Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and other rescuers dug their M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in the town of Pabrade, six miles west of the border with Belarus. All four soldiers were part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing March 25, the Army said. The 63-ton armored vehicle was discovered the following day submerged in 15 feet of water. It took days to pull it out of the bog. Knutson-Collins, an artillery mechanic, had served in the Army for more than seven years and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment. He deployed to South Korea in 2020. 'Words cannot express how deeply this loss is felt by everyone in our unit,' said Capt. Jackson Patillo, a commander in the 1st Battalion. '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.' There will be a formal dignified departure ceremony for the soldiers on Thursday in Vilnius, the capital, which is expected to include top Lithuanian officials and military leaders. They will eventually be transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Baldor writes for the Associated Press.
