TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — The Army has released the names of four soldiers killed Wednesday when their military helicopter crashed near a base in Washington state.
The victims are Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cully and Andrew Kraus, and Sergeants Donavon Scott and Jadalyn Good, the Army stated in a release.
Cully, 35, hailed from Sparta, Missouri; Kraus, 39, was from Sanibel, Florida; Scott, 25, was based in Tacoma, Washington; and Good, 23, was from Mount Vernon, Washington.
The helicopter was conducting a routine flight training mission west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a base located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Tacoma, as reported by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. The National Weather Service noted that the skies were mostly clear with light winds from the south at the time of the incident.
The soldiers “embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence that define the very spirit of the Army and Army Special Operations,” remarked Col. Stephen Smith in the release.
The soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known for its nighttime missions, and their helicopter crashed around 9 p.m. This regiment's role is to organize, equip, and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide.
Operations conducted by the elite 'Night Stalkers' are characterized by their proficiency in nighttime maneuvers, carrying out the most challenging missions with remarkable precision.
This incident marks the second deadly crash for this prestigious unit in recent years. In 2023, five Army aviation special operations personnel died in a similar accident during a routine air refueling mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Additionally, in March 2024, two soldiers from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord SOAR unit were hospitalized due to a crash involving their Apache helicopter during routine training exercises.
