Three soldiers from Fort Stewart’s 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division have died following a vehicle accident in Lithuania.
Their M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle and the four-man crew have been listed as missing since March 25 after they were dispatched to repair and tow an immobilized vehicle. Search teams located the vehicle in nearly 13 feet of water and encased in more than six feet of mud.
Search and recovery operations continue for the fourth crew member. The names of the soldiers are being withheld until notification of the next of kin.
“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,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd ID commanding general. “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. Words cannot express our gratitude to those still working around the clock during these extensive search and recovery efforts and your unwavering commitment not to rest until all are found.”
At close to 10 p.m. local time Sunday, U.S. Navy divers found a second hoist point on the M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle that had been missing since Tuesday. Divers attached a hoist line at 11:08 p.m. local time and the winches began their work at 2:45 a.m.
The lost vehicle was pulled out of the bog, after it had been in almost 14 feet of water and encased in more than six feet of mud, at around 4:30 a.m. Monday.
Six days into the intense rescue effort at Pabradė, the lost M88 armored vehicle has been hoisted out of the peat bog.
The Lithuanian Military Police and U.S. investigators are on site.
The 1st Brigade is on a nine-month deployment to eastern Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
“Today is a very sad and tragic day,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of the 1st Armored Division. “The loss of these soldiers weighs heavy on me, the hearts of all Task Force Iron service members and the 3rd Infantry Division. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of these brave soldiers.”
U.S. Navy divers assigned to Commander, Task Force 68 assisted the recovery team with finding and accessing two hoist points Sunday evening. They maneuvered through thick layers of mud, clay, and sediment with zero visibility to reach the vehicle and hook steel cables that were attached to two M88A2 Hercules. Partway through the extraction the M88A2s began to lose traction, so several dozers were attached to provide additional grip. It took approximately two hours of winching to remove the M88A2 from the bog.
The dive team has since transitioned to gridding out the area to enable a systematic search and the team is using a ground penetrating radar provided by Lithuanian experts to assist in the ongoing recovery operations. U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Kara C. McDonald joined U.S. Army Europe and Africa Commander Gen. Christopher Donahue to observe ongoing recovery efforts today near Pabradė.
"The Raider family is heartbroken over the tragic loss of our soldiers,” said 1st Brigade commander Col. James Armstrong. “We are ensuring we provide the needed support to their families and our Soldiers as we go through this grieving process. We are an incredibly tight-knit family, and their absence is keenly felt, and we will hold them close in our memories. I want to extend my personal thanks to everyone who assisted in the search and recovery efforts.
“The Raider Brigade is incredibly appreciative of all the support we received from our Lithuanian and Polish Allies, and our brothers and sisters of the Army, Navy, and Air Force who contributed to helping us recover our soldiers. We will never forget the dedication, commitment and teamwork that enabled us to recover our soldiers and provide closure for their families. We are truly stronger together."
In addition to the support provided at the site, the Archbishop Metropolitan of Vilnius, Gintaras Grušas, led a mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus of Vilnius, March 30, to pray for the four soldiers, their families, and those conducting recovery operations. The service was attended by American and German soldiers deployed to Lithuania, Lithuanian soldiers, senior Lithuanian and American officials, and U.S. and NATO military leaders. Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, and Ambassador McDonald also attended.
Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Christopher Cavoli, also attended the service in the Lithuanian capital and later visited the recovery site.
“Our sense of partnership drives us forward, and you take care of our soldiers as if they were your own,” Cavoli told reporters before the mass.
NATO also sent assets to assist with recovery efforts.
