Five service members from Fort Campbell as part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, have died following a crash of their helicopter in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
It happened Friday evening, and according to the United States European Command, the military craft carrying five service members suffered a mishap during a routine air refueling missions as part of military training. All five members onboard were killed.
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command has identified the soldiers as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen Dwyer, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane Barnes, Staff Sargeant Tanner Grone, Sergeant Andrew Southard and Sergeant Cade Wolfe.
Commanding General of the 160th Regiment Lt. General Jonathan Braga says, “We mourn the loss of these five incredible soldiers, each of them a national treasure. They hail from rare patriotic families with deep military service ties that span multiple generations and formations. This is devastating news that reverberates across the entire special operations community. Every loss is tough, but in this case, service to the Nation is truly a family business and it’s hard to express the amount of sorrow that we all feel right now.”
The City of Hopkinsville released a statement from Mayor J.R. Knight, stating, “On behalf of the City of Hopkinsville, I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the five Army Special Operations service members lost during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea this Veterans Day weekend. Let it serve as a reminder to us all of the sacrifice these soldiers and their families continue to make for our freedom.”
He also calls for city-government properties to fly their flags at half-staff.
On social media, Christian Fiscal Court says they are praying for our family and friends of the 160th.
