Army Identifies Four Soldiers Killed In Military Helicopter Crash

The U.S. Army has identified four soldiers who died in a helicopter crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state on Wednesday (September 17). The victims are Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cully and Andrew Kraus, and Sergeants Donavon Scott and Jadalyn Good. Cully, 35, hailed from Sparta, Missouri, while Kraus, 39, was from Sanibel, Florida. Scott, 25, and Good, 23, were both from Washington, with Scott from Tacoma and Good from Mount Vernon.

The soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, which specializes in nighttime missions. The MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter they were aboard was on a routine training mission when it crashed around 9 p.m. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but weather conditions were mostly clear with light winds at the time, according to the National Weather Service.

Col. Stephen Smith, commander of the 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, expressed deep sorrow over the loss, saying, "These exceptional warriors embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence that define the very spirit of the Army and Army Special Operations." The regiment's mission is to organize, equip, and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide.

This incident marks the second deadly crash involving this elite unit in recent years. In 2023, five soldiers from the same regiment died in a helicopter crash during a training mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.