Fort Campbell servicemembers ID'd in fatal MH-60 Blackhawk crash over Mediterranean Sea
Five U.S. soldiers, identified as servicemembers from Fort Campbell by state and local offices, died when a MH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed over the Mediterranean Sea during a training mission Veterans Day weekend.
The Department of Defense identified the soldiers as: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R. Dwyer, 38 of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M. Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt. Tanner W. Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt. Andrew P. Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona; and Sgt. Cade M. Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.
"I am deeply saddened to hear about the loss of these brave service members who were apart of Ft. Cambell's Special Operations Aviation Regiment," Tennessee Rep. Ronnie Glynn said. "I am praying for the families of our service members. This loss is felt not only in our community, but also around the world."
All were members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The military's European Command said all five crew members on board were killed when the aircraft went down “during a routine air refueling mission as part of military training.”
The military first announced the crash on Saturday and said that the cause is under investigation, but there are no indications of any hostile activity involved. It said on Sunday that “search and rescue efforts began immediately, including nearby U.S. military aircraft and ships.”
Hopkinsville Mayor James Knight ordered all city properties to fly their flags at half-staff.
"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," Knight said in a statement. "Let it serve as a reminder to us all of the sacrifice these soldiers and their families continue to make for our freedom."
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that “we mourn the tragic loss of five U.S. service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea early Saturday morning."
“While we continue to gather more information about this deadly crash, it is another stark reminder that the brave men and women who defend our great nation put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our country safe,” he said.
The crash comes seven months after nine soliders were killed when two helicopters from the 101st Airborne Division crashed in Trigg County, Kentucky.
The nine servicemembers — five in one helicopter, four in the other — were on a training mission doing a "multi-ship" exercise using night vision goggles, Brig. Gen. John Lubas said shortly after the crash.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fort Campbell soldiers ID'd in Blackhawk crash over Mediterranean Sea
