Soldiers killed in Fort Campbell helicopter crash identified as investigation continues

Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read
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Authorities have released the names of the nine military personnel killed in a March helicopter crash in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The names were released Friday, a day after the crash, by the 101st Airborne Division. Army officials had held off on identifying the soldiers who had been killed in the immediate aftermath of the incident to allow for more time to contact their families.

The nine people killed were:

  • Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, a 33-year-old from Milton, Florida

  • Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, a 23-year-old from Austin, Texas

  • Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, a 36-year-old from Jackson, Mississippi

  • Sgt. Issacjohn Gayo, a 27-year-old from Los Angeles

  • Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Gore, a 25-year-old from Morehead City, North Carolina

  • Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healey, a 32-year-old from Cape Coral, Florida

  • Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, a 30-year-old from Mountain Brook, Alabama

  • Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, a 32-year-old from Rolla, Missouri

  • Sgt. David Solinas Jr., a 23-year-old from Oradell, New Jersey

Related: Fort Campbell helicopter crash: What to know about the installation, training, more

The nine victims, all members of the 101st Airborne Division, were aboard two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters that crashed during what the Army called a "routine training mission" late Wednesday night. They were taking part in a "multi-ship" exercise using night vision goggles, Brig. Gen. John Lubas said at a press conference following the crash.

"This is truly a tragic loss for our families, our division, and Fort Campbell," he added.

Fort Campbell – named after William Bowen Campbell, a former Tennessee governor and Union general in the Civil War – straddles the Kentucky and Tennessee border. Hopkinsville is to its north in the Bluegrass State while Clarksville is about 13 miles south in Tennessee. The helicopters crashed in Trigg County, Kentucky, about 30 miles northwest of Fort Campbell.

The incident is under investigation by an Army aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, in Alabama.

The Tennessean and reporters from the USA TODAY Network contributed. Reach The Courier Journal's breaking news team at lounews@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Fort Campbell Army helicopter crash victims IDed by 101st Airborne