A late-night training mission in Washington state has ended in tragedy.
A Black Hawk helicopter from the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment — known as the Night Stalkers — went down.
It happened near Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Wednesday evening.
The Army now believes the four soldiers on board are dead.
Crash Claims Elite Army Crew
“These were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army,” said Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of US Army Special Operations Command. “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The crash site was located near Summit Lake, southwest of Tacoma.
Deputies from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a possible downed aircraft.
Local law enforcement, firefighters, and military recovery teams rushed to secure the area and begin the investigation.
So far, the Army has not released the names of the fallen soldiers, nor has it confirmed what caused the helicopter to go down.
“The cause of the mishap is under investigation,” a spokesperson said, stressing that recovery efforts are still underway.
For the Night Stalkers — the shadowy aviation regiment that ferries America’s most elite troops into battle — this is a heartbreaking loss.
And for the families waiting at home, it’s the kind of news no one is ever ready to hear.
