A search is underway for the missing U.S. soldiers in Lithuania following a tragic incident at the Pabrade training ground last week. The bodies of three U.S. Army soldiers, who had been missing since a training exercise, have been discovered, while a fourth soldier is still unaccounted for, according to military officials.
The soldiers disappeared on March 25 after their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle got stuck in a peat bog while attempting to repair and tow a stalled tactical vehicle. The soldiers, all from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, have not been identified pending notification of their families.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing soldier. The soldiers were part of Operation Atlantic Resolve and were based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Lithuanian armed forces and law enforcement collaborated with the U.S. soldiers during the training exercise.
Specialized equipment was used to extract the 63-ton armored vehicle from the peat bog after a challenging six-day operation. Search and recovery teams, consisting of American and Lithuanian personnel, combed the dense forest and swampy areas in search of the missing soldier.
The tragic loss of these soldiers has deeply affected the military community, with Major General Christopher Norrie expressing condolences to the families and emphasizing the commitment to bringing every soldier home. Investigations into the cause of the accident are underway by U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities.
Lithuania, a NATO member since 2004, has hosted U.S. troops as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in response to the conflict in Ukraine. Updates on this developing story will be provided as available.
