Wednesday night brought tragedy to the U.S. Army when two HH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters operating with night vision goggles crashed during a training exercise in Trigg County, Kentucky.
Nine lives were lost in total, with the identities of the soldiers yet to be released pending notification of their next-of-kin. All were based at Fort Campbell in the 101st Airborne Division, with five in one aircraft and four in the other.
In the wake of the horrifying event, Brigadier General John Lubas of the 101st Airborne Division arrived at the scene with an aircraft safety team from Alabama to investigate the cause of the crash. He expressed his sincerest condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, stating that the Army’s primary focus was providing comfort and support for the families. Lubas is optimistic that the on-board computers will yield data to aid with the investigation.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear showed his support as well sharing, “We know a lot about loss in Kentucky, especially these last few years. We’re going to do what we always do. We’re going to wrap our arms around these families.” State police were present alongside additional military investigators and agencies to set up the perimeter where the debris was found in a partially wooded area.
The heartbreaking accident is not only devastating to the families of the deceased soldiers, but to the entire 101st Airborne Division and wider U.S. Army as a whole. In a somber reminder of the prevalence of tragedy in modern life, the 101st Airborne Division was formed on August 16, 1942, since then known as the “Screaming Eagles.”
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, and the Army continues to do their utmost to provide comfort to the families of those affected.