U.S. Army identifies 4th soldier who died in training accident in Lithuania
The 3rd Infantry Division said Wednesday that the soldier was Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, of Battle Creek, Mich. It said Knutson-Collins and two of the other soldiers who died have been posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.
The other two sergeants who were promoted were Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Ill., and Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale. The other soldier who died was Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam.
Their three bodies were recovered Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and other rescuers dug their M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in the town of Pabrade, six miles west of the border with Belarus.
All four soldiers were part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing March 25, the Army said. The 63-ton armored vehicle was discovered the following day submerged in 15 feet of water. It took days to pull it out of the bog.
Knutson-Collins, an artillery mechanic, had served in the Army for more than seven years and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment. He deployed to South Korea in 2020.
'Words cannot express how deeply this loss is felt by everyone in our unit,' said Capt. Jackson Patillo, a commander in the 1st Battalion. 'Staff Sgt. Troy Collins was an exceptional friend to all of us and an irreplaceable member to our entire Fox family that we will truly miss.'
There will be a formal dignified departure ceremony for the soldiers on Thursday in Vilnius, the capital, which is expected to include top Lithuanian officials and military leaders. They will eventually be transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Baldor writes for the Associated Press.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
an hour ago
- UPI
NATO fighter jets scrambled as Russia attacks Ukraine
A local woman walks past the site of a drone strike on a residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 21, 2025. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA July 28 (UPI) -- NATO aircraft were scrambled Sunday night to respond to a Russian attack on Ukraine, the Polish military said Monday. "Polish and allied quick reaction aircraft were scrambled, and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness," Poland's Operational Command of the Armed Forces said in a statement. "These actions are preventive in nature and are aimed at securing airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened region." A few hours later, it issued a statement that the aircraft had concluded their deployment, adding that "no violations of Polish airspace were observed." Swedish fighter jets stationed in Poland were among the aircraft scrambled, it said. The Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement on Telegram on Monday that Russia launched 324 drones and seven missiles overnight, resulting in 311 of the attacks being either shot down or suppressed by electronic warfare. "There were confirmed impacts of two missiles of various types and 15 strike UAVs at three locations," it said. Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's Office of the President, said in a statement on X that some of the Russian aerial strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including in the capital Kyiv. "He wants nothing but war and Ukraine's defeat," he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "But defeat is not an option." "Russia and its satellites are also testing NATO's response," he added. "Drones entering the airspace of the Baltic states are signals that must not be ignored."
News24
an hour ago
- News24
No evidence of Lesotho rebel army, says SAPS
SAPS says the country's intelligence structures have been investigating Lesotho's claims that there are illegal military camps on farms in South Africa. Lesotho Commissioner of Police Borotho Matsoso had said the country was working closely with South African officials to investigate the camps. SAPS said National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola had met with all nine provincial commissioners and Matsoso's claims were high on the agenda. The South African Police Service (SAPS) says the country's intelligence structures have been investigating Lesotho's claims that there are illegal military camps on farms in South Africa training a rebel army. But the Hawks have yet to find any evidence of this, GroundUp reports. This follows an extraordinary press briefing on 18 July by Lesotho's top security chiefs, who claimed that a rebel group known as Malata Naha is recruiting Basotho youth and providing military training in South Africa. On Saturday, SAPS issued a statement after GroundUp reported that the South African authorities were mum on the allegations. Previously, Lesotho Commissioner of Police Borotho Matsoso had said the country was working closely with South African officials to investigate the camps. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, through its Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit, has been roped in to investigate. Various searches have been undertaken by CATS at identified farms, and no such evidence has been found to date. SAPS said National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola had met with all nine provincial commissioners and Matsoso's claims were high on the agenda. SAPS noted that a preliminary report from its Crime Intelligence Division was reviewed. Intelligence structures have heightened operations to verify the allegations. In a further development, SAPS confirmed that Masemola has directly engaged with Matsoso. 'Both commissioners agreed that law enforcement intelligence structures from both countries are on the ground investigating the existence of such camps,' the statement read. Masemola said: 'The safety and security of all people living in South Africa is of paramount importance, and anyone found committing illegal acts will face the full might of the law.' The SAPS statement said South Africans are urged not to panic or worry as police from both countries remain on high alert and are working jointly to establish the facts on the ground.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Poland Scrambles Fighter Jets Amid Russian Attack on Ukraine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Poland's armed forces have scrambled it aircraft in response to the threat posed by a Russian missile attack on Ukraine. The NATO member said in a statement the aircraft were deployed overnight Sunday and air defense and radar reconnaissance systems were placed on high alert. The measure was in response to another combined drone and missile attack launched by Russian forces on Ukraine. It comes just over a week after Polish and Swedish armed forces scrambled aircraft stationed in Poland following a similar Russian attack. This is a developing story and will be updated.
