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10 November 2023
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Five US service members die when MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashes in Mediterranean training accident
The US Department of Defence on Monday, 13 November 2023, identified the five Army aviation special operations forces killed when their helicopter crashed in the Mediterranean Sea over Veterans Day weekend. The military's European Command said all five crew members on board were killed when the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down "during a routine air refuelling mission as part of military training." The five soldiers were part of the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The five service members were identified as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt Tanner W Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt Andrew P Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona and Sgt Cade M Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.
The crash happened during “routine flight training” in the Mediterranean Sea on Friday, according to a press release from the Department of Defence. “The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting aerial refuelling training when the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency resulting in the crash,” the release stated.
Lt Gen Jonathan Braga, commander of the Army Special Operations Command, said the five soldiers "hail from rare patriotic families with deep military service ties that span multiple generations and formations."
"This is devastating news that reverberates across the entire Special Operations community. Every loss is tough, but in this case, service to the Nation is truly a family business and it’s hard to express the amount of sorrow that we all feel right now," Braga said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, their loved ones, and their fellow soldiers. Like the Special Operations community always does, we will wrap our arms around them, grieve with them, and promise to never forget them."
Five soldiers were highly decorated
According to biographies provided by the Army Special Operations Command, the fallen soldiers had decorated careers with missions of fearless courage completed abroad and at home, earning medals of honour.
Dwyer received his commission from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 2009. He served as a Field Artillery Commissioned Officer for six years before reverting to Warrant Officer and graduating from flight school in 2018. Dwyer joined the 160th as an MH-60M pilot and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Medal with Combat device, among many others.
Barnes graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, in 2011. After graduation, he attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he completed training to become a UH-60L Blackhawk pilot. Barnes was assigned to Korea and completed deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valour device and the Air Medal with Combat device among other campaign awards.
Grone enlisted in the Army in 2017 as 15T UH-60 "Black Hawk" repairer and was assigned to the 160th. After completing the Regiment's extensive assessment and training programme in 2018, Grone then served as a flight instructor and MH-60M crew chief. He deployed to Afghanistan and multiple times to Iraq, and was awarded the Air Medal with Combat device, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal among numerous other awards.
Southard enlisted in the Army in 2015 as a 15T UH-60 "Black Hawk" repairer. He was first assigned to the 1st Armoured Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas. Southard later completed a 13-month rotation to Task Force Sinai in support of ongoing peacekeeping operations. He volunteered for assignment to the 160th, serving as an MH-60M crew chief. He deployed to Afghanistan and was awarded two Army Commendation medals and an Army Achievement medal among other citations.
Wolfe enlisted in the Army in 2018 as a 15T UH-60 "Black Hawk" repairer. He was assigned to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, and later served as an MH-60M crew chief for the 160th. Wolfe’s awards and decorations include two Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement Medal, among other awards.
Cause of crash under investigation
Officials haven't released the cause of the crash but the Department of Defence said there is "no indication it was caused by enemy or hostile actions."
The United States has increased its military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East in response to the Israel-Hamas war, including two carrier strike groups operating in the region, additional crews for US Air Force squadrons and US special operations forces to aid rescue efforts for hostages in Gaza.
The military first announced the crash Saturday and added that the cause is under investigation. On Sunday, military officials said "search and rescue efforts began immediately, including nearby US military aircraft and ships."
The crash is the second incident involving a unit based at Fort Campbell this year. In March, nine soldiers were killed after two Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Trigg County, Kentucky, west of Fort Campbell. The nine service members, five in one helicopter, four in the other, were killed during a "multi-ship" exercise using night vision goggles, Brig Gen John Lubas said shortly after the crash.
Fort Campbell is home to several Army aviation units. The 160th has almost 3,000 soldiers and 200 aircraft assigned to it.
Sources: USA Today, NBC News,
The five service members were identified as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt Tanner W Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt Andrew P Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona and Sgt Cade M Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.
The crash happened during “routine flight training” in the Mediterranean Sea on Friday, according to a press release from the Department of Defence. “The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting aerial refuelling training when the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency resulting in the crash,” the release stated.
Lt Gen Jonathan Braga, commander of the Army Special Operations Command, said the five soldiers "hail from rare patriotic families with deep military service ties that span multiple generations and formations."
"This is devastating news that reverberates across the entire Special Operations community. Every loss is tough, but in this case, service to the Nation is truly a family business and it’s hard to express the amount of sorrow that we all feel right now," Braga said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, their loved ones, and their fellow soldiers. Like the Special Operations community always does, we will wrap our arms around them, grieve with them, and promise to never forget them."
Five soldiers were highly decorated
According to biographies provided by the Army Special Operations Command, the fallen soldiers had decorated careers with missions of fearless courage completed abroad and at home, earning medals of honour.
Dwyer received his commission from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 2009. He served as a Field Artillery Commissioned Officer for six years before reverting to Warrant Officer and graduating from flight school in 2018. Dwyer joined the 160th as an MH-60M pilot and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Medal with Combat device, among many others.
Barnes graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, in 2011. After graduation, he attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he completed training to become a UH-60L Blackhawk pilot. Barnes was assigned to Korea and completed deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valour device and the Air Medal with Combat device among other campaign awards.
Grone enlisted in the Army in 2017 as 15T UH-60 "Black Hawk" repairer and was assigned to the 160th. After completing the Regiment's extensive assessment and training programme in 2018, Grone then served as a flight instructor and MH-60M crew chief. He deployed to Afghanistan and multiple times to Iraq, and was awarded the Air Medal with Combat device, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal among numerous other awards.
Southard enlisted in the Army in 2015 as a 15T UH-60 "Black Hawk" repairer. He was first assigned to the 1st Armoured Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas. Southard later completed a 13-month rotation to Task Force Sinai in support of ongoing peacekeeping operations. He volunteered for assignment to the 160th, serving as an MH-60M crew chief. He deployed to Afghanistan and was awarded two Army Commendation medals and an Army Achievement medal among other citations.
Wolfe enlisted in the Army in 2018 as a 15T UH-60 "Black Hawk" repairer. He was assigned to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, and later served as an MH-60M crew chief for the 160th. Wolfe’s awards and decorations include two Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement Medal, among other awards.
Cause of crash under investigation
Officials haven't released the cause of the crash but the Department of Defence said there is "no indication it was caused by enemy or hostile actions."
The United States has increased its military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East in response to the Israel-Hamas war, including two carrier strike groups operating in the region, additional crews for US Air Force squadrons and US special operations forces to aid rescue efforts for hostages in Gaza.
The military first announced the crash Saturday and added that the cause is under investigation. On Sunday, military officials said "search and rescue efforts began immediately, including nearby US military aircraft and ships."
The crash is the second incident involving a unit based at Fort Campbell this year. In March, nine soldiers were killed after two Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Trigg County, Kentucky, west of Fort Campbell. The nine service members, five in one helicopter, four in the other, were killed during a "multi-ship" exercise using night vision goggles, Brig Gen John Lubas said shortly after the crash.
Fort Campbell is home to several Army aviation units. The 160th has almost 3,000 soldiers and 200 aircraft assigned to it.
Sources: USA Today, NBC News,