NYT told about the details of the death of American soldiers during exercises in Lithuania

The American servicemen who disappeared during the exercises at the Pabrad training ground in Lithuania on the M88 Hercules armored vehicle were sent to evacuate another vehicle, The New York Times writes with reference to the military. However, they deviated from the course, and the armored vehicle landed in a swamp, where it sank.

On March 31, the bodies of three servicemen were found, and the fourth the next day. Lithuania, the USA, Poland and Estonia.

Four American soldiers who served in the 1st Armored Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division were driving M88 Hercules. They were reported missing on the morning of March 25, when they did not return from a training assignment. The car was found on March 26, but it was possible to pull it out of the swamp only on the 31st.

According to the NYT, the dead soldiers, whose bodies were found on Monday, are 25—year-old Sergeant Jose Duanes Jr. (Joliet, Illinois), 25-year-old Sergeant Edwin F. Franco (Glendale, California) and 21-year-old Private Dante D. Taitano (Dededo, Guam). All three were engaged in maintenance of M1 Abrams tanks.

Sergeant Duanes Jr. served in the army for more than seven years, including in Poland and Germany. Sergeant Franco has been in the service for more than six years, including in Korea and Germany. Private Taitano served for almost two years, he arrived at Fort Stewart (Georgia), where the 3rd Infantry Division is based, in October 2023.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda expressed condolences to the United States. The army is investigating the causes of the incident.