The bodies of three U.S. Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise have been found, and one soldier remains missing. The soldiers, part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve and were stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The soldiers went missing after their armored recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog while on a mission to repair and tow another vehicle. Search and recovery operations are ongoing for the fourth missing soldier.
The U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities worked together in the search effort, using specialized equipment to stabilize the soft ground in the area. The soldiers’ 63-ton armored vehicle was successfully removed from the bog after a six-day effort. Family notification is pending before the identities of the soldiers are released.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, expressed sorrow over the loss of the soldiers, calling them a part of the Army family. The U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Lithuania, a NATO member since 2004, has hosted U.S. troops as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve since 2014, following Russia’s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. Both American and Lithuanian forces continue to work together in the recovery effort.
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