Three Missing US Soldiers Found Dead in Lithuania, Search for Fourth Continues

Three soldiers from the US Army’s 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were found dead in Lithuania while participating in military exercises near the Belarusian border.

This was reported on March 31, by US Army Europe and Africa command. The command stated that the search would continue until the fourth soldier is found.

“I’d like to personally commend the heroic efforts of the search parties, and especially our Lithuanian allies who were instrumental in the recovery efforts. Their courage and commitment to this operation will always be remembered and demonstrates the strong relationship between our countries. However, search and recovery efforts are not complete – they will continue until we bring all of our Soldiers home,” said Major General Curtis Taylor, commander of Task Force Iron and the 1st Armored Division.

On March 26, the US Embassy in Lithuania announced that four American soldiers, who had been involved in exercises in Lithuania, went missing near the Belarusian border at a training ground near Pabrade. Lithuanian Armed Forces representatives reported the disappearance of a tracked vehicle during the exercises.

On March 27, officials from US Army Europe and Africa noted that an M88 Hercules armored vehicle, which the soldiers had been using, had been located in Lithuania.

“The vehicle was found submerged in a body of water at the training ground after a search by the US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, and other Lithuanian authorities,” they stated.

On March 30, the armored vehicle was extracted from the swamp “after six days of relentless effort,” according to Lithuania’s Ministry of Defense.