3 U.S. soldiers found dead in armoured vehicle in Lithuania

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Vilnius, Lithuania – Three U.S. Army soldiers missing in Lithuania were found dead from their armored vehicle, which was evacuated from the swamp area early Monday, according to the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command. Another soldier is still missing.

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After a six-day effort by us, the Poles and the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the authorities, the bodies of the three soldiers were dug out of the peat swamp from the vast Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in the town of Pabrad.

The Army said soldiers and their vehicles were undergoing tactical training when they disappeared earlier Tuesday.

The order said in a statement that the first Armored Brigade’s combat team was in the name of the Third Infantry Division soldiers were being detained in the family notice.

“We are sad with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘dog-faced soldiers’ in this unimaginable time,” said Major Christopher Norrie, commander of the Third Infantry Division. “But the search was not completed until everyone was at home. People who are still working around the clock in these extensive search and recovery efforts, words cannot express our gratitude, and your unwavering commitment can only be without a break before you find out everyone.”

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Hundreds of Lithuanian and American soldiers and rescuers participated in the search, passing through thick forests and swamps, the swampy terrain around Pabrad, just 10 kilometers west of the border with Belarus. Armored vehicles were found on Wednesday, flooded with 4.5 meters (15 feet) of water.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces provide military helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, and search and rescue personnel. They brought additional excavators, cement and mud pumps, other heavy construction equipment, technical experts, and hundreds of tons of gravel and the earth to aid in recovery.

The command said U.S. Navy divers were able to manipulate through thick dirt, clay and sediment “visibility” to reach the 63-ton vehicle on Sunday night and find two points to attach steel cables.

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During the effort to pull out the vehicle, it began to lose traction, so it brought more heavy lads in and attached to provide extra grip, the command said. The commander said the vehicle was pulled out in about two hours.

“The armored vehicle was driven on at 4:40 a.m., and the towing operation was complete, with Lithuanian military police and U.S. investigators continued to work,” Defense Secretary Dovile Sakaliene said in an article on Facebook Monday morning.

The Navy Diver is now using radar to search the area for the still missing Fourth Army.

Major General Curtis Taylor, commander of the Task Force Iron and 1st Armored Division, thanked the “heroic efforts” of those involved in the search and recovery. The U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.

– Bardo reported from Washington.

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