Recovery Efforts Conclude as Final Soldier Found Dead in Lithuania Training Accident

PABRADĖ, Lithuania — The search for four U.S. soldiers missing following a tragic training accident has concluded, with the last soldier’s body recovered on April 1, 2025. The soldiers were part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and were conducting a tactical exercise when their vehicle was reported missing a week earlier, according to U.S. military officials.

The soldiers were confirmed deceased after their M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle was pulled from a peat bog at the Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas training ground. Army officials identified three of the four soldiers as Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam. The identity of the fourth soldier remains withheld pending family notification.

“This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division. “Though we have received some closure, the world is darker without them.”

Search efforts were extensive, involving U.S., Polish, and Lithuanian military personnel along with civilian agencies. The vehicle, which weighed 63 tons and was submerged in 15 feet of water, was located on March 26 but required days of coordinated efforts to remove it. Navy divers undertook a perilous mission in zero visibility to secure the vehicle.

Hundreds of soldiers from the Lithuanian Army provided essential aviation and technical support. Subsequently, recovery teams used excavators and dumping equipment to stabilize the ground around the submerged vehicle, enhancing extraction efforts. The completion of the recovery process marked a somber yet significant achievement amid a national tragedy.

Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, expressed profound gratitude towards the allied nations involved in the recovery efforts. “I can’t say enough about the support our Lithuanian Allies have provided us. This tragic event reinforces what it means to have allies and friends,” he stated.

As the community mourns, many have gathered near the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius to honor the fallen soldiers. Members of the public, along with local military and government officials, have laid flowers and lit candles in memory of their service.

Duenez, who had more than seven years of service, previously deployed to Poland and Germany. Capt. Madyson K. Wellens, a commander in Duenez’s squadron, remembered him as a dedicated leader who consistently supported his comrades.

Franco had also served over six years, deploying to Korea and Germany, while Taitano was on his first deployment after joining the Army. Both were remembered as team players who fostered camaraderie.

This loss comes at a time when approximately 3,500 soldiers from the brigade were deployed across Poland and the Baltic states as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, initiated to strengthen NATO’s presence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“This loss is simply devastating,” Norrie added. “We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our Soldiers during this difficult time.”