The US Army has released the identities of four soldiers who died last week in a helicopter crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

The victims were identified as Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cully, 35, of Sparta, Missouri, and Andrew Kraus, 39, of Sanibel, Florida, along with Sergeants Donavon Scott, 25, of Tacoma, Washington, and Jadalyn Good, 23, of Mount Vernon, Washington.

They were members of the Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the “Night Stalkers,” which specialises in nighttime missions.

The soldiers were aboard an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter when it went down around 9 pm on Wednesday, September 17, during a routine training flight west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, officials said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Weather reports from the National Weather Service indicated mostly clear skies and light winds at the time of the incident.

Army records show Cully was commissioned as an aviation officer in 2013 and had served in Operation Atlantic Resolve and Operation Swift Response. Kraus, who joined in 2017, supported multiple training and contingency operations. Scott enlisted as a UH-60 repairer and had been deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, while Good, a helicopter maintainer, played key roles in several training missions.

All four soldiers had earned multiple honors, including the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

Col. Stephen Smith of the 160th SOAR paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, describing them as embodying “unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence.” He added: “As we mourn their loss, we stand united in honoring their memory and their extraordinary commitment to the mission. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Night Stalker community during this profoundly difficult time.”

The 160th SOAR, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is tasked with organizing and deploying Army special operations aviation forces worldwide. Its members are recognized for their precision in executing some of the military’s toughest missions, often under cover of darkness.

This is the second fatal crash involving the unit in recent years. In 2023, five soldiers were killed during a refueling mission in the Eastern Mediterranean. In March 2024, two members of the same regiment were injured in an Apache helicopter crash during training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (The Nation)