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The Bulwark / Mark Hertling: When American Soldiers Were in Trouble, Our Allies Showed Up
The Bulwark / Mark Hertling - When American Soldiers Were in Trouble, Our Allies Showed Up
Inside the allied effort to find four soldiers lost in a training exercise.
Mark Hertling
Apr 04, 2025
OVER THE LAST WEEK, amid government turmoil, massive new tariffs, a stock market free-fall beckoning a possible recession, and other major news, many Americans likely missed a story that was unfolding in the normally quiet forests of Lithuania. Four U.S. soldiers, including three seasoned and professional non-commissioned officers, tragically lost their lives when their M88 Hercules recovery vehicle was swallowed by a hidden sinkhole during a training mission. The remains of Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, PFC Dante D. Taitano, and Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins were recovered after an exhaustive eight-day operation that showcased not only the unwavering commitment of American forces to their fellow soldiers, but also the profound solidarity of our allies in Europe.
As a former tanker who spent much of a long career in Europe, I know the training ground at the Pabradė Training Area. I used to command the 1st Armored Division, the unit to which the four fallen soldiers were attached for the exercises in Lithuania, and I know and admire the current commander, Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor. So my ears perked up when I first heard the report of missing soldiers. Having faced similar crises, I know the anxiety and urgency that faces any commander when soldiers go missing. The Army is always parsimonious with the details it gives to the media, so much of the story of the search and eventual recovery of those four soldiers’ remains and their vehicle hasn’t been told. But the details of those eight days that I’ve heard from soldiers involved in the operations is a testament to the seven Army values. The story also highlights the loyalty of our allies, which I came to know so well when commanding U.S. Army Europe. As the nature of our alliances changes, and many Americans seem to be questioning the value of having friends abroad at all, it’s a story worth hearing.
THE INCIDENT BEGAN WITH A CALL for assistance passed between military units, something that happens all the time in the training environment. A Joint Light Tactical Vehicle—a small Army truck—had become mired in mud at night during an artillery training event at Lithuania’s Pabradė Training Area. The task to pull it out was given to a nearby cavalry unit that had an available M88 Hercules recovery vehicle. A crew of four—three highly skilled cavalry mechanics plus one soldier from the artillery acting as a guide—set out on the mission to find and fix the truck. These soldiers were not just expert mechanics, but their fellow soldiers all knew them as highly professional non-commissioned officers and devoted family men; they had seven children among them.
Their vehicle, the formidable M88 Hercules, was built for just this purpose. The soldiers knew the terrain well, as they had been training in the area for more than a month. Their route to the disabled truck led them along a firebreak in the forest. What they didn’t know is that trail contained a deceptive sinkhole. Driving through the area at night, with headlights on, the crew likely saw what looked like a large puddle, something the M88 is designed to traverse with ease. But it appears as their vehicle drove through the water it immediately sank.
/snip
Inside the allied effort to find four soldiers lost in a training exercise.
Mark Hertling
Apr 04, 2025
OVER THE LAST WEEK, amid government turmoil, massive new tariffs, a stock market free-fall beckoning a possible recession, and other major news, many Americans likely missed a story that was unfolding in the normally quiet forests of Lithuania. Four U.S. soldiers, including three seasoned and professional non-commissioned officers, tragically lost their lives when their M88 Hercules recovery vehicle was swallowed by a hidden sinkhole during a training mission. The remains of Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, PFC Dante D. Taitano, and Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins were recovered after an exhaustive eight-day operation that showcased not only the unwavering commitment of American forces to their fellow soldiers, but also the profound solidarity of our allies in Europe.
As a former tanker who spent much of a long career in Europe, I know the training ground at the Pabradė Training Area. I used to command the 1st Armored Division, the unit to which the four fallen soldiers were attached for the exercises in Lithuania, and I know and admire the current commander, Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor. So my ears perked up when I first heard the report of missing soldiers. Having faced similar crises, I know the anxiety and urgency that faces any commander when soldiers go missing. The Army is always parsimonious with the details it gives to the media, so much of the story of the search and eventual recovery of those four soldiers’ remains and their vehicle hasn’t been told. But the details of those eight days that I’ve heard from soldiers involved in the operations is a testament to the seven Army values. The story also highlights the loyalty of our allies, which I came to know so well when commanding U.S. Army Europe. As the nature of our alliances changes, and many Americans seem to be questioning the value of having friends abroad at all, it’s a story worth hearing.
THE INCIDENT BEGAN WITH A CALL for assistance passed between military units, something that happens all the time in the training environment. A Joint Light Tactical Vehicle—a small Army truck—had become mired in mud at night during an artillery training event at Lithuania’s Pabradė Training Area. The task to pull it out was given to a nearby cavalry unit that had an available M88 Hercules recovery vehicle. A crew of four—three highly skilled cavalry mechanics plus one soldier from the artillery acting as a guide—set out on the mission to find and fix the truck. These soldiers were not just expert mechanics, but their fellow soldiers all knew them as highly professional non-commissioned officers and devoted family men; they had seven children among them.
Their vehicle, the formidable M88 Hercules, was built for just this purpose. The soldiers knew the terrain well, as they had been training in the area for more than a month. Their route to the disabled truck led them along a firebreak in the forest. What they didn’t know is that trail contained a deceptive sinkhole. Driving through the area at night, with headlights on, the crew likely saw what looked like a large puddle, something the M88 is designed to traverse with ease. But it appears as their vehicle drove through the water it immediately sank.
/snip
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