Key Takeaways:

• Four U.S. Army soldiers were confirmed dead after their armored vehicle sank in a peat bog during training in Lithuania.
• The soldiers went missing on March 25 during a military exercise near Pabradė, close to the Belarusian border.
• Extensive search and recovery efforts were conducted by U.S. forces alongside Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian military personnel.

The bodies of four U.S. soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division have been recovered in Lithuania following a tragic incident during a training exercise. The soldiers went missing on March 25 when their M88 Hercules vehicle became submerged in a peat bog at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground near Pabradė, which is located just 10 kilometers from the border with Belarus.

Initially reported missing, the soldiers were the focus of a massive six-day search operation involving hundreds of military personnel from the U.S. Army, Navy, and allied forces from Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia. After extensive efforts, the bodies of three soldiers were recovered on Monday, while the remains of the fourth soldier were located a day later. The recovery operation faced numerous challenges, including difficult weather and terrain conditions.

The U.S. Army reported that extensive equipment and manpower were deployed for the recovery, including excavators, sluice pumps, and dive teams tasked with navigating the treacherous mud to reach the submerged vehicle. Major General Christopher Norrie, the commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Division, expressed deep sorrow for the loss of the soldiers and emphasized the closure this provides but also the profound pain it brings to their families and colleagues.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda expressed condolences on social media, highlighting the joint international effort in the search for the soldiers. "Lithuania mourns together with the American nation," he stated. The incident underscores the dangers faced by military personnel during training exercises and the strong alliance between the U.S. and Lithuania within the framework of NATO operations.

The U.S. Army will continue to engage in investigations surrounding the cause of the incident as they remember the sacrifices these soldiers made while stationed overseas as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.