Lithuanian engineers and U.S. soldiers pump water from a swamp in an effort to recover a U.S. Army M88 Hercules armored vehicle near Pabrade, Lithuania, March 27, 2025. The vehicle was recovered on March 31, Lithuanian officials said. (U.S. Army Europe and Africa)
Three U.S. soldiers missing in Lithuania were found dead after their submerged armored vehicle was pulled from a muddy bog, U.S. Army Europe and Africa said Monday.
Search operations are underway for a fourth missing soldier, the Army said.
The M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle was extracted after a nearly weeklong operation that involved hundreds of personnel from multiple countries.
The names of the fallen soldiers, all members of the 1st Armored Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, weren’t immediately released, pending next-of-kin notifications.
“The soldiers we have lost in this tragedy were not just soldiers — they were a part of our family,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home.”
Norrie added that the search “isn’t finished until everyone is home.”
The accident happened near the city of Pabrade at a base about 6 miles from the border with Belarus. The area has been a training hub for U.S. forces for many years.
The lengthy recovery operation was complicated by the terrain.
Several hundred tons of gravel and earth were added to stabilize the soft ground near the bog, where the vehicle was submerged some 15 feet under water and thick sludge, the Army said.
U.S. Navy divers also were called in to support the effort. On Sunday, the divers made it through a thick layer of mud to reach the soldiers’ vehicle and were able to attach cables.
Several heavy vehicles using winches for roughly two hours finally removed the M88A2 from the bog, the Army said.
Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of the 1st Armored Division, offered thanks for the “heroic efforts” of the search parties and the Lithuanians in particular.
“Their courage and commitment to this operation will always be remembered and demonstrates the strong relationship between our countries,” Taylor said.
Top U.S. military leaders arrived in Lithuania during the rescue operation. On Sunday, U.S. European Command’s Gen. Christopher Cavoli attended a special church service in the capital of Vilnius and later visited the recovery location.
USAREUR-AF commander Gen. Christopher Donahue and U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Kara C. McDonald were at the rescue site to observe operations on Monday.
Col. James Armstrong, 1st Armored Brigade commander, said the unit was ensuring necessary support services were being provided to families and soldiers.
“We are an incredibly tight-knit family, and their absence is keenly felt, and we will hold them close in our memories,” Armstrong said.
