3 U.S. soldiers found dead in Lithuania; 1 still missing after vehicle is swallowed by peat bog

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

March 31, 2025, 10:32 AM EDT / Updated March 31, 2025, 10:47 AM EDT


The bodies of three U.S. Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise last week have been found, and a fourth remains missing, military officials said Monday. The soldiers went missing the morning of March 25 after their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle.

The identities of the soldiers, who were all from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, are being withheld pending family notification, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Public Affairs Office said. Search and recovery operations are ongoing for the remaining fourth soldier.

The soldiers had been deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, military officials said. Lithuanian armed forces and law enforcement worked alongside them during last week's training exercise.

Their 63-ton armored vehicle was removed from the peat bog early Monday morning after an arduous six-day effort. Earlier this week, the U.S. Army said hundreds of soldiers and law enforcement personnel, American and Lithuanian, scoured the thick forest and swampy terrain to find the missing soldiers.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/3-us-soldiers-found-dead-lithuania-1-still-missing-vehicle-swallowed-p-rcna198571

[underpants]

1. Just horrible

[fargone]

2. Has anyone heard if the bodies were inside or outside the vehicle?

[Laha]

3. No reports that I know of

But my guess from clues in the article,

"Earlier this week, the U.S. Army said hundreds of soldiers and law enforcement personnel, American and Lithuanian, scoured the thick forest and swampy terrain to find the missing soldiers."

That last sentence suggests at least one of the bodies was definitely not found in the vehicle. By the size of the search effort deep into the forest suggests they weren't expecting to find the fourth body washed up on shore.

Sounds like they didn't drown in the vehicle to me.

All speculation.

[fargone]

4. My interpretation of the wide forest search was because the vehicle was completely gone

My interpretation was that the forest scouring was to find the vehicle that had totally disappered under 15 feet of black bog water and muck. The fact that they haven't found the 4th suggests to me that at least one was away from the vehicle, maybe able to scramble out before it sank or possibly got out earlier to investigate their situation. Kettle he bogs are deep straight sided hole that are filled with water and varying a.ounts of plant material mostly sphagnum moss. They can be 30 feet deep. Some have open water but others have a mat of floating moss. That mat of vegetation will not support large animals. A 60 ton vehicle would sink instantly. The hazard may not be obvious to anyone approaching and would be especially dangerous at night. As with you this is speculation. I hope they find the other soldier.