Sgt Jose Duenez Jr,Sgt Edvin F Franco Obituary, Death; – Officials have disclosed the names of three out of four U.S. soldiers who were found deceased in Lithuania.
The soldiers were located in an M88 armored vehicle that had submerged in a swamp, all being 25 years old or younger. The identified individuals are Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, from Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, from Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, from Dededo, Guam. Their identities were confirmed by officials on Tuesday.
A fourth soldier was also discovered on Tuesday, but his name has not yet been made public.
All three soldiers served as maintainers for the M1 Abrams tank system. Their vehicle was found in a peat bog near Pabradė, Lithuania, after it went missing on March 25. According to U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the soldiers were unaccounted for while they were on a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle.
Duenez had been in the Army for over seven years and was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Stewart, having previously served with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. He completed the Army Basic Leader Course and the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations Course, and he had deployments to Germany in 2022 and Poland in 2021.
Franco had served in the Army for more than six years and was also assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Stewart since February 2019. He graduated from the Army Basic Leader Course and the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations Course, with deployments to Korea in 2020 and Germany in 2022.
Taitano, the youngest of the trio, had nearly two years of service in the Army and was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Stewart. This was his first deployment.
“This loss is profoundly tragic,” stated Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. “These men were esteemed Soldiers of the Marne Division. We are providing support to the families and loved ones of our Soldiers during this incredibly challenging time.”
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to the incident as “another stark reminder of the selfless sacrifice of our brave military men and women who risk their lives.”
