Fourth and final soldier identified from armored vehicle that sank in Lithuania swamp
The fourth and final soldier killed in a heavy vehicle accident last week was a 28-year-old artillery mechanic from Michigan, the Army said Wednesday.
Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins of Battle Creek, Michigan was killed on March 25 along with three other soldiers when their M88A2 Hercules — a tank-like tow-truck for other armored vehicles — sank into a swampy bog in a Lithuanian training area. He had been assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division since 2018.
'Although we are relieved to have found all our Dogface Soldiers, it does not make the pain of their loss any less,' said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, the commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. 'We will continue to care for and support the Soldiers' Families and loved ones as we bring them home and honor their memory.'
Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez, Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam were all identified Tuesday. All four were assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
In an interview Tuesday with a local news station, Knutson-Collins' father, Robert Collins, said he was grateful for the Army's week-long recovery effort to find his son. 'I want to thank them,' he told News Channel 3 in Kalamazoo. 'I would do it in person and shake every one of their hands if it took me a day or two to tell them I appreciate what they did.'
After the soldiers' M88A2 disappeared during a routine training exercise, the Army launched a massive recovery operation with hundreds of soldiers from across Europe and a Navy dive team from Spain. Soldiers and civilian workers from Lithuania and Poland were also heavily involved in the recovery effort.
Divers found the M88A2 under 15 feet of mud and water in a muddy bog.
Knutson-Collins, Jose Duenez Jr., and Edvin Franco were all posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.
Knutson-Collins had graduated from the Army Basic Leader Course, the Advanced Leaders Course, the Tracked Vehicle Recovery Operations course, and the Combat Lifesaver course. He deployed to Korea in 2020.
His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Master Technician Badge.
'Words cannot express how deeply this loss is felt by everyone in our unit,' said Capt. Jackson Patillo, commander, Foxtrot Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment. 'Staff Sgt. Troy Collins was an exceptional friend to all of us and an irreplaceable member to our entire Fox family that we will truly miss.'
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