4th soldier found dead in Lithuania after military vehicle accident

Military personnel work at the site of a rescue operation for missing US soldiers at Pabrade training ground, in Lithuania, on March 28, 2025. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP) (Photo by PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP via Getty Images)

LITHUANIA - The U.S. Army has confirmed the death of a fourth soldier assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, after an armored recovery vehicle accident near Pabradė, Lithuania. The soldier was found deceased on the afternoon of April 1, following an extensive, week-long search.

Soldiers went missing on March 25

What we know:

Three of the four soldiers have been identified. They are Sgt. Jose Duenez, Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam. The fourth soldier's name has not been released.

Sgt. Jose Duenez, Jr., Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano. (Images used with permission)

All four soldiers went missing in the early hours of March 25, along with their M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle. The first three soldiers and the vehicle were recovered on March 31 from a peat bog.

None of the soldiers have been officially identified at this time.

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Military officials expressed grief and gratitude in statements issued Monday, highlighting the multinational search effort that included the Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian armed forces, as well as U.S. Navy, Army, and Corps of Engineers personnel.

Soldiers from Fort Stewart

What they're saying:

"This past week has been devastating," said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. "Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier."

The soldiers were in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a NATO mission aimed at strengthening military partnerships and deterrence in Eastern Europe. They were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia.