Four Soldiers Killed in MH-60 Black Hawk Crash Near Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Elite Night Stalkers Lost in Training Mission

Four U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), known as the “Night Stalkers,” were killed Wednesday night when their MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training mission west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

The helicopter went down at approximately 9 p.m. in a rural area near Summit Lake, about 20 miles west of Olympia. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and recovery operations are ongoing.

Remembering the Fallen

“These were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and Army Special Operations,” said Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Officials said the soldiers’ names will be released once families have been notified. Law enforcement, firefighters, and specialty teams from the base have been working around the clock to secure the site and bring the soldiers home.

Who Are the Night Stalkers?

The 160th SOAR is one of the Army’s most elite aviation units, specializing in nighttime operations with unmatched precision. Known for flying into the toughest missions, often under cover of darkness, Night Stalkers have supported combat and special operations worldwide.

The unit has suffered losses before. In 2023, five SOAR aviators died in a helicopter crash in the Eastern Mediterranean during a training mission. Earlier this year, two soldiers from the same regiment were injured when an Apache helicopter went down at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.