Lithuanians offer farewell to 4 American soldiers who died during the training exercise

Vilnius, Lithuania (AP) – The political and religious leaders of Lithuania joined thousands of people Thursday to say goodbye to four American soldiers who died during a training exercise in the Baltic nation.

President Gitanas Nausėda and other dignitaries were one of those who stood with respect while the hearings transported the bodies of the four young Americans to Vilnius airport before being transported to the United States to bury.

Many spectators were in tears, and Nausėda said that the reaction of the population and the military to the disappearance of the soldiers was rooted in the difficult history of Lithuania.

“For us, it is more than a duty, it is an emotion. We have known trials in our history and, therefore, we understand what loss is, what death is, what an honorable duty,” said Nausėda in a discourse to those united.

Schoolchildren accompanied by teachers have made a sign of Lithuanian and American flags to honor the soldiers, who died in an accident along the eastern NATO flank, a region which is at the limit due to the aggression of Russia in neighboring Ukraine.

The leader of a group was Justin Boyd, director of the American School of the American International School of Vilnius, who said that his group was there “to honor the soldiers who have fallen from the United States and to honor the relationship between Lithuania and America and the defensive pact that represents”.

“It is important for us to give dignity to the dead and let families know that we are with them and that we support them at that time,” said Boyd.

The soldiers, who are part of the 1st combat team of the armored brigade, 3rd infantry division, did a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle disappeared a week agosaid the army.

Lithuanian, Polish and American soldiers and rescuers search Through forests and swamps in Gen. Silvestras žkauskas Training Ground in the city of Pabradė, 6 miles (10 kilometers) west of the border with Bélarus. The armored vehicle M88 Hercules was fired a peat bog Monday and the final body was recovered on Tuesday.

“I am sorry for these young men,” said an enilet of the city of Pabradė while looking at the headphones to go to the airport. “I live nearby, and I know this swamp. Dangerous places for anyone is entering this region. ”

THE US military identified the soldiers as the staff sergeant. TROY S. KTUSON-COLLINS, 28, from Battle Creek, Michigan; Sgt of staff. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, from Joliet, Illinois; Sgt of staff. Edvin F. Franco, 25, from Glendale, California; and pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, from Dededo, Guam.

About 3,500 soldiers from the 1st armored brigade combat team deployed in January in Poland and the Baltic States for a nine -month rotation as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which supports NATO allies and partners following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022.

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The video journalist AP Siarhei Satsiuk contributed the reports.