Army Soldier from New Hampshire, Staff Sgt. Tanner Groton, Killed in Helicopter Crash in Mediterranean

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Army Soldier from New Hampshire Killed in Tragic Helicopter Crash over Mediterranean Sea

MANCHESTER, N.H. – In a sad and tragic incident, an Army soldier from New Hampshire lost his life on Friday in a helicopter crash over the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The Department of Defense confirmed that Staff Sgt. Tanner W. Grone, 26, from Gorham, New Hampshire, was one of five U.S. Special Operations aviation soldiers who perished in the crash. The incident occurred during a routine training flight near Cyprus.

Governor Chris Sununu expressed his condolences to the family of Staff Sgt. Grone, stating, “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Staff Sgt. Grone and his four fellow soldiers who perished. Their bravery and devotion to this nation, and the protection of our freedoms, shall never be forgotten.”

According to Department of Defense officials, there is currently no evidence to suggest that the crash was caused by enemy or hostile actions. The training flight was described as aerial refueling training, and the helicopter experienced an “in-flight emergency” that ultimately led to the crash.

Retired Col. Steven Ganyard, a former state department official and current ABC News contributor, shed light on the dangers of aerial refueling at night, stating, “There’s very little room for error when you’re aerial refueling at night, overnight with night-vision goggles at low altitude, and sometimes small mistakes can turn into tragedy.”

The four other victims of the crash have been identified as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R. Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M. Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Sgt. Andrew P. Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona; and Sgt. Cade M. Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.

This tragic incident marks the latest in a series of deadly military training accidents this year. In March, two Army Blackhawk helicopters collided midair, resulting in the deaths of nine service members in Kentucky. In April, three soldiers lost their lives when two Army Apache helicopters crashed while returning from training in Alaska. In August, three Marines were killed and 20 others injured during drills in Australia when an Osprey crashed.

President Biden also acknowledged the helicopter crash in a statement, highlighting the significance of Veterans Day weekend and expressing solidarity with the service members’ loved ones, as well as the entire nation. The White House and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, emphasizing the daily risks undertaken by service members to ensure the nation’s safety.

The Department of Defense continues to investigate the helicopter crash, aiming to uncover the cause of the in-flight emergency that led to this tragic loss. As the nation mourns the loss of Staff Sgt. Grone and his fellow soldiers, their bravery and sacrifice will be forever honored..