A Tennessean who conducted a daring helicopter rescue during the Vietnam War will be awarded the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/medal-of-honor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medal of Honor</a> on Tuesday, more than 50 years after his heroic actions. 
Retired Captain Larry Taylor of Signal Mountain, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a>, will be given the award by President Joe Biden for rescuing four soldiers under heavy fire from communist forces during a firefight in 1968. Taylor was deployed to Vietnam from 1967-1968, where he ran 2,000 combat missions and was fired at 340 times, <a href="https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/taylor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Army.
The act that earned Taylor the Medal of Honor occurred on June 18, 1968, during a battle in the hamlet of Ap Go Cong, then part of the Republic of Vietnam. Taylor was the leader of a helicopter light-fire support team that was tasked with helping four soldiers who had been surrounded by communist forces during a reconnaissance mission. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WhiteHouse</a> just announced that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USArmy</a> Capt. Larry Taylor will be awarded on Tuesday the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MedalOfHonor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MedalOfHonor</a> for his heroic actions on June 18, 1968, as a first lieutenant with 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam. 
📰 <a href="https://t.co/QOSCDBgMHh">https://t.co/QOSCDBgMHh</a> <a href="https://t.co/j7Xt8vCRfz">pic.twitter.com/j7Xt8vCRfz</a>
&mdash; U.S. Army (@USArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy/status/1697623687820615905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Taylor and another helicopter provided air support for the soldiers for about 45 minutes before the choppers ran low on ammo and left to scout out an escape route the reconnaissance team was supposed to take. 
He then returned and discovered that plans for a UH-1 “Huey” helicopter to rescue the soldiers had been scrapped “because it stood almost no chance of success,” <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/09/01/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-to-award-the-medal-of-honor-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a White House press release.
“Running low on fuel, with the patrol team nearly out of ammunition, Taylor decided to extract the team using his two-man Cobra helicopter, a feat that had never been accomplished or even attempted,” the White House said. “When the team reached the site, Taylor landed his Cobra under heavy enemy fire and with complete disregard for his personal safety. The patrol team climbed aboard, grabbing on to rocket-pods and skids, and Taylor carried them to a safe location before landing them back on the ground.”
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Speaking last year on the anniversary of the rescue, a member of the patrol that Taylor rescued said he did not think he would survive the battle. 
“Who would have bet that any of us would have even the sun come up on the morning of June 19, 1968, let alone the dawns of another 54 years? Words are inadequate to describe your actions, nor my humble gratitude for the many years of friendship given you and me since then, so I will just say: thank you, sir,” Dave Hill said. 
Taylor, born in Chattanooga, also earned the Silver Star, a Bronze Star, 43 Air Medals, and two Distinguished Flying Crosses. After his service, Taylor went into the roofing and sheet metal business.

President Biden Awards Medal Of Honor To Retired US Army Colonel Paris Davis

Tennessean Who Conducted Daring Rescue During Vietnam War To Be Awarded Medal Of Honor

American History

Heroism

Joe Biden

Medal of Honor

Military

U.S.

U.S. Army

Vietnam

The propaganda arm of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korean</a> dictatorship released its first public comment about its detainment of American soldier Travis King, claiming he entered the communist country because he faced mistreatment in the U.S. Army. 
King, 23, sprinted across the heavily guarded demilitarized zone (DMZ) line last month while on a civilian tour and was taken into custody by North Korea. When he crossed into the communist country, King had reportedly been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-soldier-in-north-korean-custody-was-facing-disciplinary-action-over-assault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disciplined</a> for assault in South Korea and was facing further disciplinary action in the U.S.
North Korean state media said Wednesday that King fled into the country because he “harbored ill feelings against inhuman mistreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army” and “was disillusioned at the unequal American society,” POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/15/north-korea-u-s-soldier-disillusioned-00111394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
A Pentagon official <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-makes-first-public-comments-about-detained-u-s-soldier-travis-king-48ace148" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Wall Street Journal that it cannot verify King made these comments. The North Korean media arm reporting on King’s alleged dissatisfaction with America releases statements tailored to the communist regime&#8217;s wishes, which usually involves painting the U.S. as an evil empire.  
“We can’t verify these alleged comments,” the Pentagon official said. “We remain focused on his safe return. The department’s priority is to bring Pvt. King home, and we are working through all available channels to achieve that outcome.”
Former CIA analyst Soo Kim told POLITICO that the regime’s statement “is 100% North Korean propaganda in its element. King, as an American citizen held in North Korea, has no sway in how the DPRK chooses to cast its narrative.”
“As for King’s release, his fate rests in North Korea’s hands. Perhaps the regime will try to ‘bargain’ King’s life in exchange for financial concessions from the U.S. More than likely, negotiations won’t be easy, and terms will be dictated by Pyongyang,” she added.
King was the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/07/19/1188656665/travis-king-north-korea-soldier-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first</a> American soldier to voluntarily cross into North Korea since 1982. American civilian Otto Warmbier was detained and imprisoned by the communist country in 2016 on phony charges of subversion before he was released 17 months later in a coma; he died shortly after coming home to the U.S.
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Prior to crossing into North Korea, King was involved in at least two separate episodes where Korean police were brought in to intervene, including incidents in September and October 2022. 
In September, King had a case settled after he was accused of punching a man in the face at a South Korean club. The following month, he was accused of acting aggressively toward police officers responding to a call about a fight, court documents obtained by Reuters show. 
He spent almost two months in detention for the assault charge, according to The Associated Press. The news agency reported that he had been released on July 10. Officials have said that King was going to be sent back to America before he crossed into North Korea. 
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Travis King

North Korea Claims American Soldier Entered Country After Becoming ‘Disillusioned’ By ‘Unequal American Society’

North Korea Claims American Soldier Entered Country After Becoming 'Disillusioned' By 'Unequal American Society'

Global Politics

North Korea

South Korea

World

Americans&#8217; confidence in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military</a> has fallen to the lowest level in decades, according to new polling data from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gallup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gallup</a>. 
Confidence in the U.S. military by Americans of all political affiliations <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/509189/confidence-military-lowest-two-decades.aspx#:~:text=The%20military,-Get%20the%20data&amp;text=It%20then%20surged%20after%20the,poorly%20executed%20exit%20from%20Afghanistan." target="_blank" rel="noopener">has fallen</a> to just 60%, tying the lowest number since 1997, Gallup found. The last time confidence was below 60% was in 1988, when just 58% had confidence in the military. The data was collected from June 1-22. 
&#8220;At 60%, confidence in the military was last this low in 1997, and it hasn’t been lower since 1988, when 58% were confident. From the late 1970s to the early 1980s — during the Cold War and amid threats to U.S. power, including the Iran hostage crisis — between 50% and 58% of Americans were confident in the military,&#8221; Gallup reported.
The fall in confidence in the military has been especially pronounced among Republicans, who have historically been the most likely to be supportive of the military. Republican confidence in the military has dropped by 23 points since 2020, when 91% expressed confidence in the military. 
While Gallup noted that Democrats’ confidence rose after President Joe Biden was inaugurated, it has since declined. The group with the lowest amount of confidence was independents, whose confidence level sits at just 55%. 
The drop in confidence came after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-house-republican-blasts-bidens-claims-about-afghanistan-devoid-of-reality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bungled withdrawal</a> from Afghanistan, where the U.S. had a military presence for over 20 years. Thirteen American service members were killed in a suicide bombing during the final days of the withdrawal as the Taliban quickly took power. 
Some have placed the decline in confidence on a politicized Department of Defense. 
“Americans&#8217; confidence in the U.S. military is the lowest in 2 decades! Our ‘leaders’ have tarnished the military’s history and legacy by putting woke indoctrination before patriotism &amp; foreign conflict before American interests,” <a href="https://twitter.com/amrenewctr/status/1686381037235150849" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the Center for Renewing America, a conservative policy organization. 
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The military has also been struggling with recruiting, with the Army missing its recruitment goals in fiscal year 2022 and <a href="https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/05/03/short-handed-army-to-miss-recruiting-goal-for-second-year-in-a-row/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing</a> earlier this year that it would likely miss its goals again in fiscal year 2023 when it had hoped to recruit 452,000 soldiers. 
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said that they might have to “do some thinning out” across the Army because the military was losing service members faster than they were gaining them. 
“If we don’t turn our recruiting situation around, I can’t guarantee you that the Army won’t have to make some substantial potential force structure reductions,” Wormuth said.

2004 Sport Pictures of the Year

Americans’ Confidence In Military Falls To Decades Low, Public Opinion Poll Shows

Afghanistan

Gallup

Opinion

U.S. Military

Bowe Bergdahl, the American soldier who was captured in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/afghanistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Afghanistan</a> and later traded for five <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/taliban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taliban</a> leaders in a prisoner exchange, has had his desertion conviction vacated after a federal judge said the original case could have been clouded by a conflict of interest. 
U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bowe-bergdahl-court-martial-overturned-12da397af78384788a6a09d6499936c0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vacated</a> the desertion conviction for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bowe-bergdahl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bergdahl</a> this week. Under President Barack Obama, Bergdahl was traded for five Taliban leaders who had been detained in Guantanamo Bay. 
According to Walton, because military judge Jeffrey Nance did not disclose his application to be an immigration judge under then-President Donald Trump, Nance’s presiding over Bergdahl’s trial could be construed as a conflict of interest because Trump had been vocally critical of Bergdahl. 
The judge <a href="https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/bergdahl-decision/f32af7e7e7307b1f/full.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Nance’s neutrality was “undermined” because “he might be inclined to appeal to the president’s expressed interest in the plaintiff’s conviction and punishment when applying for the immigration judge position.” 
“Namely, the military judge in this case submitted a writing sample along with his application, consisting of an order in which he denied the plaintiff’s [Bergdahl] unlawful-command-influence motion which was based on President Trump’s statements, and ruled against the plaintiff — both actions that a reasonable person might view as serving the president’s interest in this case,” Walton’s ruling said. 
Bergdahl was imprisoned and tortured by the Taliban for five years after walking away from his post in 2009. He said that he was going to report poor leadership in his unit, according to the Associated Press. 
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After the Obama administration negotiated for a trade with the Taliban, Bergdahl returned to the U.S. where he was tried and pled guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. Bergdahl escaped jail time but was made to forfeit $10,000 in pay and was dishonorably discharged. 
While campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination, Trump <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-defense-bergdahl-trump/bergdahl-lawyer-slams-candidate-trump-over-traitor-comments-idUKKCN0QP29X20150820" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> Bergdahl a “dirty rotten traitor.” Trump also said that Bergdahl’s sentence was not strong enough, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-bergdahl-decision-complete-and-total-hank-berrien" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> that it was “a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.”
Four of the five Taliban members <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/four-taliban-members-released-from-gitmo-in-trade-for-bowe-bergdahl-now-part-of-hardline-afghan-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> in exchange for Bergdahl joined the Taliban’s hardline government in Afghanistan after the group took over in the fall of 2021.

Bowe Bergdahl’s Sentencing Continues, After He Pleaded Guilty To Desertion And

Bowe Bergdahl Has Desertion Conviction Vacated By Judge

Bowe Bergdahl

Donald Trump

Taliban

The American soldier in North Korean custody skipped a one-way flight back to the U.S. before sprinting across the demilitarized zone and entering a van driven by North Korean troops, a &#8220;serious incident report&#8221; first obtained by <a href="https://themessenger.com/news/exclusive-u-s-army-report-details-army-soldiers-crossing-into-north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Messenger</a> reportedly says.
U.S. Army Private Travis King, 23, &#8220;willfully and without authorization&#8221; crossed the border into North Korean territory on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters.
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U.S. soldier Travis King detained after intentionally crossing into North Korea.
King faced two assault charges and was fined by a South Korean court for damaging a police car.
He was being escorted back to the US, reportedly to face disciplinary action. <a href="https://t.co/1rm0ntihFN">pic.twitter.com/1rm0ntihFN</a>
&mdash; Bo Mbindwane (@mbindwane) <a href="https://twitter.com/mbindwane/status/1681643099271954432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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King, who joined the U.S. Army in January 2021, was involved in at least two separate episodes where South Korean police were brought in to intervene. In September 2022, King had a case settled after he was accused of punching a man in the face at a South Korean club. The following month, he was accused of acting aggressively toward police officers responding to a call about a fight, court documents obtained by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-soldier-got-fights-damaged-police-car-before-dash-north-korea-court-docs-2023-07-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> show.
According to The Messenger report, King missed his flight to Fort Bliss, Texas, to face further disciplinary action approximately 24 hours before North Korean authorities detained him.
King was escorted by U.S. and South Korean military officials to Seoul&#8217;s Incheon International Airport, and he reportedly texted the staff sergeant who had accompanied him that he had made it to the departure gate, which was scheduled to depart at 5:40 p.m. local time. Army soldiers at Fort Bliss alerted King&#8217;s chain of command in South Korea that he had never arrived in Texas and had not responded to attempts to contact him. It was unknown how King missed his flight and left the airport.
&#8220;King was placed in pretrial confinement and then a Korean [Status of Forces Agreement] confinement facility for 50 days, where he had to perform hard labor before authorities released King on July 10,&#8221; the report states. Before authorities placed him on an international hold, King booked two private tours of the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. Although he missed the first tour, a confirmed reservation shows King was with Hana Tours ITC when he dashed across the North Korean DMZ line.
One witness <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-soldier-in-north-korean-custody-was-facing-disciplinary-action-over-assault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said King ran across the border yelling, &#8220;ha-ha-ha.&#8221;
Sarah Leslie, a New Zealand tourist, told The Associated Press a soldier shouted to other authorities, &#8220;Get that guy.'&#8221;
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&#8220;I assumed initially he had a mate filming him in some kind of really stupid prank or stunt, like a TikTok, the most stupid thing you could do,&#8221; Leslie said.
According to the report, authorities chased after King as he ran toward the zone between South and North Korea&#8217;s &#8220;Conference Row&#8221; before he ran north to Panmungak. King then ran behind a Korean People&#8217;s Army building before he entered a van driven by North Korean troops, according to the report.
An official familiar with the investigation told The Messenger that the U.S. military is investigating whether prior communications were made between the junior soldier and Korean authorities. The Army&#8217;s 2nd Infantry Division is also investigating the incident, according to The Messenger.
The State Department banned U.S. citizens from crossing into North Korean territory in 2017 after college student Otto Warmbier died days after returning to the U.S. in a coma following 18 months of detention in the communist nation.
North Korean authorities sentenced Warmbier to 15 years of hard labor after he was accused of theft involving a poster from the wall of his hotel in Pyongyang, the nation&#8217;s capital city where he was part of a group tour, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/border-north-korea-travis-king-us-soldier-rcna95034" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC</a>.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday told reporters that the Biden administration&#8217;s &#8220;primary concern at this time is ascertaining [King&#8217;s] well-being and getting to the bottom of exactly what happened.&#8221;
The detention comes just days after the U.S. sent the USS Kentucky to South Korea, the first time a nuclear-armed submarine had been sent to the area in more than 30 years.

Media Tour of the Panmunjom Joint Security Area

American Soldier Detained In North Korea Skipped Flight Back To U.S. Before Sprinting Across DMZ Line: Report

U.S. Soldier Detained In North Korea Skipped Flight Home Before Sprinting Across DMZ Line

Biden Administration

Lloyd Austin

The U.S. Army base Fort Bragg in North Carolina is being renamed to Fort Liberty in accordance with the Biden Defense Department’s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-government-and-politics-2c635453129124a462ea79691e634ce9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">push</a> to scrub the military of Confederate memorabilia, garnering harsh pushback from some veterans.
The renaming occurred in a small ceremony on Friday at the base, with signs being changed and the fort’s website <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/army-renames-fort-bragg-fort-liberty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">edited</a> to reflect the new name “Fort Liberty,” which was chosen out of 188 names by the Naming Commission. The base has been named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg since 1918.
The removal and/or replacement of Confederate statues and memorabilia, such as the name &#8220;Fort Bragg,&#8221; has been the subject of debate for decades. The Fort’s website attempts to assuage the concerns that many veterans have that their heritage is being erased by the renaming, <a href="https://home.army.mil/liberty/index.php/fortbragg-renaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explaining</a> to veterans:
&#8220;No act can take away from the heritage this installation’s service members created while stationed here or anywhere else, serving our nation. We understand the original name’s prestige in the eyes of some of the Soldiers, Families, and our nation, was built upon the bravery and dedication of those who served here, not because of an obscure, incompetent, ill-tempered Confederate general’s legacy. Nevertheless, our nation’s representatives felt a need to move on from that name and put the redesignation into law, and we are abiding by that law.&#8221;
Despite the fort’s reassurances, many soldiers who serve at the fort or have served previously are heavily critical of this decision, as many see it as a part of their history, with many feeling their service has been dishonored as the Fort where they served is being erased by bureaucrats in Washington.
This sentiment is shared by soldiers of all races, as black Army veteran George Postell Jr., who served at the base for more than four years, explains, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-base-renaming-fort-bragg-liberty-dcfe8bd9eeaa8373d2338bf99a4cac69" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per</a> the AP, “I shared my blood, and I know a lot of my other brothers that did the same for the namesake of Fort Bragg,” Postell said. “To me, it will always be Fort Bragg, no matter what they call it.”
U.S. Army veteran and president of the Fayetteville chapter of the NAACP James Buxton Jr. agrees with the renaming, but calls the replacement name “Liberty” an “off the wall” decision. Buxton had a creative solution: To keep the original name of Fort Bragg and instead dedicate the fort to Union General and accomplished U.S. representative Edward Bragg as a compromise that both retains the historical significance of Fort Bragg while acknowledging the suffering that that name might have caused to many African Americans.
This is just the first base to be rebranded by the Naming Commission appointed by Congress with the ultimate goal of renaming nine military bases across the country featuring Confederate soldiers and generals as part of their titles. The project is estimated to cost about $62.4 million, according vice chairman of the Commission and retired Army Brigadier General Ty Seidule.
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According to The American Battlefield Trust, Braxton Bragg was a <a href="https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/braxton-bragg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key figure</a> in the Confederate war effort in the Deep South, scoring minor victories in the early war against the Union in battles such as Chickamauga and Stones River, but rarely scoring a decisive blow against the Union. Bragg resigned as a general in the Confederate army as he suffered a crippling defeat in the Battle of Chattanooga, removing any possibility for Confederate control in Tennessee and losing thousands of men. Bragg served the rest of the war as a military advisor and plantation owner, where he owned over 100 slaves.
The renaming process is set to be completed by December 31.

Fort Bragg Sign

Fort Bragg Renamed As Biden DOD Pushes To Remove Confederate Memorabilia

Confederacy

Race

Slavery

A former U.S. Marine volunteering in Ukraine was killed late last week while evacuating civilians in the war-torn eastern European country, according to reports.
Cooper “Harris” Andrews, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio, was killed by a mortar on or around April 19 on the “Road of Life,” an access road on the outskirts of Bakhmuta in eastern Ukraine, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/01/europe/ukraine-former-us-marine-killed-intl/index.html">reported</a>.
Willow Andrews, his mother, told the outlet that authorities have yet to recover her son’s body. Cooper worked for an activist group known as the Resistance Committee and joined the Foreign Legion in Ukraine, a group of foreign fighters helping the Ukrainian military, in November last year.
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I’m very sad to say this, but one of the <a href="https://twitter.com/PopularFront_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PopularFront_</a> community has been killed fighting in Ukraine. Cooper ‘Harris’ Andrews, 26, was a long time PF supporter and part of our Discord. He was a former US Marine and lifelong leftist organiser. He was killed in Bakhmut. <a href="https://t.co/ZdNIzRlXdw">pic.twitter.com/ZdNIzRlXdw</a>
&mdash; Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jake_Hanrahan/status/1652696668775620608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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State Department officials confirmed to The Daily Wire the death of a U.S. citizen in Ukraine on Monday without naming the individual.
“We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance,” a U.S. State Dept. spokesperson told The Daily Wire in an email. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add.”
At least nine U.S. citizens volunteering to fight in Ukraine — including a former Navy Seal and Army infantryman — have died since the war began last year, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/russia-ukraine/?id=97380473">ABC</a>.
Last month, State Department officials told <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ukraine-war-american-deaths-russia-b2318646.html">The Daily Beast</a> that the federal agency supports legal representatives and families when U.S. citizens die overseas. Such ways include providing information on the disposition of remains and estates and issuing a consular death report.
“The U.S. government takes its role in such a situation very seriously, providing all appropriate assistance through the legal representative, next of kin, or their designee,” the spokesperson told the outlet.
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The Biden administration has reportedly warned Americans against joining foreign fighters in the war between Russia and Ukraine. However, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-states-government-8d24b8cfd0a64af7632193df70f3196f">The Associated Press</a>, an unknown number of U.S. citizens have left American soil to support Kyiv, including former military members and others who volunteer with aid groups and human rights organizations.
At the start of the war, officials reported at least 6,000 people contacted the Ukrainian embassy in Washington for information about supporting Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials rejected about half of the volunteers, citing criminal history, a lack of military experience, and other reasons deeming them unfit to serve.
According to The Daily Mail, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Monday that federal officials estimate Russia has suffered more than 100,000 casualties, including over 20,000 killed in action. Nearly half were allegedly Wagner soldiers from a private military group run by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kirby&#8217;s casualty update comes after Russian forces launched a large missile airstrike in different areas of Ukraine Sunday evening, sounding off air alerts across the country.

TOPSHOT-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR

Former U.S. Marine Killed In Ukraine: Report

Marines

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Three <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-army" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Army</a> soldiers are dead after two Apache helicopters crashed following a training exercise in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alaska" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alaska</a> on Thursday. 
The crash happened near Healy, Alaska, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/27/alaska-army-helicopter-crash-apache/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">involved</a> four service members and two AH-64 Apache helicopters from the 11th Airborne Division’s 25th Aviation Regiment. According to Captain Molly Treece, the survivor was transported to a hospital in Fairbanks. 
&#8220;This is an incredible loss for these soldiers’ families, their fellow soldiers, and for the division,&#8221; Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division, said in a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-us-army-apache-helicopters-crash-alaska-killing-soldiers?intcmp=tw_fnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from the Army. &#8220;Our hearts and prayers go out to their families, friends, and loved ones, and we are making the full resources of the Army available to support them.&#8221;
One of the pilots died while being transported to the hospital while the other two died at the scene of the crash. 
The cause of the crash, which took place not far from Denali National Park and Preserve, is being investigated by experts from the Army Combat Readiness Center in Fort Novosel. The names of the soldiers who died will not be disclosed until their families have been notified. 
This is the second Army helicopter crash in Alaska this year, with an incident in February when two soldiers were injured shortly after an Apache took off from Talkeetna and the helicopter crashed. 
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Last month, two Army HH-60 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-casualties-after-black-hawk-helicopter-crash-in-kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Hawk helicopters crashed</a> in Kentucky during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of nine service members. The nine service members involved were <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/kentucky/fort-campbell-to-honor-9-soldiers-killed-in-helicopter-crash/#:~:text=FORT%20CAMPBELL%2C%20Ky.,are%20identified%20as%20Staff%20Sgt." target="_blank" rel="noopener">identified</a> as Staff Sgt. Joshua Gore, 25; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, 36; Sgt. David Solinas Jr., 23; Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30; Sgt. Isaac J. Gayo, 27; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32; Warrant Officer Aaron Healy, 32; Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23; and Warrant Officer Jeffery Barnes, 33.
That crash occurred at around 10:00 p.m. local time between two helicopters that were part of the 101st Airborne Division. The crash took place in Trigg County, near Fort Campbell. 
Kentucky local Nick Tomaszewski told WSMV that he heard the crash happen after he saw the helicopters fly by. “So it’s nothing out of the norm to see helicopters, we see them all the time, but tonight there were two that were coming kind of straight up over our house, headed straight northbound,” he said.

Three Soldiers Dead After Apache Helicopters Crash In Alaska

Alaska

Disasters

In recent years, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. military</a> has been plagued by lackluster recruitment across the board as it struggles to attract a new generation of soldiers to serve in the armed forces, and if called on, to go to war. 
What is driving the military’s recruitment woes? While both the lack of patriotism among young Americans and the growing obesity among the country’s youth are contributing factors, much of the recruitment problem is likely self-inflicted. In recent years, military leadership has alienated key recruiting demographics by instituting vaccine mandates, promoting anti-white sentiments, and pushing other woke initiatives. 
Here are six of the contributing factors to the military’s falling recruitment numbers: 
<h2>Vax Mandate</h2>
Under President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a>, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pentagon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pentagon</a> instituted a COVID vaccine mandate across all branches of the military, which <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/10/pentagon-drops-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-for-troops-00077364" target="_blank" rel="noopener">led to the expulsion</a> of over 8,000 service members. While this mandate was eventually revoked, the armed forces are still reeling from the mandate, which likely deterred many young and healthy Americans to choose a different career path.
Young men, of whom make up the bulk of the active duty service members, may have been especially hesitant to get the jab because of<a href="https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/09/06/myocarditis-from-covid-19-booster-rare-but-risk-highest-among-teen-boys-young-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> data indicating</a> that the shot could be associated with myocarditis in their demographic.
Other potential recruits may have had religious, medical, or ethical objections to taking the jab. 
“If you are sitting in the state of Georgia or Texas and you see they are putting 40,000 members out, you are going to scratch your head a bit and say, ‘why would I join up?’” a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/27/lawmakers-pentagon-military-recruiting-00048286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former senior</a> Department of Defense official said back in September. “And if you don’t want to get vaccinated, you are certainly not going to join.”
<h2>Anti-White Sentiment</h2>
In recent years, statements from military leadership appear to show  a growing animosity toward white people. This presents a problem, not just because it&#8217;s morally wrong to judge someone based on skin color, but because <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/214869/share-of-active-duty-enlisted-women-and-men-in-the-us-military/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about</a> 70% of active duty military men are white, according to recent statistics.
This disdain is seen in comments from top military brass, including Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Mark Milley who infamously said he wanted to study “white rage.”
The Department of Defense’s former top DEI officer for education, Kelisa Wing, also took aim at white people in comments on social media before she decided to resign months after the comments emerged.
&#8220;I&#8217;m exhausted with these white folx in these [professional development] sessions,” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/woke-department-defense-equity-chief-writes-anti-white-posts-exhausted-white-folx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she said</a> in June 2020. &#8220;[T]his lady actually had the CAUdacity to say that black people can be racist too… I had to stop the session and give Karen the BUSINESS… [W]e are not the majority, we don&#8217;t have power.”
&#8220;I am exhausted by 99% of the white men in education and 95% of the white women. Where can I get a break from white nonsense for a while?” another social media post from Wing said.
According to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), dozens of servicemen <a href="https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/06/hundreds-troops-complain-about-woke-racism-extremism-training-cotton-claims/174672/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have also</a> complained about training emphasizing white privilege, systematic racism, being an “anti-racist,” and police brutality. It was also <a href="https://www.govexec.com/media/gbc/docs/pdfs_edit/memorandum_for_recordv2jb.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that the phrase “all lives matter” was frowned upon.
In light of this, potential recruits have to ask themselves if they are willing to fight for an institution that appears to judge them based on their skin color.
<h2>Sexual Identity Politics</h2>
In addition to stoking racial division, the military  has also moved to fully embrace the sexual revolution.
Examples of the military’s adoption of sexual identitarian politics include: an Air Force base in Germany <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/air-force-base-cancels-drag-queen-story-hour-event-after-public-outcry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scheduling (and later canceling)</a> a drag queen story hour, an aircraft carrier <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/18/politics/gilday-defends-non-binary-sailor/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">having</a> an LGBTQ spoken word night, and the full-fledged embrace of transgender ideology by certain segments of the military.
During the so-called “Trans Day of Visibility” last month the<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/navy-urges-americans-to-be-an-ally-as-biden-admin-promotes-transgenderism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Naval Sea Systems Command criticized</a> states that have banned sex change surgeries for kids and urged Americans to be an “ally” of trans-identifying people. Also in March, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-doctors-back-child-sex-changes-blast-red-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two Pentagon doctors backed</a> child sex changes in an article for the American Journal of Public Health.
On top of pushing radical gender ideology, the military announced <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/02/16/military-cover-travel-costs-and-offer-leave-troops-seeking-abortions-fertility-treatment.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it would pay</a> for abortion tourism for women in the military. Currently, the Veterans Affairs administration <a href="https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2023/04/20/tuberville-resolution-on-va-abortions-n2622193" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is fighting</a> Republicans over whether Veterans Affairs clinics can provide abortions.
Asking young men and women from America’s heartland to sign on to these progressive cultural policies as a condition of their service may be a bridge too far.
<h2>Shoddy Treatment of Veterans</h2>
The Veterans Affairs administration has long been dogged with accusations of corruption, ineptitude, and mismanagement. These criticisms have been especially potent as the suicide rate among veterans has remained sky-high coupled with the fact that thousands of veterans are now homeless.
According to various reports, many veterans have been <a href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/investigations/kare-11-investigates-veterans-denied-care-and-benefits-after-misdiagnosis/89-8241f99b-52d5-4f50-874f-3cdb790c94f0">denied care</a>, even as federal investigators have found that the VA has <a href="https://osc.gov/News/Pages/20-07-VA-Wasted-223-Million.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wasted</a> millions of taxpayer dollars. While incompetence seems to be a theme of the department meant to care for the nation’s veterans, an <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/washington/testimony/2022/t20220615.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> 17 veterans commit suicide every day.
While the VA struggles with scandals and meets with<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/navy-urges-americans-to-be-an-ally-as-biden-admin-promotes-transgenderism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> trans-identifying activists</a>, <a href="https://www.va.gov/homeless/pit_count.asp#:~:text=end%20of%202021.-,The%20January%202022%20PIT%20Count,full%20PIT%20Count%20was%20conducted." target="_blank" rel="noopener">there </a>are thousands of homeless veterans. A recent estimate from about a year ago put this number at over 30,000. Those willing to die for their country should be ensured that they will be taken care of when they return home. 

<h2>Denigration of American History</h2>
Pentagon leaders have also shown a growing disregard for American history, one that has begun with a purge of anything linked to the Confederacy. Some are concerned the purge is likely to expand to the Founding Fathers.
Back in October, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3259966/dod-begins-implementation-of-naming-commission-recommendations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed off</a> on the recommendations of an independent naming commission to completely remove any reference to any person or idea linked to the Confederacy.
This includes the removal of a large bronze monument tucked away in Arlington National Cemetery known as the Confederate Monument. The monument, which was designed by a prominent Jewish American sculptor, is at the center of the graves of Confederate soldiers. It was widely seen as a <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/01/18/removing-the-confederate-memorial-from-arlington-cemetery-what-would-lincoln-and-grant-think/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">symbol of reconciliation</a> in a war that took the lives of over 600,000 Americans on both sides and left the South in ruins.
To signify its meaning of peace, the monument references Isaiah 2:4, which talks about turning swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, a powerful message for a nation recovering from the trauma of war. Up to the present day, many presidents, <a href="https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Monuments-and-Memorials/Confederate-Memorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including Barack Obama</a>, had sent flowers to the monument on Memorial Day.
However, this symbol of peace, in a far corner of Arlington, must go and taxpayers will pay for the removal. It may only be a matter of time before the military decides that the bodies around the monument must go too (see <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/city-digs-up-remains-of-confederate-general-after-taking-down-statue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richmond’s treatment of A.P. Hill</a>). 
In similar fashion, the Navy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/navy-removes-name-of-oceanographic-pioneer-from-ship-over-confederate-ties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently announced</a> that it would be renaming a ship named for oceanographic pioneer Matthew Fontaine Maury because of Maury’s ties to the Confederacy during the later years of his life.
Despite being more known for his innovations in oceanography than ties to the Confederacy in the final years of his life, Maury, known as the “Pathfinder of the Seas,” also needed to go.
All these changes and more will cost taxpayers over $60 million.
This approach to our nation’s history is off-putting to many young Americans who expect those in leadership to honor our shared, albeit imperfect past.
<h2>Questioning The Mission Of The U.S. Military</h2>
Another element likely contributing to the recruiting crisis is an increasing lack of confidence in what kind of wars the U.S. will be engaged in. The war in Afghanistan, which lasted over 20 years, resulted in thousands of Americans dying or being severely handicapped, and seemed to bring little result after Biden’s hasty retreat.
Was the war about democracy or fighting radical Islamic terrorism? The goals seemed to shift and the ultimate objective appeared to be vaguely defined. In 2021, the Taliban quickly took back the country and seemingly erased in a matter of days the work that American soldiers had bled for over 20 years. 
Today, there are questions about whether the U.S. will expand its role in the war between Russia and Ukraine or if tensions with China will escalate into a shooting war. Recruits should be asking themselves whether they would be willing to die for Ukraine or Taiwan.
With the increasing lack of confidence in American institutions, many potential recruits, disillusioned by the Left-wing takeover of the military, will be less likely to sign up to serve leaders they see as corrupt.
UFC fighter Bryce Mitchell likely summarized the position of many Americans when he <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/09/ufc-fighter-bryce-mitchell-says-evil-has-taken-over-america-and-we-aint-afraid-of-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Tucker Carlson in March 2022 that while he wouldn’t fight in the Russia-Ukraine war, he would defend his state. “I’m just not wanting to go waste my life fighting for some of these battles that I don’t even believe in,” Mitchell said. “I believe our leaders, a lot of these elites are guilty of treason. What they’ve done is just treasonous.”
If war came to Arkansas, Mitchell said his response would be dramatically different. “I will dig my boots in the ground, and I will die for everything I love. And I will not retreat,” he said. 
None of this is meant to denigrate the millions of Americans who have honorably served in the military over the last 250 years, but military brass should be held accountable for its kowtowing to the Left on issues from racial prejudice to sexual politics, only alienating those it needs to attract to protect the nation.

United States Marine Corps

Obesity Isn’t The Only Factor Keeping Young People From Military Service

Pentagon

Readers Pass

Transgender

U.S. Navy

Vaccine Mandate

Veterans

White Privilege

White Supremacy

A U.S. Army corporal posthumously received the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/medal-of-honor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medal of Honor</a> for his bravery during the Korean War. Now, 73 years after he was killed serving his country, Luther H. Story’s remains have been identified. 
Story, a member of the 9th Infantry, was declared missing after his company was attacked by the North Korean army near the Naktong River in South Korea in 1950. The corporal — who was from Buena Vista, Georgia — was declared unrecoverable after he took heroic action to repel enemy forces so his company could withdraw, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/korean-war-army-medal-of-honor-remains-7c7d48633856778f48c809afbb127e41" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. 
In 1951, Gen. Omar Bradley presented Story’s father with the Medal of Honor. U.S. and South Korean officials <a href="https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/3374478/medal-of-honor-soldier-accounted-for-from-korea-story-l/#:~:text=Luther%20H.%20Story%2C%2019%2C,Infantry%20Regiment%2C%202nd%20Infantry%20Division." target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> Wednesday that Story’s remains had been identified and accounted for on April 6.
“The supreme sacrifice and heroism of Corporal Luther Story is illustrative of the freedom, security, and prosperity the South Korean people have today,” the White House said in a joint statement with South Korea. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In line with Memorial Day I want to introduce you to my uncle Luther H. Story. He&#39;s MIA from the Korean conflict. He&#39;s 17-18 in this picture. <a href="https://t.co/uBYGnyZW8Y">pic.twitter.com/uBYGnyZW8Y</a>
&mdash; JudyBelle1 (@Elwood_Man) <a href="https://twitter.com/Elwood_Man/status/1531010312194883585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On September 1, 1950, Story saw the enemy army crossing the river and heading toward his company. He grabbed a machine gun from his wounded gunner and opened fire on the North Koreans, killing or wounding an estimated 100 enemy soldiers, <a href="https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/luther-h-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.   
The American company was still surrounded by North Koreans, however, and the commander ordered a withdrawal. As the Americans moved positions, Story noticed an enemy truck approaching them. After telling his comrades to take cover, Story “fearlessly stood in the middle of the road, throwing grenades into the truck,” according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 
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The 19-year-old ran out of grenades but crawled to his squad to retrieve more before returning to the enemy truck to continue his assault. 
“Story was wounded in this action, but, disregarding his wounds, rallied the men about him and repelled the attack. Realizing that his wounds would hamper his comrades, he refused to retire to the next position but remained to cover the company&#8217;s withdrawal,” U.S. officials said. 
Story was last seen firing every weapon he could get his hands on to fend off the enemy attack so his fellow troops could withdraw.

Korean War Memorial

Medal Of Honor Hero’s Remains Identified Seven Decades After He Was Killed In Korea

Medal Of Honor Hero's Remains Identified Seven Decades After He Was Killed In Korea

General

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Tennessee Capitol Stormed
A group of around 400 people rushed into the Tennessee state capitol building in Nashville this morning to protest for stricter gun laws following a mass shooting at the Covenant School earlier this week. The protest was planned by a Tennessee non-profit called “AWAKE.” According to the New York Post, “AWAKE” seeks to improve conditions for women and children. Capitol police escorted members of the legislature to the restroom as protesters grew more aggressive.
WSJ Journalist Arrested
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wall-street-journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a> reporter has been arrested in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> after being accused of spying by Russia’s security agency. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service, Evan Gershkovich had “collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex” after “acting on the instructions of the American side.” An espionage case has been opened against Gershkovich. The Journal denied any accusations of spying. An arrest of this nature has not happened since the fall of the Soviet Union. 
Nine Killed In Training Accident
Two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-army" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Army</a> HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed Wednesday night in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kentucky</a> during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of NINE service members.  
Few details have been released about the crash, which occurred at around 10:00 p.m. local time between two helicopters that are part of the 101st Airborne Division. The crash took place in Trigg County, near Fort Campbell. Early Thursday morning, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that he would be traveling to Fort Campbell to “support our troops and their families after last night’s tragic incident.” 
“We know a lot about loss in Kentucky, especially these last three years. We&#8217;re gonna do what we always do,&#8221; Beshear said. &#8220;We&#8217;re gonna wrap our arms around these families, and we&#8217;re gonna be there with them, not just for the days, but the weeks and the months and the years to come. We&#8217;re gonna let them know that they are loved, they are special. And if they&#8217;ll allow us to carry some of their grief, we&#8217;ll do that for as long as we can. ”
Safe School Act Introduced
Following the horrific school shooting in Nashville on Monday, Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Haggerty have introduced the “Safe School Act,” a bill that would unlock $900 million in grants to beef up security at public and private schools. 
Fetterman Expected To Return Home Next Week
Senator John Fetterman is expected to return to work the week of April 17th, after weeks of seeking treatment for anxiety and depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Fetterman <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/senator-fetterman-to-be-hospitalized-for-weeks-after-checking-himself-into-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">checked himself in</a> for treatment in March, stating that he’d dealt with such issues in the past but they’d amplified after a near-fatal stroke, a senate campaign, and his first days in office. Sources close to the freshman senator have indicated that he recovered well and is ready to get back to work as soon as possible.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

Thursday, March 30

Thursday Afternoon Update: Army Training Accident Kills 9, Anti-Gun Protesters Storm Tennessee Capitol, Journalist Arrested In Russia

Thursday Afternoon Update: Army Training Accident Kills 9, Anti-Gun Protestors Storm Tennessee Capitol, Journalist Arrested In Russia, 

John Fetterman

Kentucky

Marsha Blackburn

Morning Wire

Podcast

Tennessee

Wall Street Journal

Two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-army" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Army</a> HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed Wednesday night in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kentucky</a> during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of nine service members. 
Few details have been released about the crash, which occurred at around 10:00 p.m. local time between two helicopters that are part of the 101st Airborne Division. The crash took place in Trigg County, near Fort Campbell. 
&#8220;The crewmembers were flying two HH60 Blackhawk helicopters during a routine training mission when the incident occurred. The status of the crew members are unknown at this time,&#8221; the 101st Airborne Division announced in a statement. &#8220;The command is currently focused on caring for the servicemembers and their families.&#8221;
The division initially confirmed that there were several “casualties,” and an Army official later <a href="https://abc7news.com/2-army-black-hawk-helicopters-crash-all-9-service-members-killed/13046784/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> ABC News that everyone on board both helicopters had died. 
“We’ve got some tough news out of Fort Campbell, with early reports of a helicopter crash and fatalities are expected.<a href="https://twitter.com/kystatepolice"> @kystatepolice</a>,<a href="https://twitter.com/KentuckyEM"> @KentuckyEM</a> and local officials are responding. We will share more information as available. Please pray for all those affected,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Twitter.
Early Thursday morning, Beshear said that he would be going to Fort Campbell in response to the crash. “This morning I will be traveling to Fort Campbell to support our troops and their families after last night’s tragic incident. More information will be released later this morning,” he said. 
According to Kentucky State Police, the crash took place in the woods. Fort Campbell will have a press conference Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. to provide further details about the incident.
Kentucky local Nick Tomaszewski told WSMV that he heard the crash happen after he saw the helicopters fly by. &#8220;So it’s nothing out of the norm to see helicopters, we see them all the time, but tonight there were two that were coming kind of straight up over our house, headed straight northbound,&#8221; he said. “I told my wife, ‘wow, those look really close tonight’ for whatever reason &#8230; about a minute later, they were coming across and there was a large explosion in the sky almost look like a firework went off. And then the entire tree line lit up.”
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UH-60 Military Utility Helicopter in flight

9 Service Members Dead After Two Black Hawk Helicopters Crash In Kentucky

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