A holy mass was held on Sunday at Vilnius Cathedral for four missing U.S. soldiers who disappeared during training exercises at the Pabradė training ground in Lithuania.
The service was attended by Lithuanian, American, and German soldiers, senior Lithuanian officials, and U.S. and NATO military leaders.
Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė, and U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Kara McDonald were present.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli also attended the service in the Lithuanian capital, underscoring NATO’s solidarity.
“Our sense of partnership drives us forward, and you take care of our soldiers as if they were your own,” Cavoli told reporters before the mass.
Local residents joined the service to show support. Juozas, a 67-year-old retiree, said he wanted to express gratitude to the U.S. troops stationed in Lithuania.
“These are our soldiers; they have come to protect us,” he said.
Jonas, a 47-year-old engineer, emphasized NATO unity. “The way everything is organized is great; the allies have joined in, which shows the strength of NATO,” he said.
The Ministry of National Defense said prayers were offered for the missing soldiers, their families, and those conducting the search operation with “heroic dedication.”
Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė, and U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Kara McDonald were present.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli also attended the service in the Lithuanian capital, underscoring NATO’s solidarity.
“Our sense of partnership drives us forward, and you take care of our soldiers as if they were your own,” Cavoli told reporters before the mass.
Local residents joined the service to show support. Juozas, a 67-year-old retiree, said he wanted to express gratitude to the U.S. troops stationed in Lithuania.
“These are our soldiers; they have come to protect us,” he said.
Jonas, a 47-year-old engineer, emphasized NATO unity. “The way everything is organized is great; the allies have joined in, which shows the strength of NATO,” he said.
The Ministry of National Defense said prayers were offered for the missing soldiers, their families, and those conducting the search operation with “heroic dedication.”
Complex Recovery Effort
The missing soldiers disappeared last Tuesday during exercises at Pabradė, a key military training area in Lithuania. Rescue efforts are focused on recovering an M88 armored vehicle from a peat bog approximately 10 kilometers from the Belarusian border.
Colonel Jim Armstrong, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, said the search operation has faced unprecedented challenges.
“I've never seen a vehicle stuck in this way in 24 years in the Army,” Armstrong said in a comment on Sunday. “The most challenging part is it’s not just water and it’s not just mired in mud. It’s a mixture of both, in a very inaccessible area.”
He explained that while specialized equipment exists to recover vehicles from water or mud, the remote location has complicated efforts.
“Getting those resources into this location is an operation all of its own,” he said. “Maintaining the roads and trails to get that amount of heavy equipment in, to continue to pump heavy equipment out, to bring soil and gravel in—it’s a difficult task.”
The search effort includes Lithuanian military personnel, U.S. forces, and allied support, including a Navy dive team.
“Our heart goes out to our families. Our soldiers are grieving with our families,” Armstrong said. “We can't possibly thank our allies enough for everything they’ve done for us. They see our soldiers as their soldiers. We’re absolutely in this together.”
NATO allies have been closely coordinating search and recovery efforts, highlighting the alliance’s commitment to mutual defense.
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