1 soldier killed, 1 injured in aviation training exercise at Fort Campbell
LOUISVILLE, KY — A soldier was killed and another was injured during an aviation training incident at the Army base Fort Campbell near the Kentucky-Tennessee border, the military said on June 12.
The incident occurred at around 7 p.m. on June 11 in the Fort Campbell training area and involved two 101st Airborne Division soldiers, the airborne division said in a news release. Emergency services immediately responded and confirmed one soldier had died.
The other soldier was transported to the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital in Clarksville, Tennessee, just south of the base, and was in stable condition, according to the news release. The soldiers' identities have not yet been released as officials work to notify the families.
The airborne division did not provide any other details. The incident is under active investigation.
Fort Campbell is a 106,700-acre military installation that straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee border. In addition to the 101st Airborne Division, it is home to the 5th Special Forces Group, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the 531st Hospital Center, and the 52nd Ordnance Group.
Over the years, several aviation deaths during training exercises have occurred involving Fort Campbell service members, including a soldier who died earlier this month while stationed in Europe and a helicopter crash in 2023.
State and local leaders react to Fort Campbell incident
State and local leaders offered their condolences to the affected families, the 101st Airborne Division, and the Fort Campbell community.
During his Team Kentucky update on June 12, Gov. Andy Beshear said the incident happened during a "training exercise," television station WHAS-TV reported.
"We've lost a serviceman down in Fort Campbell. We're all grieving for that individual's family. We hope that everyone will lift them up in your prayers," Beshear said, according to the television station. "No matter how it happens, when we lose someone who is committed to serving our country, I know it hurts that family but it should hurt us all."
State Sen. Craig Richardson, whose district includes the Fort Campbell area, said one soldier had died and another was recovering from injuries sustained in a "tragic helicopter incident." Richardson offered his prayers and said the soldier’s death was heartbreaking.
“This soldier is mourned not just by Kentucky, but by a nation that owes its freedom to the selfless service of men and women like them. We pray for healing for the injured and strength for every service member and loved one facing the weight of this loss," Richardson said in a statement. “This tragedy is a solemn reminder that the dangers our military faces are not limited to distant battlefields. The call to serve brings risks at home, in training, preparation, and quiet readiness."
The City of Hopkinsville offered its support and assistance to the 101st Airborne Division and the Fort Campbell community. Hopkinsville is about 21 miles north of the base.
"On behalf of the city of Hopkinsville, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of the servicemember who lost their life in last night's aviation incident. Our thoughts are also with the injured soldier, and we pray for a full recovery," Hopkinsville Mayor James R. Knight Jr. said in a statement.
Another soldier's death under investigation
In a statement on social media, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said the incident was the "second tragic loss in a week" for the Fort Campbell community, referencing the death of another 101st Airborne Division soldier who died June 5 while stationed in Europe.
In that incident, Sgt. Aaron Cox, 24, of Mabank, Texas, died from wounds suffered during a vehicle accident while preparing for a training exercise near Camp Croft, Hungary, according to a June 7 101st Airborne Division news release. The incident is also under investigation, officials said.
"The deaths of two soldiers — one on deployment in Europe and one at Ft. Campbell — remind us of the daily risks servicemembers face. I'm praying for these soldiers' families and the entire 101st Airborne Division as they grieve," McConnell said.
Training exercises turned deadly
Fort Campbell was at the center of a fatal incident in March 2023, in which nine soldiers nicknamed the "Dustoff Nine" were killed after two Army Black Hawk helicopters collided during a routine medical training exercise while using night vision goggles.
The incident occurred at around 10 p.m. on March 29 in Trigg County, Kentucky, west of Fort Campbell. Five people were in one helicopter and four were in the other, the 101st Airborne Division said at the time. The nine soldiers were between the ages of 23 and 36.
A year after the incident, a monument honoring the "Dustoff Nine" was unveiled on Memorial Row at Fort Campbell, according to the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, part of the Paste BN Network.
Contributing: Kerri Bartlett, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle