The Army released the names and cause of death Wednesday of two soldiers who died at Fort Benning, Georgia, during a training exercise Tuesday.
The incident occurred during a training program on Yonah Mountain when five soldiers were struck by a fallen tree after severe weather forced them to shelter, resulting in the deaths of 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon and Staff Sgt. George Taber, Army officials said in a press release shared with the Washington Examiner. Three others were wounded in the same incident and transported to a nearby hospital, where Taber and Fitzgibbon were pronounced dead.
ARMY SAYS TWO SOLDIERS KILLED IN ‘WEATHER-RELATED’ INCIDENT IN GEORGIA
“We are all deeply saddened by the loss of these two outstanding soldiers and send our heartfelt condolences to their families,” Maj. Gen. Curtis Buzzard, Fort Benning’s commanding general, said. “They are in our thoughts and prayers.”
Fitzgibbon was commissioned as an infantry officer in May 2021 after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy, according to the release. Taber enlisted as a medical sergeant for special operations forces at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in March 2017.
The names of the three Army Rangers who were wounded in the incident were not released, and no update on their status was given.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service around the area for the afternoon, according to a local Fox affiliate.
“Those who volunteer to attend Ranger School represent the very best of our military,” Col. Christopher Hammonds, commander of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, said in the release. “This loss resonates across our Army and across our nation.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Tuesday’s tragedy was the second deadly incident involving soldiers in Georgia in the past month. In July, a lightning strike at Fort Gordon killed Sgt. 1st Class Michael Clark and injured nine other soldiers.
