OAN Staff Abril Elfi
3:54 PM – Sunday, February 2, 2025
The Army has identified Capt. Rebecca Lobach as the third soldier aboard the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines flight, killing everyone aboard.
The Army said in a press release that Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, served as an aviation officer in the Army since July 2019 and had around 500 hours of flying time in the Black Hawk.
The victim’s family had initially requested that her identity was withheld due to the accusations that DEI was a factor in the crash.
The Army shared a statement from Lobach’s family saying it is “devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”
Lobach was posted to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She was previously awarded with the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon, according to the Army.
Lobach was also a White House military social aide in the Biden administration, CBS News reported, citing a friend of hers.
Staff Sgt. Ryan O’Hara and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, Lobach’s copilot on the Black Hawk, were identified Thursday.
Their helicopter crashed with an American Airlines regional flight landing at Reagan from Wichita, Kansas, on Wednesday evening while the soldiers were on a training assignment, killing all 64 people on the plane and three in the helicopter.
The cause of the crash is currently being investigated.
“Our deepest condolences go out to her family, and all the families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones impacted by this devastating accident. We continue to work with the families of our fallen Soldiers and support the ongoing investigations,” the Army added.
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