Two Missouri Soldiers Die in Crash

Two of the nine Army soldiers who died in a helicopter crash this week were from Missouri.

Fort Campbell U.S. Army base issued a statement that a helicopter crash in Kentucky on Wednesday killed 32 year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith of Rolla, and 36 year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Espazra of Jackson.Two Black Hawk helicopters crashed in what the 101st Airborne Division said was a planned training mission. There were no survivors.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Espazra Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith

“This is a time of great sadness for the 101st Airborne Division. The loss of these soldiers will reverberate through our formations for years to come,” said Maj. Gen. JP McGee, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell. “Now is the time for grieving and healing. The whole division and this community stand behind the families and friends of our fallen soldiers.”

Smith enlisted in the Army in 2012 and deployed twice to Afghanistan. Esparza enlisted in the Army in 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan, Egypt, Japan and Hawaii.

The statement said that the crash is being investigated by an Army aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama.