The U.S. Army on Saturday identified the third soldier who died last week during a training mission that ended in a midair crash between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
At the request of the family, the Army named Capt. Rebecca Lobach, of Durham, N.C., as the third soldier. She had served as an aviation officer since July 2019 and received several awards including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
“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 said in the statement.
The family in a statement wrote that they are “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’s family wrote.
“Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle. But she was as graceful as she was fierce,” they added, noting that Lobach served as a White House military social aide and would volunteer to assist the president and first lady in hosting ceremonies and events.
The family also said Lobach was a certified Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Victim Advocate and planned to become a physician when she left the Army.
The family also touted Lobach’s credentials, noting she was in the top 20 percent of cadets when she graduated from ROTC at the University of North Carolina, had more than 450 hours of flight time, and earned certification as a pilot-in-command “after extensive testing by the most senior and experienced pilots in her battalion.”
“Rebecca was many things. She was a daughter, sister, partner, and friend. She was a servant, a caregiver, an advocate. Most of all, she loved and was loved. Her life was short, but she made a difference in the lives of all who knew her. Our hearts break for the other families who have lost loved ones in this national tragedy and we mourn with them,” they wrote.
The Army on Friday released the names of the two other soldiers killed in the crash: Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, the crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, a pilot. The Army did not provide an immediate explanation for the one-day delay in releasing Lobach’s name.
Sixty passengers and four crew members were also killed when the Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342, which was en route to Washington, D.C., from Wichita, Kan.
