Final 2 Black Hawk crew members declared dead in Aug. 15 crash

The Army has declared as deceased the final two missing members of a UH-60 Black Hawk that crashed during night training off Kaena Point Aug. 15.

All five crew members of the Black Hawk have now been declared deceased.

The 25th Infantry Division said today that the Army changed the status of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian M. Woeber and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen T. Cantrell from “duty status — whereabouts unknown” to deceased after the Army adjutant general, Brig. Gen. James T. Iacocca, approved the results of a 25th Division administrative investigation into their personnel status.

Woeber, 41, whose home of record was Decatur, Ala., entered active-duty military service in September 2003. He was a Black Hawk helicopter pilot assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.

His awards and decorations include the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 4, the NATO Medal, the Multinational Forces and Observer Medal, the Combat Action Badge and the Senior Army Aviator Badge. His deployments included Afghanistan and Egypt.

Cantrell, 32, whose home of record was Wichita Falls, Texas, entered active-duty military service in September 2007. He also was a Black Hawk helicopter pilot assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment.

Cantrell’s awards and decorations include the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3, the NATO Medal, the Army Aviator Badge and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. He deployed twice to Afghanistan and once to Iraq.

The 25th Division said it conducted an administrative investigation to determine the soldiers’ personnel status “after extensive search and rescue efforts by the Army, Coast Guard, Navy and multiple local and state agencies were unsuccessful in locating the soldiers.”

The Armed Forces Medical Examiner previously declared crew members 1st Lt. Kathryn M. Bailey, 26; Staff Sgt. Abigail R. Milam, 33; and Sgt. Michael L. Nelson, 30, deceased after recovered remains discovered among floating debris was matched to their DNA, the Army said.

“Recovery and salvage efforts related to this incident are currently underway and are being supported by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the 25th Infantry Division,” the 25th Division said in a release. “There is no timetable for completion of these operations. The circumstances of this incident are currently under investigation.”