Army identifies soldier killed in helicopter crash

Posted to: Military

By Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 26, 2009

NORFOLK

Military officials have released the name of the soldier who was killed when an Army helicopter crashed into a Navy supply ship during a training exercise off the Virginia coast Thursday.

Army officials said the soldier was Staff Sgt. James R. Stright, 29, of Libby, Mont. Stright was assigned to Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

Stright volunteered for Army service in 1998 and had served in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) since 2003 as a helicopter mechanic.

Two Black Hawk helicopters were approaching the supply ship Arctic, about 23 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, when one crashed into the back of the ship. The crash killed Stright and injured eight others.

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