RELATED: Walz calls coming days "dark and difficult" following fatal National Guard helicopter crash
According to the Minnesota National Guard, all three soldiers returned from deployment to the Middle East in May where they conducted medical evacuations in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The three Minnesota National Guardsmen killed in the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 were:Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., age 28Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, age 30Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg, age 28
— MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) December 7, 2019Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard, issued a statement Saturday morning:
"On behalf of all Minnesotans, Gwen and I offer our deepest sympathies to the families of Chief Warrant Officer Two Charles Nord, Chief Warrant Officer Two James Rogers, and Sergeant Kort Plantenberg. They paid the ultimate price in their service to Minnesota and to the United States of America. Words will never ease the pain of this tragic loss and the state of Minnesota is forever in the debt of these warriors."




