A tragic turn of events in Lithuania has claimed the lives of four American soldiers, among them Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., a 25-year-old from Joliet. According to the ABC7 Chicago report, Duenez and his unit from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were participating in a training exercise when they vanished on March 25. Their M88 Hercules armored vehicle was later discovered submerged in a peat bog, leading to a relentless yet somber rescue operation.
The Chicago Sun-Times details the loss felt by Duenez's family, sharing his sister Eva Jasso's words, "It's just like an immense hole in our hearts." Duenez was also a father to a 1-year-old son and a husband, with his life marked by a dedication to service and a love for the outdoors, according to accounts from his family. His memory persists not only through the recollections of his heroic and protective nature but also in the hobbies he loved and shared, including a YouTube fishing channel he created.
The week-long search across the challenging landscape around Pabradė, which is merely 6 miles west of the border with Belarus, involved both U.S. and Lithuanian forces in a collaboration of exhaustive effort. Navy divers, under zero visibility conditions, fought through the bog's thick layers to retrieve the vehicle and its passengers, said the Sun-Times. Each fatality registers as a profound loss; as the 3rd Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie lamented that the world is darker without them.
In light of this tragedy, Duenez's family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign, which, according to ABC7 Chicago, has already exceeded $15,000 in donations. His sister Beatriz expressed their appreciation, stating, "Every little thing means so much to us in a time like this, and we just wanted to express our gratitude and say thank you to everyone." Even amid the grief, the family draws strength from their faith, with Eva Jasso affirming "He served God, and he was serving his country. So, we take comfort knowing that 100% he's with God right now."
