2 solders killed in army helicopter crash in Texas
By: Thao Nguyen
USA Today
..... Two soldiers died August 12 [2026] when a U.S. Army helicopter crashed in a field in central Texas, sparking a large grass fire and prompting evacuations, authorities said.
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Authorities received 911 calls at about 1:34 PM. local time reporting a helicopter crash south of Salado, a community about 30 miles southeast of Fort Hood, the Bell County Sheriff's Office said.
..... Responding deputies found the wreckage of a helicopter and a grass fire that was "out of control," said Cliff Coleman, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office. The two soldiers abroad the helicopter were pronounced dead at 2:30 PM. local time, Coleman said. Officials were withholding the solders' names until their families had been notified.
..... "It crashed into a field, and you could tell it was a violent crash," Coleman said during a news conference.
..... The helicopter did not strike any homes or other structures, and no other injuries were reported, he said.
..... The U.S. Army apache attack helicopter based at Fort Hood. It is a two-seat attack helicopter, with the pilot seated in the rear cockpit and the co-pilot gunner seated in the front, according to the U.S. Army. in an news release, the Army said local emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement agencies responded to the scene.
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"Join Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement on X. "Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation."
..... "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time," brig. General Ethan Diven, 1st Cavalry Division acting commanding general, said in a statement.
..... Authorities closed portions of a nearby road as a precaution because of the fire, and some residents in the area were evacuated, Coleman said.
..... The Salado Fire Department issued a public safety alert asking people to avoid the area. The roadway near the scene was "impassable," according to the fire department.
..... The service members; remains were being transported to the Carel R. Darnall army Medical Center at Fort Hood, officials said. The Army's Criminal Investigation Division a Fort Hood is leading the investigation into the incident, Coleen said.