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Four killed, two injured in Kuwait

CAMP NEW JERSEY, Kuwait (Army News Service, March 3, 2003) -- Four soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash and two others injured in separate training accidents in Kuwait last week.

Spc. Rodrigo Gonzalez-Garza, 26, of Texas; Chief Warrant Officer Timothy W. Moehling, 35, of Florida; Chief Warrant Officer John D. Smith, 32, of Nevada and Spc. William J. Tracy, 27, of New Hampshire were killed Feb. 24 when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in the vicinity of Camp New Jersey.

The aircraft, one of two from V Corps conducting night training, crashed at approximately 1 a.m. Kuwaiti time.

The crewmembers were the only personnel on board the aircraft, officials said.

Gonzalez-Garza and Moehling were assigned to A Company, 5-158th Aviation, Giebelstadt Army Air Field, Germany. Smith and Tracy were assigned to B Co. 5-158th Aviation, Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Pfc. Christopher Mathias, a soldier with Service Battery, 1-9 Field Artillery, was shot at Camp Virginia Feb. 23. He suffered a gunshot wound from an M16A2 rifle to his right shoulder.

Mathias, 23, was treated at the scene and was air evacuated to the 86th Combat Support Hospital at Camp Udairi in stable condition.

He was further evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany where he remains in stable condition, officials said.

Both incidents are under investigation, officials said.

Another U.S. soldier was injured Feb. 28 when a military tanker laden with fuel overturned near the entrance of the Kuwait City International Airport at approximately 7 a.m.

Kuwaiti Fire Department and U.S. Army personnel responded immediately to the scene, contained a small fuel leak, and cleared the roadway.

Traffic was not affected by the accident, officials said, and U.S. Army quartermaster personnel are working to recover the vehicle.

The driver of the tanker, an Army specialist, was taken to Farwaniyah Air Force Base hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The accident is under investigation by Kuwaiti and U.S. officials.

(Editor's note: Reports submitted by Army journalists in Kuwait)