Third member of ill-fated military helicopter crew identified by Army
The nation was stunned and saddened last week when a military helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Washington's Reagan National Airport.
Though mystery initially surrounded the identity of one of the servicemembers on board the chopper, the individual has since been revealed as that of Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, whose recent experience also included work as a social aide inside the Biden administration, as Breitbart reports.
Crew identified
It was not long after the devastating incident that killed all on board both the helicopter and the passenger jet that the identities of those involved began to emerge.
The U.S. Army announced that Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara, age 28, a native of Lilburn, Georgia, was lost in the crash.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, age 39, hailing from Great Mills, Maryland, was also identified as among the victims.
However, the name of the female pilot who was also killed in the incident was not immediately released, with the military citing the family's wishes for privacy.
As rumors and speculation about the reason for secrecy began to swirl, a decision was eventually made to acknowledge that Lobach was the final deceased service member.
Lobach remembered by colleagues, friends, family
An Army press release revealed that Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, had served as an aviation officer from July 2019 to January 2025 and was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Virginia's Fort Belvoir.
Lobach had received honors that included the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon.
During her time as a White House social aide, Lobach fulfilled a range of duties, such as recently escorting fashion stalwart Ralph Lauren at ceremony for those receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Lobach's family issued a statement saying, “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives. She was kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong. No one dreamed bigger or worked harder to achieve her goals.”
According to Lobach's friend, 1st Lt. Samantha Brown, the late solider was an accomplished basketball player, a college graduate in biology, and a distinguished military professional, not to mention someone who will clearly be missed by all who knew her.
