Fort Hood releases names of Soldiers killed in UH-60L Blackhawk crash

FORT HOOD, Texas — Names of the four Soldiers killed in a UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter crash here Nov. 23 are released after next-of-kin notification.

The crash occurred sometime after 5:49 p.m. in the northeast portion of the Fort Hood training area.

All four crew members were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 291st Aviation Regiment, First Army Division West. The aircraft, assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment was on a routine training mission.

The Fallen Warriors are:  Sgt. 1st Class Toby A. Childers, 40, a Hays, Kansas native; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen B. Cooley, 40, a Cantonment, Florida native; Sgt.1st Class Jason M. Smith, 35, a Destrehan, Louisiana native; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael F. Tharp, 40, a Katy, Texas native.

The cause of the crash at this time is unknown, pending an investigation by a team from the Army Combat Readiness Center, headquartered at Fort Rucker, Alabama.