The Defense Department on Monday identified five Army soldiers who were killed when their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea while practicing refueling operations.

The helicopter crash Friday evening killed all five crew members: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R. Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M. Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt. Tanner W. Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt. Andrew P. Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona; and Sgt. Cade M. Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.

“The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting aerial refueling training when the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency resulting in the crash,” the Pentagon said Monday. “There are no indications the crash was caused by enemy (or) hostile actions.”

The Army’s Combat Readiness Center at Fort Novosel, Alabama, is investigating the fatal crash.

The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). The regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, is based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

“We mourn the loss of these five incredible soldiers, each one of them a national treasure. They hail from rare patriotic families with deep military service ties that span multiple generations and formations,” said Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Army Special Operations Command. “This is devastating news that reverberates across the entire Special Operations community. Every loss is tough, but in this case, service to the nation is truly a family business and it’s hard to express the amount of sorrow that we all feel right now.”

The commander of the 160th SOAR said the Blackhawk crew members were “among the nation’s finest soldiers.”

“Their loss has left an indelible void within this Regiment that will never be filled,” said Col. Roger P. Waleski Jr. “Their exemplary service in the Army is the embodiment of what it means to be a Night Stalker and a soldier.”

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.