Tragic Helicopter Crash Claims Lives of National Guard Soldiers and Border Patrol Agent in Texas
In the aftermath of a devastating helicopter crash near Rio Grande City, Texas, authorities have identified the victims as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Grassia, 30, both with the New York National Guard, along with Border Patrol Agent Chris Luna, 49. The incident occurred on Friday during a mission related to border security.
One National Guard soldier, the aircraft crew chief, remains hospitalized, while the cause of the crash is currently under investigation. The UH-72 Lakota helicopter, assigned to the federal government’s border security mission, was part of Joint Task Force North, supporting Customs and Border Protection.
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, expressed shock and devastation over the loss of Frankoski and Grassia, stating that they are praying for the quick recovery of the injured crew chief. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Troy Miller conveyed heartbreak over Luna’s death, who leaves behind a wife and two children, parents, and a brother.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas extended hopes for the injured national guardsman’s swift recovery, offering the department’s deepest condolences to the families of those killed.
Details emerged about Grassia, a New York state trooper from Schenectady, who enlisted in 2013 as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter maintenance specialist. Frankoski, of Rensselaer, enlisted in 2016 and trained to become a UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopter pilot. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed deep sadness over their deaths, emphasizing the nobility of serving and defending one’s country.
The deceased soldiers, Frankoski and Grassia, were assigned to Detachment 2, Company A, 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment, while Luna was stationed at the Border Patrol’s Rio Grande City Station. The helicopter involved belonged to the District of Columbia Army National Guard.
The crash comes amid heightened border security efforts, with the border region regularly patrolled by state and federal authorities. This tragedy follows a similar incident in January when a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter patrolling the state’s border with Mexico lost power and crashed, resulting in minor injuries to the co-pilot and significant damage to the helicopter. This incident occurred during Operation Lone Star, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s nearly $10 billion border mission, testing the federal government’s authority over immigration.