Army finally identifies pilot flying Black Hawk after refusing to reveal name at family's request

WASHINGTON, DC: In the aftermath of this week’s catastrophic Black Hawk helicopter crash, the US Army has officially identified the female soldier aboard the doomed chopper.

The collision — which saw the military aircraft slam into an American Airlines flight — left 67 people dead in what’s being called the worst air disaster in decades.

The Army confirmed that Capt Rebecca M Lobach — a proud Durham, North Carolina native — was one of the three soldiers aboard the ill-fated Black Hawk. The 32-year-old was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and had been serving her country since July 2019.

The Army initially kept her identity under wraps at her family’s request, but they released her name on Saturday, February 1, saying it was done "at the request of and in coordination with the family."

And her family had plenty to say about the loss.

Rebecca Lobach led a life of service and love

"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives," Rebecca Lobach's grieving family shared in a statement released by the Army.

It continued, "Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle … Rebecca was many things. She was a daughter, sister, partner, and friend. She was a servant, a caregiver, an advocate. Most of all she loved and was loved. Her life was short, but she made a difference in the lives of all who knew her." 

The Army captain was a rising star. Lobach’s military career included accolades such as the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. Furthermore, she graduated in the top 20% of ROTC cadets nationwide, according to the New York Post.

Lobach also served as a White House social aide during the Biden administration, even escorting fashion icon Ralph Lauren through the White House last month when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Tributes to the fallen captain have been pouring in, including a deeply personal one from USA Today reporter and Army veteran Davis Winkie — who credited Lobach with helping him navigate "the hardest periods" of his life while they were both part of the Army ROTC program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

"I wish we’d taken a photo together when we had lunch a year ago. I wish I’d remembered to invite her to a party I hosted a week ago. I wish she weren’t dead. You are so missed, Rebecca. This world won’t be the same without you," Winkie wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The fateful night flight and its aftermath

At the time of the crash, Rebecca Lobach had already logged more than 450 hours of flight time and had earned her pilot-in-command certification under the mentorship of some of the most seasoned pilots in her battalion.

Despite her skill and experience, the circumstances surrounding how the Black Hawk ended up colliding with an American Airlines passenger jet remain a mystery.

The mid-air collision resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including multiple members of the international ice-skating community, a mother traveling with her two young children, and a Brooklyn native, among others.

Authorities have since recovered two bodies from the wreckage of the Black Hawk—a man and a woman—a law enforcement source familiar with the operation told CBS News.

Joining Lobach on that tragic flight were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, and Staff Sgt Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia.

The Black Hawk had taken off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia for what was supposed to be a routine training exercise. However, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the training involved night flights as part of an annual retraining exercise for a continuity-of-government mission.

"A routine annual retraining of night flights on a standard corridor for a continuity of government mission. The military does dangerous things. It does routine things on a regular basis," Hegseth said on Thursday.

The crash is under intense investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

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