[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today issued the following statement on the tragic deaths of Minnesota National Guard Members Chief Warrant Officer Two Charles Nord, Chief Warrant Officer Two James Rogers, and Sergeant Kort Plantenberg.

"On behalf of all Minnesotans, Gwen and I offer our deepest sympathies to the families of Chief Warrant Officer Two Charles Nord, Chief Warrant Officer Two James Rogers, and Sergeant Kort Plantenberg. They paid the ultimate price in their service to Minnesota and to the United States of America. Words will never ease the pain of this tragic loss and the state of Minnesota is forever in the debt of these warriors."

All three soldiers were assigned to Company C, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, based in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The unit returned from a nine-month deployment to the Middle East in May 2019, where they conducted medical evacuations in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. All three soldiers deployed on this mission.

A 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard, Governor Walz traveled to be with fellow Minnesota National Guardsmen near the site of the crash on Thursday night. He remains in continuous contact with the National Guard and stands ready to provide support for their families, friends, and fellow soldiers. The Governor ordered all U.S. and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff until Monday, December 9, 2019, at 2:05 pm—the time on December 5 at which the soldiers initiated a MAYDAY call and the Minnesota National Guard lost contact with the helicopter.