The U.S. Army has identified Capt. Rebecca Lobach, 28, as one of the casualties in the Black Hawk helicopter collision with an American Airlines aircraft near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred near Washington, D.C., is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Capt. Lobach, a former White House aide under the Biden government, served as an aviation officer from July 2019 until her death. She had received commendations including the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. Her family released a statement through the Army, remembering her as “kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong.”
Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Lobach joined the North Carolina Army National Guard in December 2018. She studied at Sewanee: The University of the South, playing for the basketball team, before earning a biology degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019. As a distinguished military graduate, she participated in the Simultaneous Membership Program, integrating Reserve Officers’ Training Corps activities with National Guard duties.
Lobach’s service also included time as a White House social aide. During this role, she notably accompanied Ralph Lauren during his visit for the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony.
The other soldiers involved in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, 39, and Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28. Their remains were partially recovered from the helicopter wreckage recently, according to law enforcement sources.
The helicopter, which departed from Fort Belvoir, was involved in training when the collision occurred, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He stated that such operations are part of standard military procedures, acknowledging that a mistake led to the tragic event. The investigation into the crash continues.
Picture credit: Samantha Brown
