The fate of four missing US soldiers in Lithuania continues to capture international attention as the search for their whereabouts intensifies.
As of last Tuesday (March 25), efforts to retrieve an armored vehicle at the Pabradè military training area, northeast of Vilnius, are ongoing, with the M88 found submerged around 5 meters deep after becoming stuck in a swampy area.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of four US soldiers in Lithuania deepened when the wife of one of the missing soldiers, Sergeant Edvinas Benas Franco, came forward with alarming details about the operation her husband was involved in.
Contrary to earlier reports, which suggested the soldiers were engaged in a routine exercise, Georgia Franco asserts that her husband was unexpectedly pulled into a dangerous rescue mission and was sent out without the necessary support.
The wife of one of four missing US soldiers said her husband was pulled into a dangerous rescue mission without proper assistance
Image credits: Sean Gallup / Getty (Not the actual photo)
In an emotional interview with local media outlet 11 Alive, Georgia Franco explained that her husband, being in charge of driving the M88, was in charge of military retrieval missions, specifically those involving military equipment.
Recounting the harrowing final text messages she received from her husband, Georgia explained that he had been unexpectedly pulled into a rescue mission—a task far more dangerous and urgent than his usual operations.
Image credits: Anadolu / Getty
“He told me that they were going on a rescue mission, and they do this all the time because he worked specifically with the M88, which is essentially a military wrecker,” she told the local outlet.
Image credits: U.S. Army (Not the actual photo)
Then, around 7:14 AM local time, there was a glimmer of hope after Sergeant Franco informed her that they were closing in on the people they were supposed to rescue. Sadly, those were the final words she ever received from her beloved husband.
Georgia Franco is calling for an investigation, hoping for those in charge of the mission to answer for her husband’s disappearance
Image credits: DSakaliene
Holding back tears of sorrow and anger, Georgia described how her husband’s sudden involvement in the rescue mission struck her as highly unusual and called the military out for negligence.
Image credits: DSakaliene
According to her, during such operations, soldiers are typically accompanied by other vehicles for safety and support. Yet, in this case, Sergeant Franco and his team were sent out alone, a decision she believes put them at unnecessary risk.
“They shouldn’t have been there alone; the ‘88’ should never be alone, and they sent them alone,” she remarked. “So we’re fighting for accountability. We’re fighting for justice because our whole life has been turned upside down.”
Until the very last minute we shall not lose hope, we will do everything to find the missing soldiers. Lithuania, just like US, does not leave our own behind. And for us 🇺🇸 troops are our own — they are OUR soldiers and friends.
Together with U.S. Ambassador Kara C. McDonald… pic.twitter.com/IqqSeGfhXG
— Dovilė Šakalienė (@DSakaliene) March 27, 2025
Georgia then shared a heartbreaking detail, pointing out that her husband had always kept in touch, even in the midst of busy and complex operations, sending her a loving, daily “good morning” text.
“No matter what was going on, he always sent me a ‘good morning’ message,” she said.
Local authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility of the soldiers being alive, as only the vehicle was found
Image credits: 11Alive
As the rescue efforts continue, Georgia Franco’s statements cast doubt on the military’s handling of the mission.
The wife is now calling for a full investigation into those responsible for the decisions that led to her husband’s disappearance.
At present, the fate of the four soldiers remains uncertain, as only the vehicle they were in has been located.
“The M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the four missing US Soldiers were operating during a training exercise has been located in Lithuania,” the US Army said in a statement.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene visited the training site late on Wednesday and informed that no bodies had been found.
“That’s why it would be wrong to say that the soldiers are dead,” she explained.
Image credits: Scandinavian Backlash/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Search and rescue teams were at the scene today (March 28) using heavy excavators to remove silt from the body of water where the M88 was found.
“I am still hoping for a miracle.” President Gitanas Nauseda followed up with a statement.
“Although many skeptics would probably say that there is nothing to hope for in these circumstances, I want to believe.”
“Sending prayers.” Netizens took to social media to sympathize with the grieving wife
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