Fort Stewart Soldier Missing
At Fort Stewart Military Base in Georgia, a soldier is missing. Officials believe it to be Specialist Patrick Martin from the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion.
The 3rd Infantry Division is searching for Specialist Patrick Martin, who hasn’t been seen since August 30. The 224th Military Intelligence Battalion posted a statement on Facebook asking for help finding the soldier – who is an expert chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear technician from Plum, Pennsylvania.
He was assigned to the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion and last seen at Fort Stewart on Aug. 30, according to Lindsey Elder, the post’s public affairs officer.
On Wednesday morning, the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion was conducting a live-fire exercise at Wright Army Airfield when one of their helicopters crashed. Unfortunately, one man perished in the crash; further details are being withheld at this time.
According to a press release from Fort Stewart, police and emergency responders were dispatched to the Second Armored Brigade Combat Team complex shortly before 10 a.m. One person was shot and later died from their injuries; however, law enforcement has identified and arrested a suspect for this incident, Larson noted.
The incident took place on the base, which spans 280,000 acres in southeast Georgia. It is named for General Daniel Stewart, a native of Liberty County who fought alongside Francis Marion during the American Revolution and rose to become a hero for his service to the United States.
Camp Stewart during World War II served as a training ground for anti-aircraft units that were sent to the European Theater of Operations and Korea. Additionally, it housed an Allied POW camp, keeping Allied prisoners of war under guard.
At the conclusion of World War II, Fort Stewart’s anti-aircraft training was replaced by anti-armor and tank instruction. Unfortunately, its outdated facilities could no longer adequately prepare new soldiers, prompting its redesignation as the 3rd Army Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Center on December 28th 1950.
In 1950, the Korean War broke out and the US once again needed a place to train troops. To meet this need, the Army decided to renovate and upgrade their training facilities, including Camp Stewart which reopened in August of that year.
Therefore, the post rapidly expanded its training programs to meet the demands of the nation’s defense. Its anti-aircraft training was enhanced, and by 1953 it could offer intensive instruction to men heading off to Korea to fight against Communist rule there.
Fort Stewart’s mission has evolved over time as American interests were threatened and as the Army itself evolved. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, its anti-aircraft ranges were put to other uses while in 1966 the Army Aviation School transferred part of their training program from Fort Stewart.
In 1990, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait required the 24th Infantry Division to relocate its entire force from Florida to a staging area at Fort Stewart for transport by aircraft shuttles to Saudi Arabia. As it returned home, Fort Stewart expanded into an important mobilization and training center for Army units going on tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as hosting two-week annual National Guard exercises.