“‘HE HAD ONLY RECENTLY ARRIVED… BUT HIS UNIT SAID HE HAD ALREADY MADE AN IMPACT'” A U.S. Army specialist from New York has died after being crushed by a tank during a training exercise in California. The soldier, identified as Adrian, had joined the military in 2023 and was remembered by the 3rd Infantry Division as someone who answered the call to serve.

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A soldier who was crushed by a 27-ton armored vehicle at a California training ground has died, the Army announced.

Adrian Bonsey, 29, died after an M2 Bradley fighting vehicle ran him over in the early morning hours of June 10. The tank had limited visibility during the training exercise.

Bonsey, a combat engineer assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, was stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia.

US soldier dies in California training exercise after being tragically crushed by tank

“This is a devastating loss for our entire division,” Maj. Gen. John Lubas, the 3rd Infantry Division commander, said in a statement. “Adrian was an exceptional soldier who was committed to our mission and proudly serving our nation. We are heartbroken and will wrap our arms around his family, loved ones and fellow Soldiers during this difficult time.”

Adrian Bonsey, a combat engineer assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, in his army fatigues at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Adrian Bonsey, 29, died after an M2 Bradley fighting vehicle ran him over in the early morning hours of June 10.US ARMYBonsey had been training alongside the vehicles at the National Training Center in the Mojave Desert.Units usually spend a month at the training ground conducting large-scale exercises before they are considered ready to deploy overseas.The Army specialist was a New York native who joined the military in 2023.“Adrian answered the call to serve in 2023 and dedicated himself to supporting his fellow Soldiers and the mission. Though he had only recently arrived at Fort Stewart, he had already made an impact on those around him,” the 3rd Infantry Division wrote in a Facebook post.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, teammates, and all those who had the privilege of serving alongside him. The loss of a Soldier is felt across our entire formation, and we stand together in honoring Adrian’s life, service, and sacrifice,” they added.

The Army lost 31 soldiers in training accidents last year, with fatalities either in ground incidents or aircraft crashes.

Most of the ground incidents involved military vehicles, usually in rollover incidents.