MARCH 20, 2024 -The New York National Guard brought home the remains of two helicopter pilots killed in a Texas helicopter crash on Monday, March 18, 2024.
The caskets containing the bodies of Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officers 2 Frankoski, and John M. Grassia III were ferried from Kelly Field, Texas to the Army Aviation Support Facility at Albany International Airport on board an LC-130 Hercules assigned to the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing.
The aircraft was met by four hundred onlookers: family and friends of the families, Soldiers, New York National Guard civilian employees, local political leaders, New York National Guard leaders, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
The event drew major media coverage from the four Albany-area TV newsrooms and local papers and radio.
As the crowd watched a New York National Guard Honor Guard carried the caskets containing Grassia, and then Frankoski, down the ramp of the LC-130 and onboard waiting hearses.
The hearses, and buses containing the families of Frankoski and Grassia were then escorted by New York State Police and Rensselaer, New York Police Department vehicles to funeral homes in the area towns of Glenville and Rensselaer.
Area residents lined the routes of the two processions to salute the two UH-72Lakota pilots.
Frankoski is the daughter of retired Rensselaer Police Department Chief James Frankoski and Grassi was a member of the New York State Police.
“They are valued team members who are heroes,” who tragically lost their lives doing their mission, said Col. Jason Lefton, the state Army aviation officer and commander of the 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade.
“We’re doing everything we can to find out what happened and take care of their families and the rest of our Soldiers,” Lefton said.
“Right now, it is a time of hurt. We’re looking after each other and, we’re doing the best that we can,” Lefton said.
Frankoski and Grassia were piloting a UH-72 assigned to the District of Columbia National Guard on a border reconnaissance mission on March 8, 2024, when the helicopter crashed near Rio Grande City, Texas.
Border Patrol Agent Chris Luna was also killed in the crash and Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Pratt was badly injured.
The two were assigned to Detachment 2, Company A, of the 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment. The 21-Soldier detachment was mobilized in October 2023 for federal duty supporting the Border Patrol as part of Joint Task Force North.
The unit is based at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham, which is adjacent to New York National Guard headquarters.
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, made the decision to seek to bring the remains of the two Soldiers home together on board a New York Air National Guard aircraft.
After discussions with Army and Air Force officials, approval was obtained to fly the mission.
On Sunday, March 17 an LC-130, the Hercules version modified to land on snow and ice with skies, left Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, New York and flew to Kelly Field, Texas.
An eight-Soldier detail from the New York Army National Guard Honor Guard was on board, led by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Gabriel, the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of New York’s 87-Soldier honor guard force.
On Monday, March 18, the Honor Guard team received the remains of Frankoski and Grassia from a San Antonio area undertaker and transferred them to the New York aircraft.
The aircraft took off about 0930 Texas time with an expected arrival time of 3 p.m. in the Albany, New York area.
At 2 p.m. family and friends of the Grassia and Frankoski families arrived in charter buses. They were housed in a heated hanger at the flight facility while waiting, since the weather was bitterly cold.
Forty Rensselaer Police Department and New York State Police vehicles were also on had to be part of the procession.
As 3 p.m. drew closer, the families and dignitaries were moved to a helicopter hanger closer to where they plane would arrive.
Following a pass of the airfield, the LC-130 landed and backed down the taxiway to the Army flight facility. The two hearses, and police escort vehicles came forward. As the aircraft engines shut down the families and officials, including the governor, moved out to line the taxiway on either side.
The crew of the LC-130 lined up alongside the ramp and prepared to present arms.
With everybody in place, the Honor Guard carry team moved first one, and then the other, flag-covered casket down the aircraft ramp and into the hearses as military personnel saluted and civilians placed their hands over their hearts.
While the families had a chance to approach the hearses, Gov. Hochul, accompanied by Shields and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven James, greeted the Airmen and Soldiers who crewed the mission.
The hearses, escorted by the police vehicles and followed by the 50-passenger buses carrying family members, then drove past a line of aviation Soldiers, Troopers and police officers who saluted as they passed.
Services for Frankoski are set for Friday, March 22, followed by military funeral honors and burial at the Gerald B. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, located near the historic battlefield.
Grassia will be interned at the same cemetery following military funeral honors on March 26.
By Eric Durr
New York National Guard