Month: April 2025

Military officials said Monday that the bodies of three U.S. Army soldiers — who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise last week after their armored vehicle sank in a body of water — have been found. Search and recovery efforts were ongoing to locate a fourth missing soldier.

The soldiers had been deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Lithuanian armed forces and law enforcement worked alongside them during last week’s training exercise. The Army later shared in a statement that the soldiers’ identities were being withheld pending notification of their next of kin.

The soldiers, assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing the morning of March 25 after their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle. The submerged armored recovery vehicle was found by the Army and Lithuanian authorities last Wednesday; in an update from over the weekend, the Army said the vehicle was under at least 15 feet of water, clay-like mud and silt. Their 63-ton armored vehicle was removed from the peat bog early Monday morning.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said in a statement: “our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home. We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘Dogface Soldiers’ during this unimaginable time.”

Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda expressed his condolences to President Trump and the United States in a post on social platform X. “It is with deep sadness and sorrow that I received the news of the tragic loss of three U.S. soldiers during a US-led training exercise in Lithuania. The search and rescue operation will continue until the fourth soldier is found. @realDonaldTrump, Lithuania mourns together with the American nation. Please accept my heartfelt condolences, as well as those of the Lithuanian people, to you, the loved ones of those who lost their lives, and all the people of the United States of America. During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with you.”

Editorial credit: Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock.com

The financial technology platform Rocket Companies — , which includes real estate, title and personal finance businesses, and mortgages under its umbrella — has acquired the mortgage company Mr. Cooper Group Inc. in an all-stock deal valued at $9.4 billion.  The acquisition of Mr. Cooper by Rocket creates an entity that will represent nearly 20% of all mortgages in the United States.

Per AP News: Rocket said Monday that the purchase of Mr. Cooper Group Inc. will create a business representing one in every six mortgages in the United States and give it almost 7 million additional clients. The deal will boost loan volumes, while lowering client acquisition costs; with Rocket stating in a press release that “it will bring its industry-leading mortgage recapture capabilities to a combined servicing book of $2.1 trillion across nearly 10 million clients, representing one in every six mortgages in America.”

The move comes just weeks after Rocket acquired real estate listing company Redfin in an all-stock deal worth $1.75 billion.. The acquisitions of Mr. Cooper and Redfin will allow Rocket to speed up its AI-powered platform “and remove the friction and complexities plaguing today’s homebuying process,” according to the release.

The combined company will see Mr. Cooper Group Chairperson and CEO Jay Bray become President and CEO of Rocket Mortgage, who will work under Rocket CEO Varun Krishna. Bray said in a statement: “By combining Mr. Cooper and Rocket, we will form the strongest mortgage company in the industry, offering an end-to-end homeownership experience backed by leading technology and grounded in customer care.”

Rocket shareholders will own approximately 75% of the combined company, while Mr. Cooper stockholders will own about 25%. The combined company’s board will have 11 members, with nine being from Rocket and two from Mr. Cooper.

Editorial credit: Adam McCullough / Shutterstock.com