Black Hawk crash: Why was Rebecca Lobach's name kept secret for so long?

Following the crash between an American Airlines plane and Army Black Hawk, the identity of pilot Rebecca Lobach was not revealed until yesterday

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The identity of Rebecca Lobach, the third pilot aboard the military Black Hawk helicopter that collided mid-air with an American Airlines plane, was only made public yesterday. The identities of the other two pilots had been disclosed earlier. Tragically, the crash resulted in no survivors, as both aircraft’s wreckage fell into the frozen landscape.

 

While the cause of the collision is still under investigation, reports suggest the military helicopter had been alerted about the passenger plane shortly before the incident.

 

Trump’s remarks on DEI

 

In the aftermath, former President Donald Trump attributed blame to the military’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring policies, drawing attention to the Blackhawk pilots.

 

On social media, there was growing speculation about why Lobach’s name was initially withheld. Some online users speculated that her identity was kept secret to erase her social media presence beforehand.

 

“They deleted Rebecca Lobach’s social media accounts before releasing her name. It wasn’t to grieve,” one user said. “They didn’t withhold Rebecca Lobach’s name to grieve; they kept it secret while they scrubbed her social media,” wrote another user.

 

Right-wing commentator Laura Loomer said that Lobach had ties to the Biden administration and had attended Pride events. "So yes, DEI was very much involved in this crash. Trump was right,” she wrote, implying Lobach’s sexual orientation had something to do with the incident.

 

Another post referred to Lobach as a ‘PART-TIME Black Hawk pilot’ and suggested her family had erased anti-Trump posts before her name was disclosed.

 

Who was Rebecca Lobach?

Capt Rebecca Lobach (26), originally from Durham, North Carolina, was recognised as one of the top 20 per cent in her Army Officer Training Corps class and selected as a White House social aide.

 

She began her military service as an aviation officer in July 2019, eventually earning the rank of Captain. According to a statement from her family, she served as a Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

 

With over 450 flight hours, she became a certified pilot-in-command following extensive evaluations by senior pilots in her battalion.

 

Why was her name withheld?

The decision to withhold her name was made at the request of her family. The US Army confirmed that the family was involved in the decision. However, when her name was finally disclosed, it led to even more speculation regarding the delay.

 

The US Army disclosed the identities of the two other soldiers killed in the crash on Friday. They were Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, from Lilburn, Georgia, serving as the crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, from Great Mills, Maryland, who was a pilot.

 

Washington crash

Senior US officials confirmed that the military helicopter was on a routine training mission when it collided with a civilian passenger plane over the Potomac River on Wednesday night. However, the situation the pilots were preparing for was anything but ordinary.

 

The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, part of the 12th Aviation Battalion, has a specialised mission to quickly transport high-ranking US officials to secure locations, including one in Pennsylvania, in case of a national emergency or government attack.

 

The crash occurred as the American Airlines plane was attempting to land and collided with the Army Black Hawk, resulting in the deaths of all 60 passengers and four crew members aboard.

 

This tragedy marked the deadliest crash in the US since November 12, 2001, when a jet crashed into a residential area in Queens, New York, shortly after takeoff from JFK Airport, killing all 260 people on board and five individuals on the ground.