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                         September 27, 2002

Academy mourns death of soldier

By Irene Brown
Editor

The U.S. Military Academy community is mourning the loss of one of its own this week. Three civilians discovered the body of Sgt. Alan Two Crow Saturday. Two Crow was found lying at the bottom of a rock face south of the Stony Lonesome Housing area here.

An initial examination by Armed Forces Institute of Pathology forensic experts found that Two Crow’s death was due to a broken neck.

Military and law enforcement officials have been searching for the missing soldier for approximately two months.

"Preliminary reports from the pathologists indicate that this was an accidental death," said Lt. Col. James Whaley, West Point’s spokesman.

Whaley said academy personnel started searching for the soldier immediately.

"Sgt. Two Crow was on a four-day pass," he explained. "When he didn’t report back, we began searching."

West Point also asked local law enforcement to help with the search, Whaley explained.

"After he was reported missing and the initial investigation showed he hadn’t contacted family members, we called in the State Police and local authorities," Whaley said. Local law enforcement officials used specially trained dogs to search the installation, but they found no trace of Two Crow.

"The State Police outlined for us a series of probable areas that Two Crow could have wandered into that night," Whaley said. "We used helicopters, manpower and dogs to try and locate him in those areas."

Academy and local law enforcement searched for Two Crow over the eight-day period following his disappearance, starting on the evening of July 17, Whaley added. But it didn’t end there.

"We searched the probable areas given to us by the State Police," he said. "After that we searched airports, bus stations and train stations.

"We never stopped looking for him," Whaley added.

"Sgt. Two-Crow was a good soldier, leader and friend to all who had the privilege of knowing him," said Capt. Brian Locke, USMA MP Company Commander.

West Point’s superintendent said the academy is deeply saddened by the death of Two Crow.

"We are all saddened by the loss and our deepest sympathy goes out to his family," said Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox.

There will be a military ceremony held in Two Crow’s memory. At press time, date and time had not been determined.