Mission BBQ Co-Founder's Son Dies In Military Helicopter Crash

The son of the Mission BBQ co-founder was among the four soldiers who died in a military helicopter crash last week in Washington State.

The soldiers were conducting routine flight training. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

The Army on Monday identified the victims of the Sept. 17 crash, including 39-year-old Andrew Kraus of Sanibel, Florida. Andrew Kraus served as a chief warrant officer three. He was the son of Mission BBQ co-founder Bill Kraus.

"Dawn and I are heartbroken," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. "Mission BBQ began here in Maryland, rooting their values in service and community. Our entire state mourns alongside the Kraus family."

Mission BBQ, a quick-service barbecue chain that honors veterans, opened its first location in Glen Burnie on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The business now has locations in 23 states.

"This is extremely sad. A great company and a great family," Vice President JD Vance said on X. "May Andrew and all of the soldiers killed rest in peace."

The Army said the other victims are:

• Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully, 35, from Sparta, Missouri
• Army Sgt. Donavon Scott, 24, from Tacoma, Washington
• Army Sgt. Jadalyn Good, 23, from Mount Vernon, Washington

Commander Col. Stephen Smith said the victims were "four courageous Night Stalkers from the 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)."

"These exceptional warriors ... embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence that define the very spirit of the Army and Army Special Operations," Smith said in a press release. "Their sacrifice in service to our nation will forever be etched in our hearts and in the legacy of the Night Stalkers. These heroes were not only elite professionals but also cherished teammates, friends, and family members whose absence leaves an immeasurable void."

Andrew Kraus served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a CH-46 (Sea Knight) maintainer from July 2008 until 2013. In 2017, he joined the U.S. Army and attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

He then served as an Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot in Command in Germany, performing real-world medical evacuation missions. In 2023, after being selected to serve in the 160th SOAR (Abn), he was assigned to C Company, where he supported multiple CONUS training missions and deployed in support of contingency response operations.

He is a 2025 graduate of the Aviation Maintenance Test Pilot Course at Fort Rucker.