The son of Mission BBQ co-owner and cofounder Bill Kraus was one of four Army soldiers killed in a helicopter crash, according to U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
On Sept. 17, four soldiers died in a military helicopter crash near Tacoma, Washington. According to U.S. Army officials, the victims were chief warrant officers Andrew Cully and Andrew Kraus, and sergeants Jadalyn Good and Donavon Scott.
Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus, 39, was from Sanibel, Florida. His father Bill Kraus cofounded the Maryland-based patriotic fast-casual barbecue restaurant with Steve Newton in 2009 in Glen Burnie. Every location of Mission BBQ pays tribute to veterans and first responders, raising millions of dollars for related nonprofit organizations.
“Dawn and I are heartbroken to hear that Andrew Kraus, the son of Mission BBQ co-founder Bill Kraus, died alongside three other service members during a flight training,” Gov. Wes Moore said in a post on X on Tuesday. “Mission BBQ began here in Maryland, rooting their values in service and community. Our entire state mourns alongside the Kraus family.”
Vice President JD Vance also paid his condolences to the Kraus family.
“This is extremely sad,” Vance said in an X post. “A great company and a great family. May Andrew and all of the soldiers killed rest in peace.”
The helicopter crashed while on a routine flight training west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, according to U.S. Army Special Operations Command. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The four soldiers were a part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which performs nighttime missions. Cully, 35, was from Sparta, Missouri. Good, 23, was from Mount Vernon, Washington. Scott, 25, was from Tacoma, Washington.
“Their sacrifice in service to our nation will forever be etched in our hearts and in the legacy of the Night Stalkers,” U.S. Army Col. Stephen Smith said in a statement. “These heroes were not only elite professionals but also cherished teammates, friends, and family members whose absence leaves an immeasurable void.”
Dawn and I are heartbroken to hear that Andrew Kraus, the son of Mission BBQ co-founder Bill Kraus, died alongside three other service members during a flight training.
Mission BBQ began here in Maryland, rooting their values in service and community. Our entire state mourns…
— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) September 23, 2025
Have a news tip? Contact Chevall Pryce at cpryce@baltsun.com.