Son of Mission BBQ co-founder killed in Army flight training. The first restaurant opened in Maryland.
Andrew Kraus, the son of Mission BBQ restaurant co-founder Bill Kraus, was one of four service members who died during a flight training on Sept. 17, according to the U.S. Army.
Mission BBQ, which now has nearly 20 locations in Maryland, first opened its doors in Glen Burnie.
Chief Warrant Officer Kraus, 39, along with Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cully and Sergeants Donavon Scott and Jadalyn Good, were killed when the military helicopter they were on crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, the Army confirmed.
Kraus joined the Army in 2017 and has supported multiple training missions and deployed in support of contingency response operations, according to CBS News.
Leaders react
Gov. Moore offered his condolences after learning about Kraus' death.
"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," Moore stated. "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 shared his thoughts in a social media post, saying, "This is extremely sad. A great company and a great family. May Andrew and all of the soldiers killed rest in peace."
In a Facebook post, the Baltimore City Fire Department also shared condolences, saying, "Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Kraus - son of MISSION BBQ co-founder Bill Kraus - was a proud shining example of duty and service."
"Today, we honor Andrew's sacrifice and stand in solidarity with the Kraus family and the entire Mission BBQ community — we stand with you," the post continued.
Soldiers killed during flight training
The soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, an elite team that does nighttime missions, when their MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed while on a routine flight training at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, according to CBS News.
Their regiment's mission is to organize, equip, and employ Army special operations aviation forces around the world, according to the U.S. Army website.
"Known as Night Stalkers, these soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations," the website reads. "They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision."
Mission BBQ blossomed in Maryland
Mission BBQ opened its first restaurant in Glen Burnie on September 11, 2011, a decade after the tragic terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.
The franchise — founded by Bill Kraus and Steve "Newt" Newton — supports the military and gives back to the first responders and service members.
What started in Glen Burnie has expanded to 21 locations across Maryland and Delaware.
"Ten years after our world changed forever, in some small way we wanted to change it back," the founders wrote on their website. "As the founders of MISSION BBQ, we strive every day to remind everyone what makes Our Country great—its heroes."