Army officials have revealed the identity of the soldier who passed from horrific injuries sustained during a bear mauling incident this week.
30-year-old Seth Michael Plant was an infantryman from the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson after joining the Anchorage site on July 2021.
Lt. Col. David Ja Nelson described the fallen soldier as always smiling: “He always went above and beyond what was asked of him, and he served as an inspiration to all who had the privilege to know him.”
As Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials investigated the site of the fatal mauling that claimed Plant’s life, they were approached by a brown bear and had to use bear spray to make it run away.
At the scene, there also were two brown bear cubs inside of a den. The evidence suggested the beast was trying to protect her babies.
“We are trying to learn everything we can about what happened to increase public safety around wildlife in Alaska,” Wildlife Department manager Cyndi Wardlow said.
