HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT/WKRN) — The two Tennessee National Guardsmen who died in a fatal Black Hawk helicopter crash on Wednesday were set to be transported to an Alabama mortuary on Friday.

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, shortly after 3 p.m., a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flown by two Tennessee National Guard members crashed in Madison County, Alabama.

Madison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill told News 2’s sister station, WHNT, that the guardsmen’s bodies were being escorted by law enforcement to a mortuary in Enterprise for their bodies to be prepped for flight.

They will then travel to Pensacola, Florida, for a flight to Dover, Delaware. The autopsies will be performed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner in Dover.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham of Joelton, who had 15 years of service, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph of Murfreesboro, who had 13 years of service, were identified as the victims of the fatal helicopter crash.

Both were killed when their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed during a training flight near Highway 53 and Burwell Road.

Military officials said the aircraft was approaching the Huntsville Executive Airport when it started to descend rapidly and impacted the ground.

Wadham and Randolph were assigned to A Company, 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion, from Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base.

The Tennessee National Guard released a statement around 8 p.m. Wednesday stating, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy,” said Brig. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee’s Adjutant General.

Randolph served with the guard for 13 years and leaves behind four children.

“It’s hard to lose somebody that’s young and serving their country and serving their state. He was just a good friend and always somebody who was a pleasure to be around and I’ll never forget his smile and I just hope all of his brothers-in-arms in his unit are able to move forward and get through this and I’m sure they will always remember his smile and he will always be smiling down on them,” Cher McCraven told News 2.

McCraven said she was in the National Guard with Randolph when he joined, as a flight operations specialist. Now, her brother is reportedly a crew chief over Randolph’s unit.

Wadham served with the Tennessee National Guard for 15 years. He also worked with the Metro Nashville Police Department from 2016 through 2020.