CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – One of the four U.S. Army soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Washington state on Wednesday was the son of Mission BBQ co-founder Bill Kraus.

39-year-old Andrew Kraus, a chief warrant officer, was a member of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, a team that specializes in nighttime missions. Kraus, Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Cully, Sgt. Donavon Scott and Sgt. Jadalyn Good died when their U.S. Army MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord during a routine training mission Wednesday, according to the Army.

Bill Kraus and Steve Newton founded Mission BBQ in 2011, opening their first location on Sept. 11 that year. Beyond barbeque, the company focuses on honoring U.S. service people. It has a long record of donating to charities that support that the military and first responders.

Mission BBQ is now a national chain and has 22 locations in Virginia, including one on Lenox Ave. in Charlottesville.

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.