DALLAS -- Seven National Guardsmen—including four from Texas—were on their way from Kuwait to Balad to join their unit last week when their helicopter crashed in Iraq, the Texas National Guard said Monday.

The four Texans killed in Thursday’s crash were: Chief Warrant Officer Corry A. Edwards, 38, of Kennedale; Staff Sgt. Anthony L.  Mason, 37, of Springtown; 1^st Sgt. Julio C. Ordonez, 54, of San Antonio; and 1^st Lt. Robert Vallejo II, 28, of Richland Hills.

Three soldiers from the Oklahoma National Guard were also died.

“As we grieve with so many in our community over this extremely unfortunate news, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these citizen-soldiers,” said Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, adjutant general of the Texas National Guard.

The soldiers had been called to active duty on June 5. After completing two-and-a-half months of training at Ft. Sill in Oklahoma, the soldiers were deployed to Kuwait on Aug. 24, the Texas National Guard said in a news release.

The CH-47 Chinook was flying in a four-helicopter formation from Kuwait to the U.S. military base at Balad when it crashed about 60 miles west of Basra. Military officials say they suspect a mechanical malfunction.

The soldiers were assigned to the 2^nd Battalion, 149^th Aviation, 36^th Combat Aviation Brigade, Texas Army National Guard in Grand Prairie.

Vallejo, a pilot who was posthumously promoted to captain, is survived by his wife Hillary Ann. He joined the National Guard in April 1999.

Edwards, posthumously promoted to chief warrant officer 2, is survived by his wife, Nanette, and sons, Killian Hunter and Logan Samuel. Edwards joined the military in December 1992. From June 2003 to April 2004, he served in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Mason, posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, is survived by his wife, Melanie Laree, and daughters, Ashley Nicole, Jamie Rosalee and Megan Irene.

Mason, who also served in Iraq from February 2003 to September 2003, joined the Texas Army National Guard last year. He attended basic training and advanced individual training to become a helicopter engineer.

Ordonez, posthumously promoted to sergeant major, is survived by his wife Leticia, sons Julio and Jacob, and daughters Joyce and Judith. Ordonez, born in Honduras, joined the military in April 1982. Before joining the Texas Army National Guard, he served with HHC, 6-112^th in Arkansas as a helicopter engineer, the Texas National Guard said.