Fallen Army Pilot Assigned To Fort Hood Laid To Rest With Full Military Honors
UTAH (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Hundreds of people in northern Utah including the Patriot Guard, military personnel and law enforcement officials have attended the funeral service and burial of a 25-year-old Army helicopter pilot killed in a crash in Afghanistan.
The Deseret News reported Monday that Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk Fuchigami Jr. was one of two Army pilots killed in the Nov. 20 crash while providing aerial security to ground troops outside of Kabul.
The helicopter crash is under investigation. The Taliban claimed to have shot the chopper down, but the U.S military dismissed that claim as false.
The crash brought the number of U.S. deaths in Afghanistan this year to 19. There also have been three non-combat deaths this year. More than 2,400 Americans have died in the nearly 18-year war.
Officials say Fuchigami was laid to rest with full military honors Monday at Brigham City Cemetery including a 21-gun salute and a military aircraft flyover.
Fuchigami was assigned to a 1st Cavalry Division aviation unit from Fort Hood, Texas.
