Fallen Army pilot laid to rest with full military honors
By The Associated Press
Family members of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr. look up as Apache helicopters fly over graveside services at Brigham City Cemetery, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in Brigham, Utah. From front, left to right: Kirk Fuchigami, father; Jana Lee Hunsaker Norman, mother-in-law; McKenzie Norman Fuchigami, wife; and Lisa Marie Casey, mother. (Steve Griffin/The Deseret News via AP)
BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — 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 in eastern Logar Province outside of Kabul.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Knadle, 33, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk Fuchigami Jr., 25, were killed after their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan’s Logar province, according to the Pentagon.
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.
Officials say his widow and parents received the folded flags and spent casings from the 21-gun salute.
Fuchigami was a native of Hawaii whose wife, McKenzie Norman, is from Utah.
Image 0 of 5
Officials say Fuchigami was assigned to a 1st Cavalry Division aviation unit from Fort Hood, Texas.
Fuchigami graduated from Rancho High School in Clark County, Nevada, participating in its aviation program.
According to his obituary, he was one of the youngest people in the school’s history to get a pilot’s license.