Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher R. Thibodeau, 28, of Chesterfield, Ohio, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, and served during Operation Enduring Freedom. On May 26, 2011, CW2 Thibodeau died when his helicopter crashed in Paktika Province, Afghanistan.

CW2 Thibodeau dreamed of serving our county as a pilot at the young age of eight, after watching the Blue Angels with his father and grandfather, both veterans. While attending Case Western Reserve University, he enlisted in the Army Reserves. Upon graduation in 2004 with a BS in Political Science and Sociology, he began his quest to join the Active Army. In 2007, he gained a release from the Army Reserve and joined the Active Army to train and become a pilot.

“He enjoyed playing guitar, reading books, woodworking, cooking a 6-course meal, working on his motorcycle, but mostly planning his future with me and growing our family,” said his wife. “Learning just 2 weeks before he died that our son had been conceived, he spent every possible moment researching baby products, connecting with friends and family, sharing his excitement that his child would be coming into this world. Chris was going to be the hands-on daddy making sure his son knew how to swim, read his first words, or pitch his first ball. He never had the opportunity to live that dream.”