Chief Warrant Officer 2, Brian D. Hazelgrove graduated from Edinburgh High School in Indiana and joined the Army in 1994. Before becoming a helicopter pilot, he worked in military intelligence and served two tours of duty in South Korea.

“The guy was amazing,” Hazelgrove’s half brother, Brad Lemon, said. “He thrived in the military and was making it a career.” Brian is remembered as bright, very personable and very likable. He had a great sense of humor and lived life without regrets. Brian, 29, an Army pilot assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Fort Drum, N.Y., died Jan. 23 when his OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter crashed near Mosul in northern Iraq during a combat mission, serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The military reported his residence as Fort Rucker, Ala. Hazelgrove and the other pilot on the helicopter crashed soon after takeoff, the military said.