Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch
Photo provided by New York Army National Guard
Mendon resident Chief Warrant Officer Christian Koch was honored along with fellow soldiers, Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Prial and Chief Warrant Officer Steven Skoda at a memorial service last Friday (February 26) at the New York Army National Guard’s Aviation Support facility.
The three New York Army National Guard soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash when their UH-60 medical helicopter went down on a routine training mission in a farm field on West Bloomfield Road on January 20. The service was not open to the public; it was for the soldiers’ families as well as soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, New York Army National Guard commanders, selected first responders and other guests.
The service included personal reflections from friends of the soldiers as well as scripture readings. Family members were also able to go to the front where the soldiers’ boots, rifles and helmets were placed. There was also a roll call for the final time for Koch, Prial and Skoda that was very moving.
