Knadle, David Charles
Male
Verified Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Charles Knadle, 33, of North Richland Hills, Texas, was a U.S. Army Apache pilot killed in action in Charkh District, Afghanistan, on November 20, 2019.
Their Story
David Charles Knadle was a 33-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 from North Richland Hills, Texas. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Army's Company B, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, part of the 1st Cavalry Division's Combat Aviation Brigade based at Fort Hood.
On November 20, 2019, Knadle was piloting an AH-64E Apache attack helicopter on a combat mission in support of Afghan forces in Charkh District, Logar Province. According to U.S. military officials, the aircraft was struck by enemy small arms fire and crashed, killing Knadle. A second soldier, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr., also died in the incident.
Knadle's death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that began in January 2015. The operation involved U.S. forces conducting counterterrorism missions and advising and assisting Afghan security forces. The war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001, was the longest in American history.
Following the crash, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the deaths. Knadle was posthumously promoted from Chief Warrant Officer 2 to Chief Warrant Officer 3. His awards and decorations included the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Air Medal, among others.
Knadle was remembered by his unit and community as a dedicated soldier and pilot. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at Fort Hood, Texas, which honors soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division who died in the conflict.
Explore Further
David Knadle was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael, Ruiz, Pablo Allende Iii, Mckenna, Peter Andrew Jr.
