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CW4 Chris Scherkenbach died June 28, 2005, in eastern Afghanistan when his MH-47D Helicopter was shot down by enemy fire during combat operations.
A native of Chicago, IL, he was born on Nov. 3, 1964 in Illinois.
Scherkenbach originally enlisted in the Army as a communication specialist in April of 1987. His first duty station was Germany. He was accepted into the Warrant Officer entry program in 1990, and graduated from the Warrant Officer Program at Fort Rucker, Ala. in 1990. Also during 1991, he attended the Warrant Officer Basic Course and Initial Entry Rotary Wing training.
After completing his CH-47D aircraft qualifications at Fort Rucker, Scherkenbach was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. He was then assigned to Camp Humphreys, Korea as a CH-47D Chinook pilot. After completing his tour in Korea, he returned to the 159th Aviation Regiment. His final assignment was Company B, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Scherkenbach’s military schools include the Survival Evade Resist Escape Level-C course, the Aviation Safety Officer Course, the Electronic Warfare Officer Course, the Special Operations Training Course, and the Warrant Officer Advanced Course.
His awards and decorations include the Air Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Senior Army Aviator Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal and an Air Medal with Valor device, the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Scherkenbach is survived by his wife Michelle and daughter Sarah Grace Xiaomei, of Jacksonville, Florida.
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