PFC Eichner was born on 7 March, 1961 in Ogallala, Nebraska. He was a graduate of Ogallala High School, where he was a member of the “O” Club, the wrestling team, and recipient of the Hampton Memorial trophy as the outstanding senior wrestler. He entered the Army in 1981 and attended basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. PFC Eichner then attended the CH-47 helicopter repair course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he was recognized and commended for his outstanding leadership abilities. Upon completion of training at Fort Eustis, he served as a recruiting aide with the North Platte, Nebraska Army Recruiting Station for six months.
PFC Eichner was assigned to Task Force 160 in 1981. He initially served as a helicopter mechanic in the maintenance platoon, where he was quickly recognized as a stand-out among his peers. Due to his exceptional technical proficiency and unparalleled motivation, he was selected from among his peers to serve as a crewmember in the flight platoon. He established a reputation for being a hard working, meticulous crewmember and a proud, enthusiastic soldier. In recognition of PFC Eichner’s exceptional performance and unparalleled dedication to TF 160, he was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
He was a member of Alpha Company, 159th Aviation Battalion and was conducting over water training operations when his CH-47 Chinook #527 crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, just east of Cape Henry, Virginia on 20 March, 1983.
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