Oregon Public Broadcasting

An Army pilot from Oregon is one of the latest casualties in Iraq. Warrant Officer Josh Tillery died in  a helicopter accident in Kirkuk. April Baer reports.

The Army says the cause of the helicopter crash is still unknown. Tillery was flying a two seater craft that's used for reconnaissance, and apparently collided with another copter of that kind.

He was married, and leaves behind three small children.

Tillery is well remembered in the city of Banks, where he grew up.

Doug Ange had Tillery in two different classes, his sophomore and senior years at Banks High. He remembers Josh as an engaged kid, who talked about patriotism well before September 11th, 2001.

Doug Ange   "Remember back in 1995, there was no War on Terror. It wasn't like we were in Afghanistan or Iraq with hundreds of thousands of troops. The one thing I do remember is genuine caring about his fellow man, and I think that's an important thing for young people."

Tillery joined the Army in '95, the same year he graduated from high school. This was his third deployment to Iraq.