Mass. marine killed in Afghan helicopter crashes

NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass.—The Massachusetts family of a Marine helicopter pilot says he was among 14 Americans killed in military crashes in Afghanistan.

His family said 29-year-old Capt. Kyle VanDeGiesen, based at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, Calif., died on Monday.

“He fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a Marine helicopter pilot, protecting his family and serving his country,“ the family said in a statement.

He was a 1998 graduate of North Attleborough High School, where he was quarterback of the football team, and a 2002 graduate of St. Anselm College.

“Kyle was just one of the great kids that we have in our town. He was just a tremendous individual, a class act and everything that you could imagine you would want to see in a young man,“ said Town Administrator Mark Fisher, whose daughter was friends with VanDeGiesen.

A helicopter went down in the west of Afghanistan after leaving the scene of a firefight, killing 10 Americans - seven troops and three DEA agents. Eleven American troops, one U.S. civilian and 14 Afghans were also injured.

In a separate incident, two U.S. Marine helicopters collided in flight killing four American troops and wounding two more, Marine spokesman Maj. Bill Pelletier told the Associated Press.

It’s not yet clear which crash killed VanDeGiesen.

It was the heaviest single-day loss of life since June 28, 2005, when 19 U.S. troops died, including 16 on an MH-47 Chinook helicopter that was shot down by insurgents.

In addition to his pregnant wife Megan, his daughter Avery, VanDeGiesen is survived by his parents Ruth Ann and Calvin VanDeGiesen; his brothers Ryan and Christian; and his sister Caitlin.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report