Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. -- A memorial vigil for Marine Capt. Kyle VanDeGiesen, who was killed in a midair collision of two U.S. Marine helicopters in Afghanistan just before sunrise on Oct. 27, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the town's Community Field, at 43 South Washington St., behind Town Hall.

The 29-year-old Marine was piloting one of the copters when the crash occurred in the southern providence of Helmand on one of the deadliest days for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the war began.

VanDeGiesen, a popular student athlete when as a quaterback he helped to lead the North Attleboro High School football team to a Super Bowl championship, was 1 of 18 fallen Americans saluted by President Obama when their bodies were brought to Dover Air Force base in Delaware in the pre-dawn darkness of Oct. 29.

Town Administrator Mark Fisher said the vigil on Thursday is being organized by VanDeGiesen's friends as well as other members of the community. He is survived by his wife Megan, who he married in 2007, a 17-month-old daughter and a yet-to-be-born son.

The funeral service for the fallen Marine is to be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 14 Park St., Friday at 9 a.m.

Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated the day Marine Capt. Kyle VanDeGiesen's funeral will be held. It will be held Friday.

 Tags  Afghanistan marine capt Kyle VanDeGiesen memorial service North Attleboro President Obama

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