CW4 Erik A. Halvorsen
Chief Warrant Officer Four Erik Halvorsen was born in Vermont on February 22, 1963 to Dorothy and Halvor Halvorsen.
He began warrant officer training in 1987and was assigned to Korea. After his tour in Korea, he was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Ft. Devens. While at Ft. Devens he deployed to serve in Operation Desert Storm.
After returning home, he was assigned to Ft. Rucker, Alabama as a UH-60 Blackhawk Instructor Pilot and Flight Leader. In 1995 he received a direct commission into the Army’s Medical Service Corps, and after completing the Officers’ Basic Course, he was assigned to the 498th Forward Support Battalion as a Medical Evacuation Section Leader.
In 1998, then 1LT Halvorsen left the Army to pursue a civilian career in aviation, working for Gulfstream International. In June 2000, CW4 Halvorsen returned to active duty U.S. Army service as a Warrant Officer and was assigned to Bravo Company, 2d Battalion, 3d Aviation Regiment, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized) Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.
In September 2000 he deployed with his company to Bosnia-Herzegovina with Stabilization Force Eight (SFOR 8) in support of Operation Joint Forge. Upon redeployment in April 2001, Erik trained his company to conduct flight operations over water with night vision devices in support of Operations Bahamas, Turks and Caicos a counter-drug operation in the Caribbean. In June 2001 Erik deployed to the Caribbean and conducted counter-drug operations for six months.
In December 2001 Erik redeployed from the Caribbean and conducted training in preparation for desert flight operations. Erik deployed with his company for several rotations at the National Training Center at Ft Irwin for desert warfare training. As the Bravo Company Standardization Instructor Pilot Erik trained his company to fly, fight and win in the toughest flight conditions ranging from the desert conditions to winter mountains weather in the Balkans to limited visibility operations at night over water.
This January he deployed with his company to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and later flew in combat in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was a truly outstanding officer and commensurate trainer who set high standards for others to emulate and led by example both in and out of the cockpit. He will always be remembered for all his achievements and the high standards he set for himself and others.
Awards and Decorations: Bronze Star Medal (posthumous), Purple Heart Medal (posthumous),
the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, JMUA-1, AGCM-1, NDSM-2, SWABS-2, AFSM-1, NATO-1, SAKULIBM & KUKULIBM, and the Senior Aviator Badge
Survived by:
Mother, Dorothy C. Halvorsen of Bennington; Father, Halvor A. Halvorsen of Richmond, Maine.
3 Sisters: Karen Loebe of Petaluma, Calif., Ingrid Halvorsen of Delmar, N.Y. and Brenda Halvorsen of Lake Worth, Fla.
Maternal grandmother Antonia Robidoux of Bennington.