Capt. Benedict J. Smith, Chief Warrant Officer Kyran E. Kennedy, Staff Sgt. Paul M. Neff, and Staff Sgt. Scott C. Rose, all members of the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, were killed in a crash after an attack in Tikrit Friday. Their fellow aviators honored their sacrifices at the 101st Airborne's "Q-West" Airfield, under the shadows of two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters the type of aircraft in which the crew took their final flight into hostile fire.

The crew of Black Hawk 26431, "The Goat," were remembered on Veteran's Day as four unique individuals but with a common love of their families and trust in their fellow soldiers.

"In the deadly chaos of battle, soldiers hold trust and when they fight, they fight for each other because of the trust that resides in one another," said Lt. Col. Laura Richardson, 5-101st Aviation commander. "The crew of aircraft 26431 had that trust."

Capt. Ben Smith

The son of two Missouri pig farmers, Smith was remembered for his adoration of his wife, his affinity for bacon and his inability to keep his desk organized.

"The funny thing was, you could ask him for a specific memo or paper and he would only have to move two or three sheets to come up with it," said Capt. Patrick Patrino, who delivered Smith's eulogy.

Patrino recalled an experience in breakfast chow hall line where his friend's family roots shined. After Patrino refused bacon from a chow hall server, Smith "proceeded to load his plate up with bacon and told the server, I'll have the bacon that he didn't get'."

Smith recently married Capt. Maggie J. (Bradley) Smith before both deployed to Kuwait before the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom, she is with 9th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.

CW3 Kyran Kennedy

Like another Democrat named Kennedy from Massachusetts, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kyran Kennedy knew the value of doing what you can do for your country, recalled his friend Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jimmy McElhaney.

Kennedy, a native Bostonian and resident of Hopkinsville, Ky., loved a political debate among friends, which the Republican McElhaney was happy to give him over a cup of morning coffee.

Kennedy was the crew's safety officer, a responsibility he never took lightly. "He always came up with a way to do it safely," said McElhaney during the ceremony. "He was never there to say, no, we can't do it.' He just came up with other, safer ways to do it."

Kennedy was in his 16th year in the Army when his helicopter went down Friday. He is survived by his wife Kathy and children Christopher, 11, Kaitlyn, 9, and Kevin, 3.

Staff Sgt. Paul Neff

"He left us doing what he loved to do: fly," said Sgt. First Class Jerardo Gamino. "If he were standing here today, he would tell his soldiers, get in that aircraft, fly, do your job."

Neff was an honest non-commissioned officer, remembered his friend. He loved the Army, having grown up in Columbia, South Carolina, just miles from the Army's Fort Andrew Jackson. "He performed his job in an efficient, professional manor," said Gamino.

Neff asked his girlfriend Sabrina Campbell to marry him before the 101st Airborne Division deployed to Kuwait. She said yes. Neff is survived by Sabrina and his seven-year-old son Christopher.

Staff Sgt. Scott Rose

Like his crew-mate Kennedy, Staff Sgt. Scott Rose was born in Boston. He is the son of a retired colonel and father of five-month old Megan, his first child with wife Michele. He had never meet Megan.

Sgt. Bradley Green remembered the day his friend celebrated the Megan's birth this past summer. "He came to me and asked me if I was as nervous as he was when my daughter was born. Of course I said yes, and we talked for hours about being a dad and how wonderful it will be when we go home."

Just before Rose flew his last mission, he told Green that he would soon be leaving the unit to teach Advanced Individual Training in Fort Eustis, Va. Green told his friend that he would miss him. Rose replied facetiously, "you're not going to get all weepy eyed on me?"

"Well Scott, you got me all weepy eyed now."