- Date Of Birth: May 2, 1986
- Date Of Death: November 20, 2019
- State: Texas
Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Charles Knadle was born on May 2, 1986 in Newark, Texas to Edward A. and Charlene J. Knadle from Florida. He was raised in Fort Worth, Texas with his three brothers: Michael, Jonathan and Stephen Knadle. David graduated early from Richland High School in 2003. David attended Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, TX and graduated in 2008 as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)).
David met his wife, Precious Silkey and her son, Eason Daniel Bertone, while he was working as an Account Executive managing factoring accounts at Apex Capital in Fort Worth. He left Apex to follow his dreams and to serve his country as an aviator by joining the U.S. Army in November 5, 2012. David attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment. David became a warrant officer candidate, attending the Warrant Officer Career College at Fort Rucker, Alabama. David and Silkey were blessed by the arrival of their precious daughter, Starling Grace Knadle, on April 3, 2014. Through rigorous training, studying and innumerable hours of flight hours, David graduated Warrant Officer Basic Course as an aviator, favoring the AH-64E, Apache helicopter.
CW2 Knadle’s first duty station was Fort Hood, Texas, at the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. CW2 Knadle spent 28 months as a member of the Charlie Company “Vampires” as an Aircraft Armament Maintenance Officer, and in that time achieved the distinction of being a qualified pilot. In August 2017, CW2 Knadle transitioned to Bravo Company “Reapers” to assume the role of Mission Planner and deployed to Germany. CW2 Knadle achieved his certification as a Pilot Instructor that same year.
In October 2019, CW2 Knadle was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force Knight Hawk in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, attached to 10th Mountain Division. CW2 Knadle, with his forward pilot and friend, CW2 Takeshi Fuchigami, passed away in an aircraft accident that occurred in the mountains of the Logar Province, Afghanistan on November 20, 2019.
CW2 David Knadle’s commendations include the Bronze Star, Army Aviator Badge, Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and two Army Achievement Medals.
David is survived by his loving wife, Silkey, his step-son, Eason and his beautiful daughter, Starling. His father, Edward and mother Charlene Knadle and brothers, Michael, Jonathan and Stephen Knadle and Stephen’s wife, Gabriella Knadle. David’s Grandmother, Kay F. Johnson resides in the Highlands, NC. David is beloved by so many in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends from all walks of life. David is preceded in death by his maternal Grandfather Naval Chief Petty Officer Charles A. Johnson and his paternal Grandfather, Wesley M. Knadle and Grandmother Elaine M. Knadle.
