Air Force Maj. David L. Brodeur, 34, of Auburn, Mass.
Major Brodeur was assigned to 11th Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; died April 27, 2011 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from gunfire from an Afghan military trainee.
TOM ROEDER
THE GAZETTE
Maj. David Brodeur, an Air Force Academy graduate and spouse of a Colorado Springs native, was one of nine Americans killed Wednesday when a gunman opened fire in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The Alaska-based fighter pilot and father of two married his wife Susan in the academy’s chapel in 2000, a year after he graduated, said his father-in-law, Frank Williams of Colorado Springs.
“He was the perfect son-in-law, if there is such a thing,” Williams said. “I couldn’t wait for him to come home so he could take me fishing.”
A Massachusetts-native, Brodeur deployed in February to train Afghan air force pilots.
The Iraq veteran had worked as an executive officer to the commander of the Alaska-based 11th Air Force at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
“He just liked the Air Force and he loved to fly,” Williams said. “He’s so good at it.”
Williams said the major was as good at being a father as he was at handling high-speed planes.
“David had a four-year-old son who couldn’t wait for him to come home so he could teach him how to play baseball and a seven-year-old girl who is a straight A student,” Williams said.
Brodeur had looked forward to his work in Afghanistan.
His motivations were simple, Williams said.
“He’s a very patriotic person,” Williams said. “He loves this country.”
The family is finalizing plans to bury Brodeur at the Air Force Academy.
AUBURN, Mass. - With over 400 participants, the First Annual Major David L. Brodeur Memorial Foundation 5K Walk Run on 10/16/11, exceeded their fundraising goal last weekend.
Although the entry fees accumulated more than $8,000 in donations corporate sponsors including Unibank, Webster Five, Materman’s and Best Buy among many others, grew the fund to over $10,000.
Air Force Major David L. Brodeur, a graduate of Auburn High School, was recently killed in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The 34-year-old U.S. fighter pilot was serving as a NATO trainer in Afghanistan when he and eight other Americans were shot and killed by an Afghan Air Force cadet at the Kabul International Airport on April 27, 2011.
The First Annual Major David L. Brodeur 5K Walk / Run was held at the North American Martyrs Church located at 8 Wyoma Drive in Auburn on Sunday.
"A group of his classmates got together and we decided that we wanted to do something positive," former classmate and Board of Directors Member Jake Kusy said.
"We decided to make it a 5k run and walk because he was an amazing track and field athlete," he said.
Kusy, who graduated with Brodeur from Auburn High School in 1994, designed the 5K route along the same roads he used to run every day after school with his former teammate.
Funding raised from the event will go to The Major David Brodeur Memorial Foundation, a newly formed non-profit organization.
According to President of the Board of Directors for the Foundation Tim Morse, the mission of the Foundation is to honor the life of Major David Brodeur by working collaboratively with Auburn High School students to provide grants in the areas of academics, athletics, and extra-curricular activities.
According to former classmates, Brodeur was someone that everyone could get along with. In addition to track, he played several other sports in high school including soccer and baseball. He was also an honor student and served as president of the student council.
Brodeur leaves his wife, Susan, two children, Elizabeth and David, his parents Lawrence and Joyce of Sutton and siblings Todd and Amanda.
Air Force Maj. David L. Brodeur was killed in action on 4/27/11.
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