RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia State Police have paid tribute to the troopers whose helicopter crashed during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville last year.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Wednesday that a helicopter pad has been named after Trooper-Pilot Berke Bates, who had earned the “pilot” in his title a month before his Aug. 12 death.
Superintendent Col. Gary T. Settle said he hopes the memorial brings pride and fond memories for Bates’ wife, two children, friends and colleagues. He also hopes police academy trainees who run by the helipad will want to “find out more about the man Berke Bates, and also understand his ultimate sacrifice.”
Also killed was Lt. H. Jay Cullen, who was piloting the helicopter while Bates operated its camera. An aviation hanger in Chesterfield was renamed in his honor.
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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.richmond.com
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