Brother of victim killed in Florida military chopper crash still waiting for answers

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- For the first time, a Tomball man is speaking about the military helicopter crash that killed his brother.

The first thing you see inside Bob Strother's home is a memorial to his younger brother, David.

"He'll always be here," said Strother.

There are David's medals and bars and photos that represent his service to his country and his ultimate sacrifice.

"I just see him. Every time I close my eyes I see him," Strother said of late brother.

David was George David Strother, a Chief Warrant Officer 4 in the Louisiana Army National Guard. He, thee other guardsmen and seven Marines were killed March 10 when the UH-60M Black Hawk he was helping pilot crashed off the northwest coast of Florida during a training exercise. Strother had talked to him the day before and it was the last time they spoke.

"The little information we have received, David was courageous throughout the whole thing. He kept his composure and I was happy to hear that," Strother said.

Strother had spent more than 25 years in the National Guard, had almost 2500 flight hours and 700 combat hours through through tours of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. The Strothers are from central Louisiana but many family members now live in Houston where they anxiously await answers.

"Was it equipment failure? Was is operator error? Was it the weather?" questioned Strother.

He says he wants the military to learn from the accident and move on so that other servicemen and women don't face the same fate.