Flags at Half-Staff Saturday to Honor Hawaii-Born Pilot

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has ordered that the US and Hawaii state flags will be flown at half-staff Saturday in honor of a Hawaii-born Air Force pilot killed April 27 in Afghanistan.

Capt. Reid Nishizuka. Courtesy photo.

Capt. Reid Reid Kijiro Nishizuka, 30, was born in Honolulu and graduated from Kailua High School in 2000. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2005 he joined the service where he accumulated 2,434 flying hours, more than half of that in combat.

Nishizuka was serving with the 4427^th Reconnaissance Squadron when his MC-12 aircraft crashed in Zabul province, about 110 miles northeast of Kandahar Airfield.

Three other crew members also died.

Memorial services will be held Saturday on Oahu.