Sergeant First Class Hilric E. Pechie was born in Smithfield, RI on 8 July 1921. He served in the US Army from February 1941 to August 1945 during WWII. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. He also served in the US Navy from 1950 to 1952. He enlisted in Company D, 16th Special Forces Group, RIARNG in 1963. He completed the Basic Airborne Course, Fort Benning, GA in 1963 at the age of 42. He was discharged from the RIARNG on 9 September 1964.
On 19 February 1984 he was piloting a paraplane which took off from the Pepperell MA airport. The aircraft struck tree tops and dived into the Nashua River. He was strapped into the submerged aircraft. He was freed by rescue workers from the Pepperell Fire Department and rushed to St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua, NH where he died shortly after arrival.
He is buried in Lot 224, the Greenwood section of Highland Memorial Park, Johnston, RI.
