SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- He was a wide-eyed boy some 20 years ago, staring up into the Texas sky as the shutter of a camera flicked open, then closed.

While his Little League baseball team sat poised for a photograph, Troy Gilbert's thoughts were elsewhere.

Maybe it was that day that Maj. Troy Gilbert, 34, decided his future wasn't with his feet on the ground. Rather it was soaring through a sun-soaked sky years later as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

Major Gilbert was killed Nov. 27 when his F-16 Falcon crashed 20 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad Air Base, Iraq.

His family, via a press release, said his love for God was the only thing that exceeded his love for flying. His parents, Ron and Kaye Gilbert of Wichita Falls and part of Team Sheppard's extended family, said he conveyed his thoughts of dying in the line of duty.

"He has told us on numerous occasions that if he died in his jet as a peace-loving freedom seeker he would be in heaven and would know a paradise without war, agony, suffering, and pain," they said in the release. "He knew that he was doing his job making this world a better place to raise his children/grandchildren and your children/grandchildren."

According to U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Major Gilbert was providing support to coalition combat operations at the time of the crash. The major was initially listed as "Duty status - Whereabouts unknown" until DNA tests confirmed his death.

He was a 2000 graduate of the 80th Flying Training Wing's Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program.

Major Gilbert was a man of honor who believed in an inevitable good that people possessed. His mother shared a conversation she had with him.

"I asked him one day if he thought we needed to bring the draft back," Kaye Gilbert said. "He said, 'Mom, I believe there are enough truly wonderful, dedicated men and women in our world who will heed the call to arms as the time comes. They won't have to be told to protect and defend our President and this most wonderful, glorious country that we call home.'"

She said he was one of many who were "giving their all in hopes that they are doing something against the triumph of evil."

For people interested in assisting the Gilbert family, two funds have been established. First, Fighter Country Partnership, a community support organization for the men and women of Luke Air Force Base, has established a sub account under the 5013C Foundation for the Gilbert Family.

The title of this account is "The Gilbert Family." Interested members of the public may write a check to "The Gilbert Family" and mail the check to Fighter Country Partnership at 500 North Estrella Parkway, Suite B-2, PMB #479, Goodyear, Arizona, 85338. Fighter Country Partnership emphasizes that this may be a tax deductible donation. For more information, contact Steve Yamamori, FCP executive director, at (602) 369-3531.

To wire money, send to Fighter Country Foundation, Inc., Acct #181290-10, Credit Union West Bank, Routing Number 322172153, Special instructions: Gilbert Family Memorial Fund.

Also, The River Rats, through the Air Warrior Courage Foundation, have set up federal 529 scholarship accounts for the Gilbert children. The foundation is starting each account with an initial $2,000 ($10,000 total).

If you wish to donate to the scholarship funds for the children of Major Gilbert, write a check to the AWCF. In the "For" line, indicate "Gilbert Scholarship Fund," and mail the check to Air Warrior Courage Foundation, P.O. Box 132410, Tyler, Texas, 75713-2410.
Note that the AWCF is a River Rat Foundation set up for these purposes and contributions are tax deductible.

Finally, a Web site, www.gilbertmemorial.org, will be operational this afternoon and will include all the information on how to make a donation to the Gilbert Family Memorial Fund.