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<em>Scott Patrick Pace</em> was born in Portland, OR on June 3, 1979, the son of Patrick Mack Pace and Kathryn Susan Pace. In 1980, he moved with his parents to Brawley, CA, where he grew up with his younger brother and sister, Richard Berrett Pace and Brooke Kathryn (Pace) Manriquez. He attended Miguel Hidalgo and Phil Swing elementary schools, as well as Barbara Worth Junior High School, and graduated from Brawley Union High School with the class of 1997.</p>
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Scott was always active as a youth. He was a newspaper carrier for the <em>Imperial Valley Press</em> and was awarded the 1995 California Newspaper Carrier Foundation, Inc., Publisher’s Award in San Francisco. He was an Eagle Scout in Troop 29 and received the Duty to God Award. He loved sports, playing Little League baseball, swimming, and soccer, but he had a special passion for basketball. In high school, he earned varsity letters in basketball and swimming. He was named as a member of the 1997 First Team All-Desert Valley League basketball team. He was also a nominee to the 1997 McDonald’s High School All-America team. He was named the Brawley Union High School Outstanding Winter Athlete for 1997. He was active in other school activities, including holding various class and school offices. He received the Rotary Youth Leadership Award and was a delegate to the American Legion California Boys State. He was a good student, graduating fifth in his class and receiving the United States Army Reserve Scholar/Athlete Award and the United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award.</p>
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He attended Brigham Young University for one year after high school and then served a two-year mission in Cordoba, Argentina for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Following his mission, Scott returned to his studies at Brigham Young University. During his sophomore year, he received a congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy from Congressman Duncan Hunter of the 52nd District of California. Scott entered West Point in July of 2001 as a member of the Class of 2005.</p>
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At the Academy, Scott was active in athletics, earning varsity letters in basketball and sprint football. He also played on the West Point Handball Team. In his junior year, his team won the Division II USA Handball National Championship, and Scott was named most valuable player for the championship Tournament. During his senior year, the team won the Air Force Invitational Tournament and took second place in the Collegiate Team Handball National finals; Scott was named to both All-Tournament teams. He majored in nuclear engineering and graduated from the Academy with his brother Rick on May 28, 2005.</p>
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Following graduation, Scott entered flight school at Fort Rucker, AL, where he earned his wings and flew the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter. His first assignment was with the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY. He served as an aviation platoon leader, battalion battle captain, brigade aviation planner, and battalion operations officer. He completed two deployments to Iraq back-to-back, spending some 20 months in country. Upon his return, Scott was stationed at Fort Huachuca, AZ, where he attended the Captain’s Career Course in Military Intelligence. He was then assigned to the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. In December 2010, Scott took command of Fox Troop as a captain. As an aviation troop commander, he deployed to Afghanistan in September 2011. His troop included both Kiowa and Apache helicopters posted at Bagram Air Base.</p>
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On June 6, 2012, Scott was flying a routine patrol. His co-pilot was First Lieutenant Mathew Fazzari from Walla Walla, WA. While returning to base to refuel, they were notified that an infantry unit in the Qarabagh District, Ghazni Province was being ambushed and taking casualties. Despite running low on fuel, Scott and Mat rushed back to assist, along with another helicopter. As pilot-in-command, Scott coordinated with the infantry unit on the ground to stand down while the helicopters made three passes laying down suppressive fire. On the third pass, enemy machine gun fire tore into the hydraulic system on Scott and Mat’s helicopter, causing it to plummet to the earth, killing them both. However, as a result of their efforts, the infantry unit escaped, and a major Taliban commander and other enemy fighters were killed.</p>
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If Scott had come home when he was supposed to, in September 2012, he would have spent some 33 of the previous 53 months deployed in the Middle East.</p>
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During his military career, Scott served with distinction. He received two Army Air Medals (one with the V device for valor), two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Badge, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with a Campaign Star), an Iraq Campaign Medal (with two Campaign Stars), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Aviator Badge, three Overseas Service Ribbons, National Defense Service Medal, the Global War On Terror Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon.</p>
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Above all, Scott is remembered for his kind spirit and big smile. His family and many friends recall fondly his sense of humor, which he shared through his Scottielandia emails, and his many acts of selfless service. His life was full of adventure and accomplishment, the greatest of which was that he touched the lives of so many people—many more than he ever realized. While we miss him dearly, we cannot help but smile when we remember him.</p>
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<em>— by Patrick M. Pace, Scott’s father, on February 8, 2017</em></p>