Pilot Killed Fighting Yosemite Wildfire ID'd As Former U.S. Navy Pilot

YOSEMITE (CBS SF) -- The pilot killed in a crash while fighting a wildfire in Yosemite National Park has been identified as a retired Navy pilot.

Craig Hunt was flying a Cal Fire S-2T air tanker while fighting a fire in Yosemite National Park when the plane crashed Tuesday afternoon.

Craig received a Master's degree in Biochemistry at UCSC, and was in the US Naval Reserves after serving from 1975-1984 as a P3 pilot.

He was remembered by his family as an active man with many interests.

"My dad died a hero. There was not a day that went by that I didn't talk to my dad. He was my best friend," his daughter Sarah Hunt Lauterbach said.