A courageous 29-year-old Marine helicopter pilot - killed in Afghanistan days before his third and final tour of duty was to end - was honored yesterday as a “young man of morals” before more than 1,000 mourners attending his North Attleboro funeral.

People carrying flags stood quietly alongside trees tied with yellow ribbons en route to St. Mary’s Church, where bagpipes greeted the body of Capt. Kyle Van De Giesen.