Corporal Kirchner (Michael Penzel) has passed away at the age of 64.
Formerly a United States Army paratrooper, Penzel's door to the wrestling world was opened by Hulk Hogan, who introduced him to his eventual trainer, Verne Gagne. He would start working for the WWF under the name of 'RT Reynolds' before adopting the Corporal Kirchner moniker. During his tenure with the promotion, he is perhaps best remembered for his feud with Nikolai Volkoff, which included a victory at WrestleMania 2 in a Flag Match.
After leaving the WWF in 1987, Penzel made his way to Japan where he performed as 'Leatherface,' borrowing from Tobe Hooper's 1974 classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Penzel would continue wrestling until his retirement in 2004.
In 2011, WWE.com released a two-part 'Where Are They Now' interview with Corporal Kirchner that can be seen here.
On behalf of Fightful, we send our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Corporal Kirchner.