Project Hero: Lest we forget Posted by: McQ
on Saturday, May 27, 2006
A bit of a departure this week from the normal Project Hero posts where we feature one hero and his story. Today we honor those that have fallen in keeping with the Memorial Day observance.
All the other wars we've ever fought have monuments to those who gave their last full measure: their lives. The war in which we're presently engaged doesn't yet have such a monument. But I thought, as a fitting memorial for all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who have died might be respectfully symbolized by a tribute to a few. After the disservice and dishonor a fake Ranger attempted to bring down on that elite fighting force, I felt it was only appropriate that we honor those members of Special Operations who've lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Take a moment and read their names and give thanks that we have dedicated men and women such as these willing to risk their lives in far away places in the cause of freedom:
The Army Special Operations Command added 49 names of soldiers killed this year in Iraq and Afghanistan to its memorial wall, as well as the one who was killed last year but not added to the wall then.
Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom)
Staff Sgt. Leroy E. Alexander, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class Victor H. Cervantes, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Capt. Jeremy A. Chandler, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Staff Sgt. Edwin H. DazaChacon, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Master Sgt. Emigdio E. Elizarraras, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Falkel, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Pfc. Damian J. Garza, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Sgt. 1st Class Chad A. Gonsalves, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Pvt. John M. Henderson Jr., 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Sgt. 1st Class Allen C. Johnson, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
1st Sgt. Tobias C. Meister, 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, San Antonio, Texas.
Sgt. Alberto D. Montrond, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Staff Sgt. Clinton T. Newman, 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, San Antonio, Texas.
Sgt. 1st Class James S. Ochsner, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. Jason T. Palmerton, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Piper, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class James "Tre" Ponder, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Capt. Charles D. Robinson, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class Christopher L. Robinson, 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, Elliott, Miss.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
Master Sgt. Joseph J. Andres Jr., Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. Dale G. Brehm, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Sgt. 1st Class Lance S. Cornett, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class Trevor John Diesing, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Maj. Gregory J. Fester, 322nd CA Bde., Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Staff Sgt. Gary R. Harper Jr., 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Master Sgt. Robert M. Horrigan, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Master Sgt. Ivica Jerak, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Pfc. Dillon M. Jutras, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Kimmell, 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Sgt. 1st Class Obediah J. Kolath, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class Steven M. Langmack, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Cpl. George A. Lutz II, 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group, Fort Bragg.
Master Sgt. Michael L. McNulty, Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence E. Morrison, Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command, Fort Bragg.
Sgt. Regina C. Reali, 351st Civil Affairs Command, Mountain View, Calif.
Cpl. Timothy M. Shea, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
Staff Sgt. Ayman A. Taha, 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Maj. Jeffrey P. Toczylowski, 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Panzer Kaserne, Germany.
Sgt. 1st Class Brett E. Walden, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.
PROJECT HERO is an ongoing attempt to highlight the valor of our military as they fight in both Iraq and Afghanistan. We constantly hear the negative and far to little of the positive and inspiring stories coming out of those countries. This is one small attempt to rectify that. If you know of a story of valor you'd like to see highlighted here (published on Saturday), please contact us. And we'd appreciate your link so we can spread the word.
You ain’t going to buy it, but I’m going to suggest you highlight the two CBS crewman who just died in a recent roadside bomb attack. It doesn’t take anything a way from the courage of the military to observe that there are a lot of journalists trying to get the American public news of what’s happening in their war in Iraq, risking death relatively unarmed, and dying for it.
You highlight the military every week, deservedly (for the sake of argument, I’ll leave it at that) - one mention of dead journalists wouldn’t kill you.
75 or so journalists have died in the Iraq war (I forget if that was total, or just this year). I’d be curious to see the ratio to total journalists and compare it to the ratio for US troops.
It must suck to be a journalist in Iraq, knowing that you’re getting your *ss shot off for an audience back home that mostly hates you.
