Service: A Navy SEAL at War (39 page)

Read Service: A Navy SEAL at War Online

Authors: Marcus Luttrell

Tags: #Biography & Autobiography, #Military, #Nonfiction, #Retail

Three times during those brutal months, K Company took casualties bad enough to knock it off the line. Each time, it came back from combat-ineffective status. In Operation Adair, a five-day operation fought in June, it suffered nine KIA from just two
platoons, which have about forty men apiece. The officer who replaced Lieutenant Tilley, Captain Joseph Tenney, was hit in back of the head and evacuated. Declared combat-ineffective once again, the K/3/5 returned in September to take part in another major operation. Back in command, Captain Tenney earned a Silver Star.

By the end of those six months, the Marines in the valley, though outnumbered in every fight, had destroyed most of the NVA division facing them. Six members of the K/3/5 received Silver Stars. But the triumph came at a high price: from April to December of 1967, the North Vietnamese boasted of killing more Americans in the Que Son Valley than anywhere else. The Marines soon began calling Road 534 the Road of Ten Thousand Pains, a phrase taken from Homer’s
Iliad
.

At the Rio Rio Cantina in San Antonio the night I met up with him and his unit, R. V. Burgin, the anchor of the Old Breed, held court and served as emcee. He had been the group’s treasurer for twenty-one years, taking care of the funds that paid for Marine Corps monuments that stand today on Peleliu and Okinawa. Just as Mr. Burgin looked up to his senior enlisted leadership—hard veterans of Guadalcanal, such as his first sergeant, Mo Darsey, or his sergeant, Johnny Marmet—the Vietnam generation looked up to him. The Marines who enlisted to fight in Vietnam didn’t need a history book to tell them what they’re all about. They had the World War II generation to look back to—and they did. “We never qualified to carry these guys’ mess gear,” said Harvey Newton, who served in the K/3/5 as a nineteen-year-old lance corporal in Vietnam.

I don’t endorse Mr. Newton’s modesty, because the legacy of K Company’s valor got a new chapter in Vietnam, and it’s gotten
one in our time as well. A Marine of my generation who served with the K/3/5, my friend Jeremiah Workman—a mortarman just like Mr. Burgin—received a Navy Cross for his actions during the Battle of Fallujah in December 2004. In April 2011, when Third Battalion returned from Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jeremiah’s company had taken record casualties for a Marine Corps unit its size on a single deployment in the modern era: twenty-five KIA and another 140 wounded, including more than a dozen amputees. In spite of that bloody record, its instances of post-traumatic stress have been almost nil, largely thanks to the way the families of the veterans have circled up and looked after each other back at Camp Pendleton.

It takes that kind of close brotherhood to get by. I’ll never forget how the brotherhood circled around the Tumilson family in Rockford, Iowa. The SEAL family held close to them, ensuring JT isn’t forgotten. At the funeral, the presiding pastor recited from Psalm 18:

He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.

You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.

This might be the Bible’s most powerful call to military service. Those of us who are forged in that vision can relate to the
way R. V. Burgin sums up his service: “What sticks with me now is not so much the pain and terror and sorrow of the war, though I remember that well enough. What really sticks with me is the honor I had of defending my country, and of serving in the company of these men.”

I see it all as a single piece of fabric. Americans should never forget that the founders of this country, like all who have served her in uniform, were willing to die defending everything its flag represents. It’s so easy to get lost in the controversies that divide us. But I believe, no matter what our race, religion, or beliefs may be, that Americans should be able to come together to keep our country rooted in what made it great: a land of opportunity, a place where people can make something of themselves, limited only by their imaginations and willingness to work hard; a country where we all can come together, whatever our differences, for the greater good; a country of hands up, not handouts, where we try to live by the meaning of the words “Love thy neighbor,” and put as much effort into helping others as we do helping ourselves. By doing those things, we can continue to live up to the idea of
One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Epilogue
The Flaming Ferris Wheel Spins

T
oday, Boss is still working in a classified capacity on a team that will be bringing hell to terrorists worldwide. He recently got hold of the original drawings that JT had used as a model for the elaborate Oriental carp design he had on his right arm. As I write this, Boss is finishing the last installment of the painful, eighteen-hour process to inscribe this work of everlasting art into his left arm. “Art, life, and remembrance of living through pain and loss,” Boss calls it. The ultimate tribute to a brother, fallen but not forgotten.

Prior to August 6, 2011, I was looking forward to nothing more than seeing Morgan return to Texas. His bags were just about packed in Virginia Beach as he finished his med boards. He was playing out time, waiting for his exit letter from the Navy. He was planning to shift gears, maybe go to graduate school, or even run for political office. He was also going to get busy working with me on the Lone Survivor Foundation.

But when JT, Matt Mills, Trey Vaughn and all the others went down, Morgan had a change of heart. It was an immediate decision on his part, though he didn’t tell me about it for a few weeks. He didn’t want to give me any distractions as we prepared to celebrate JT’s life in Iowa. Morgan knew right away what he
needed to do: he was staying in the teams and going back for another deployment, in honor of his fallen brothers.

Morgan went to his command, pulled his retirement papers, and told them he wanted to become operational again. He’s in the training cycle now and will be serving back in the Sandbox by the time this book is published. It will be his tenth combat tour. And he wasn’t the only frog to walk that path after this latest tragedy hit our community.

The war in Afghanistan may end someday, as the war in Iraq officially has. We’ll see headlines about the drawdown of conventional forces, leaving all the problems to the locals to deal with. For our special operations forces, however, employment opportunities downrange will continue to be plentiful—and more dangerous, after the Army and Marine Corps aren’t around to secure the areas we operate in.

It’s hard for me to express what all this means to me. Maybe words just can’t say the things that come so deeply from the heart. It’s a feeling that comes from experience, from blood, sweat, and mourning. There are many reasons why my military service has meant so much to me—and to those who have come before me and those who are yet to deploy. It isn’t the danger by itself. It’s the brotherhood, the bonds you form with people who, like you, are willing to give everything away for a greater good. The brotherhood carries on, and in this way, and in ways you’ll never read about, the flaming Ferris wheel really does continue to spin.

The urge to serve something larger than myself drew me into the military, and serving for nine years has taught me a few things. But service in the military isn’t the only way to go. Now that I’m out of uniform, I see that my deployments were only the beginning, a workup for whatever the rest of my years call me to do.
You can serve your family, and put their needs in front of yours. You can do the same thing in your community, your town, and your city. I think all of us who serve—in any type of uniform—can arrive at this broader view of service faster than most other people, because of what we go through.

Service is selflessness—the opposite of the lifestyle that we see so much of in America today. The things that entertain us don’t often lift us up, or show us as the people we can rise up to become. The people who appear in this book—and others who did things I can’t talk about—are my role models. They quietly live out the idea expressed in the Bible (John 15:13): “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

But you don’t have to be a Christian, or even particularly religious, to serve. You just have to be willing to understand your place and put yourself at the end of the line. Still, my faith has helped me toward a deeper understanding of what service really means. You do what’s expected of you, and more. You look after others, and put their welfare ahead of your own. You don’t worry about the big purpose of it all—it’s beyond your pay grade. But if you do the small things right long enough, you might find yourself coming out the other side having done something important.

It’s an evolution you follow, a tour on the great Ferris wheel, which doesn’t have to burn. It never stops turning until the day you take your last breath. And you hope that by the time you leave this earth, it will be a better place than it was when you got here. The causes you’ve served in your life will have meant something. Someone will have picked up on your work, run with a legacy you left behind, and used it to put his or her own stamp on the world.

All I can really tell you after walking this particular path is that I’m proud to have served my country. I know that part of me will always bleed with the teams, and that my time in uniform, which at the moment seems so long, has been just a short chapter in a far longer book, and brief preparation for what the future holds.

Thank you, God, for all these days.

SEALs and Underwater
Demolition Team Members
Killed in Action, 1943–Present
Pirro, Carmon F.
December 30, 1943
Anzio
Donnell, John Gerald
January 30, 1944
Anzio
Olson, Richard Roderick
February 4, 1944
Unknown
Tascillo, Matteo
February 17, 1944
Marshall Islands
Abbott, George L.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Alexander, Henry Richard
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Bussell, John Edward
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Cook, John William
June 6, 1944
Normandy
DeGregorio, Carmine
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Demmer, Peter Mathew
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Dillon, Thomas Justin
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Dombek, Walter Joseph
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Doran, William Robert
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Drew, Elmer Malcolm
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Duncan, Harold E.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Fabich, Henry Samuel
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Fleming, Andrew Jackson
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Fuller, John Anthony Sr.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Gouinlock, George Linzy
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Goulder, Preston Hardaway
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Greenfield, Edward Joseph
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Harang, Richard David
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Herring, Clifford Palmer
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Hickey, Arthur Burton
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Holtman, Orvid J.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Hudson, Alton E.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Jacobson, John A.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Jarosz, Edward Anthony
June 6, 1944
Normandy
McDermott, John Daniel
June 6, 1944
Normandy
McGeary, Donald C.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Millis, Conrad Clarence
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Mingledorff, Ozie Claud Jr.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Olive, Jesse D.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Perkins, Frank James
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Pienack, Raymond Rudolph
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Sullivan, Maurice Francis Jr.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Vetter, Alvin Edward
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Weatherford, Milton Parker
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Weckman, Lawrence I.
June 6, 1944
Normandy
Weidner, Albert Garhardt
June 14, 1944
Saipan
Christensen, Robert V.
June 16, 1944
Saipan
Blowers, Ralph A.
July 15, 1944
Guam
Nixon, Thomas Dervus
July 21, 1944
Guam
Black, Robert Armstrong
August 14, 1944
Yap
MacMahon, John Churchill
September 2, 1944
Yap
Roeder, Howard Livingston
September 2, 1944
Yap
Audibert, Benoit Bernard
October 18, 1944
Leyte
Kasman, Brennan W.
October 18, 1944
Leyte
Lauderdale, Kenneth Broughton
October 19, 1944
Leyte
Tilton, Edward
October 19, 1944
Leyte
Blettel, David
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Castillo, Guadalupe
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Gamache, Wilfred Dolar
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Hopkins, Robert Lee
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Lewis, William Robert
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Malfeo, Marvin Antonio
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
McKnight, Thomas Rex
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Rodriquez, James Lawrence
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Rossart, Joseph William
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Scoggins, F. P.
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Sugden, William Lloyd
January 12, 1945
USS
Belknap
Anderson, Edward Wilson
February 17, 1945
Iwo Jima
Sumpter, Frank Warren
February 17, 1945
Iwo Jima
Yates, Lee Carlton
February 17, 1945
Iwo Jima
Allen, Kermit
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Beason, Edwin Albert
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Blackwood, Buress Lee
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Blanot, Harry Thomas
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Davis, Paul Harrison
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Dolan, Patrick Raymond
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Flemming, Joseph Leo
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Gordon, Paul Eugene
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Hilke, Earl Everett
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Kalman, Louis Emery
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Maki, Eugene Elmer
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Mecale, John
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Rodman, James Emerson
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Runnels, Adrian
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Szych, Chester
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Watkins, Thomas Jackson
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Willbanks, Herman Delmar
February 18, 1945
USS
Blessman
Lynch, Francis Joseph
March 30, 1945
Okinawa
Bock, Leonard Joseph Jr.
April 9, 1945
USS
Hopping
Masden, Charles F.
June 8, 1945
Balikpapan
Frey, Edward Ivan Jr.
January, 19, 1951
Korea
Satterfield, Paul Veston
January, 19, 1951
Korea
Fay, Robert Joseph
October 28, 1965
Vietnam
Gough, Marcell Rene
November 29, 1965
Vietnam
Machen, Billy Wayne
August 19, 1966
Vietnam
Boston, Donald Earl
April 7, 1967
Vietnam
Mann, Daniel McCarthy
April 7, 1967
Vietnam
Neal, Ronald Keith
April 21, 1967
Vietnam
Patrick, Donnie Lee
May 15, 1968
Vietnam
Funk, Leslie Harold Jr.
October 6, 1967
Vietnam
Antone, Frank George
December 23, 1967
Vietnam
Mahner, Lin Albert
May 25, 1969
Vietnam
Nicholas, David Lamprey
October 17, 1969
Vietnam
Wolfe, Richard Ogden
November 30, 1969
Vietnam
Ashton, Curtis Morris
December 27, 1969
Vietnam
Brewton, John Cooke
January 11, 1970
Vietnam
Donnelly, John Joseph III
June 23, 1970
Vietnam
Durlin, John Stewart
June 23, 1970
Vietnam
Gore, James Raymond
June 23, 1970
Vietnam
Solano, Richard John
June 23, 1970
Vietnam
Thomas, Toby Arthur
June 23, 1970
Vietnam
Palma, Luco William
September 18, 1970
Vietnam
Williams, Lawrence C. Jr.
September 18, 1970
Vietnam
Bomar, Frank Willis
December 20, 1970
Vietnam
Riter, James L. Gasman
December 20, 1970
Vietnam
Thames, James Franklin
January 19, 1971
Vietnam
Birky, Harold Edwin
January 30, 1971
Vietnam
Collins, Michael Raymond
March 4, 1971
Vietnam
Moe, Lester James
March 29, 1971
Vietnam
Dry, Melvin Spence
June 6, 1972
Vietnam
Schaufelberger, Albert Arthur III
May 25, 1983
El Salvador
Butcher, Kenneth John
October 23, 1983
Grenada
Morris, Stephen Leroy
October 23, 1983
Grenada
Lundberg, Kevin Erin
October 24, 1983
Grenada
Schamberger, Robert Rudolf
October 24, 1983
Grenada
Connors, John Patrick
December 20, 1989
Panama
McFaul, Donald Lewis
December 20, 1989
Panama
Rodriguez, Isaac Georgetti III
December 20, 1989
Panama
Tilghman, Christopher Chris
December 20, 1989
Panama
Burkhart, Chad Michael
November 24, 2000
Kosovo
Roberts, Neil Christopher
March 5, 2002
Afghanistan
Bourgeois, Matthew Joseph
March 28, 2002
Afghanistan
Retzer, Thomas Eugene
June 26, 2003
Afghanistan
Tapper, David Martin
August 20, 2003
Afghanistan
Ouellette, Brian Joseph
May 29, 2004
Afghanistan
Axelson, Matthew Gene
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Dietz, Danny Phillip Jr.
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Fontan, Jacques Jules
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Healy, Daniel Richard
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Kristensen, Erik Samuel
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Lucas, Jeffrey Alan
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
McGreevy, Michael Martin Jr.
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Murphy, Michael Patrick
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Patton, Shane Eric
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Suh, James Erik
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Taylor, Jeffrey Scott
June 28, 2005
Afghanistan
Lee, Marc Alan
August 2, 2006
Iraq
Monsoor, Michael Anthony
September 29, 2006
Iraq
Schwedler, Joseph Clark
April 6, 2007
Iraq
Lewis, Jason Dale
July 6, 2007
Iraq
Carter, Mark Thomas
December 11, 2007
Iraq
Hardy, Nathan Hall
February 3, 2008
Iraq
Koch, Michael Eugene
February 4, 2008
Iraq
Harris, Joshua Thomas
August 30, 2008
Afghanistan
Freiwald, Jason Richard
September 11, 2008
Afghanistan
Marcum, John Wayne
September 11, 2008
Afghanistan
Job, Ryan
September 24, 2009
in surgery for wounds sustained in Iraq on August 2, 2006
Brown, Adam Lee
March 18, 2010
Afghanistan
Thomas, Collin Trent
August 18, 2010
Afghanistan
Looney, Brendan John
September 21, 2010
Afghanistan

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