Five years ago today a US Chinook helicopter was shot down west of Kabul, Afghanistan. There were no survivors. 31 American lives were lost. These men had ‘The Guts to Try’ and we must never forget them.
From the Joint Special Operations Association.
The attacks your great country have endured over the last few weeks are unfathomable. We grieve for your wounded and fallen, hoping for a new day, free from acts of senseless violence.
When I was a kid, I read about Larry Dring’s Army exploits and they definitely influenced my own service. For example, I was often in hot water over being in the wrong uniform.
Unfortunately, he passed away even before I joined the Army myself, but I often went back and read the accounts written by SF Veteran Jim Morris and published in Soldier of Fortune magazine. To me, he was a hero.
Today is the anniversary of his death and I thought I’d introduce this legend to my readers.
I recently ran across a great memorial website, complete with scans of the SOF articles, and found out that Larry’s son also served in the Army. They put a lot of work into it, so be sure to go check it out.
vietnamveteransmemoral.homestead.com/dringlarry
Paying tribute to 174 American Heroes and the six units that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation.
The memorial also pays tribute to the eight men that were killed on the daring hostage rescue mission in Iran in 1980. These men had the “Guts to Try” and this mission was the genesis of JSOC.
Artifacts incorporated into the JSOC memorial
1)Sand/Pebble from the DESERT ONE crashsite. Encapsulated and placed in the foundation wall of the memorial. Donated by pilots from Operation Eagle Claw.
2)WTC Steel. The swords on the JSOC Emblem are forged from WTC Steel, donated by FDNY. These swords are forged by an alumni of the command.
3)Pentagon Limestone from the remains of the Pentagon attack on 9/11. This stone forms the foundation on which the JSOC emblem rests.
4)Soil/Rock from United Flight 93 crash site. This soil fills the Pentagon cavity that the JSOC emblem rests on. Always reminding us of the patriotism and heroism of Americans….. “Let’s Roll”
100% of funds raised will go to this memorial. Donations are Tax-Deductible, Tax ID is: 26-0801248
Planned dedication is October 22 – the anniverary of JSOC.
This memorial will be the ONLY memorial that pulls together the collective sacrifice of the units that make up JSOC.
It will serve as a constant reminder to the men and women that serve in JSOC, as well as to those who visit the organization.
www.gofundme.com/JSOC-Memorial
Tonight we’ve already lost several Law Enforcement Officers in Dallas, Texas and many more are wounded. If you’re out in the streets, stay safe, and that goes for everybody.
May those who have fallen in the line of duty, Rest In Peace. May those who are wounded, heal quickly.
In the early morning hours, an Islamic terrorist with possible ties to ISIS attacked a packed night club in Orlando, Florida. He killed 50 and wounded another 53 before he could be stopped by law enforcement who took his life in a gun battle.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.
Over the last several years our homeland has been attacked multiple times by militant Islamists. As a nation, we must become vigilant and we must be prepared to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
To no more victims of terrorism!
“Into The Breach” remains just as poignant today as it was when Crye Precision presented this tribute to our fallen on Memorial Day 2013.
Memorial Day, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May, originated in 1868 as Decoration Day. The day was established as a time for the nation to come together after the Civil War to decorate the graves of fallen Civil War Soldiers with flowers. Decoration Day was officially changed to Memorial Day in 1971, extending the observance to honor all Americans who died while in military service.
Pictured: A Civil War Veteran salutes with a Boy Scout and a Soldier at a grave-site in Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago, Ill., Decoration Day, 1927.
Chicago Daily News photo courtesy of The Library of Congress
