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| The SEALS come forward. Photo by Susan Katz Keating |
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Photo by Susan Katz Keating    |
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Warrior's Farewell, Part 3: The SEALs Say Goodbye to Brendan Looney
This is the final installment of my report on the service at Arlington for brave Navy SEAL Brendan Looney. When the official service was over, the other SEALs filed forward to show their respects. One by one, they removed their treasured Tridents from their uniforms... and pounded them, with their fists, into Brendan Looney's casket. Afterwards, I counted some 82 Tridents. Rarely will anyone have the honor to witness such a beautiful display of brotherhood, respect, and love. I am humbled that the SEALs allowed my friend Jan and me to bear witness. These are the men who will rescue a prisoner from pirates on board the open sea, without harming so much as a hair on the captive's head. These are the men who will jump, in the pitch of night, into remote rough waters. These are the men who defend us with their very lives. They are among our nation's finest. Before you look at the photos, I ask that you take a moment to bow your head in gratitude.
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17 comments:
Well Done, Mizz Susan.
Very Well Done...
I, for one, was well aware of this practice, but your presentation was/is just right. Thanks.
I'm not at all sure when the practice began. Might be a post for later?
Just now my mind is elsewhere, again thanks.
*Thank you,* Mr. T.
Pons-D, I did learn how this got started. Someone at the service told me the story. I will confirm the details, and will indeed post this at a later date.
Thank you.
Thank you indeed. God Bless all our shipmates, and those who go in harm's way on our behalf.
Mrs. Katz,
It would behoove for you to exercise a little PERSEC (personnel security) and blur the photos of those operators
1. The SEALs gave permission for their pictures to be used.
2. When they go operational, their faces aren't going to look like they do in the pictures.
3. The people who would recognize them from those photos already know who they are and what they do.
That was awesome and humbling to read, thank you for posting this.
Thank you, C.I. : )
First heard of this practice (and immediately lost peripheral vision discipline for a time) from Froggy:
http://froggyruminations.blogspot.com/2005_07_01_archive.html
http://froggyruminations.blogspot.com/2005/07/seal-memorial-at-punchbowl.html
Thank you for bearing witness.
Froggy,
Thank you for the kind words, and for the links to your evocative posts. Thank you for your service to our country.
No no no, I'm not Froggy, I'm a broken down civilian who never took that sort of step. Sea Cadets was as far as I went.
Froggy is a retired SEAL and a certifiable bad mofo.
Don't mistake me for him, he's a better gent than I.
Heh. Been a long day.
Joke's even more on me. I sent Froggy an email telling him I appreciate him taking the time to comment, blah blah blah....
And I do appreciate YOUR comment.
Think it's time for that nap I've been promising myself...
Hi Susan
I am Bridget Looney...Brendan Looney's sister. I was wondering if I could get a hold of the photos you took from Brendan's services.
Let me know please of this could work
Thanks
Bridget Looney
Hi Bridget, Yes, absolutely. Anything you need - it's yours. My very best wishes and condolences to you and your family. Thank you all for your service to our country - because, as you well know, the families also serve. Some of these pictures were taken by my friend Jan. I will email her and let her know you got in touch. You can email me at
Skeating428@aol.com, and tell me where to send them.
I found this story when it was posted on the Boys of 3/5 page. The administrator posted it to explain how the SEALs honor their dead. I am choked up and barely able to write this but I had to say thank you SKK from the bottom of my heart.
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