Enduring an inescapable fate stoically is admirable, but it is not the same thing as courage. Suffering stoically a terrible fate that you could have escaped, but that your convictions, your sense of honor, compelled you to accept, is.
—CAPTAIN JOHN MCCAIN, USN (ret.), Why Courage Matters
The core concept of the SEALs is TEAM. To a SEAL, nothing is more important than his teammate. It is that mind-set that keeps all SEALs as safe as possible. It is that mind-set, and the level of training that goes with it, that makes the Navy SEALs the most formidable fighting force on Earth.
While this work would embarrass Michael Murphy, it would be a grave disservice to his legacy not to remember here those members of the SEAL community and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), the Night Stalkers, who answered his call for assistance on June 28, 2005. Those sixteen men willingly ran to their helicopters to undertake their dangerous rescue mission.
Michael was all about TEAM. The following pages are dedicated to the memory of those who paid the ultimate price answering his call. Truly, to paraphrase President Abraham Lincoln’s famous words, these men gave their last full measure of devotion.
Erik S. Kristensen, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy
The only child of retired Navy rear admiral Edward Kristensen, Erik was born on March 15, 1972, in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was accustomed to life on the road, having lived in Japan, Guam, and Washington, D.C. Known as “Spider” to his teammates, he considered Washington, D.C., his home, and graduated from Gonzaga High School in 1990 with academic honors. While at Gonzaga he excelled at football and lacrosse and was musically gifted as a trumpet player, having earned the ranks of first chair, section leader, and co-concert master. An Eagle Scout, he earned numerous academic awards that he never picked up.
Following high school, he attended the academically challenging Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, for a year before attending and subsequently graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1995 with academic honors. During his time at the Academy, Erik majored in English and minored in French, and earned his varsity letter in heavyweight crew.
Following his graduation from the Naval Academy, he was commissioned as an ensign and served in the engineering department of the USS Chandler, a now-decommissioned guided missile destroyer, in Everett, Washington, as fire control officer. While in the Chandler, he earned his surface warfare officer designation. He subsequently served as an officer in the Fleet, with tours as the officer in charge of the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat Detachment at Naval Special Warfare Boat Unit Twelve (SBT-12) in 1999. After his tour of duty with the SEALs, he returned to the Naval Academy and taught English and began graduate studies at St. John’s College in Annapolis.
In 2000, after five years of service, Erik knew he wanted to be a Navy SEAL but was told that he was too old and would not be able to make it. Instead of listening to those who said he could not make it as a SEAL, he chose instead to redouble his efforts to achieve his goal. After failing once to make the SEALs, he tried again. As the oldest member of Class 233 at age twenty-seven, he graduated BUD/S in March 2001.
Overcoming numerous injuries and obstacles, he finally realized his dream and became a SEAL. His first assignment was as the officer in charge of a sixteen-man SEAL platoon at SEAL Team Eight. He then deployed to Afghanistan as a task unit commander for SEAL Team Ten in support of the U.S. Global War on Terror. In that position, he was not obligated to board the rescue helicopter that fateful day in June 2005; however, consistent with the SEAL Creed, there was absolutely no way that he would permit the rescue team to leave without him and his weapon downrange. Erik would never send his men into harm’s way without leading them.
Single and fluent in French, Erik had been selected by the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation as an Olmsted Scholar to attend graduate school at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris, France, and was scheduled to begin his schooling there in 2006.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 stars)
• Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (1 star)
• National Defense Service Medal (1gold star)
• Global War on Terror Service Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (1 star)
• Expert Rifle
• Expert Pistol
Burial and Memorials
With full military honors, the funeral of thirty-three-year-old Lieutenant Commander Erik S. Kristensen was conducted at 10:00 AM on July 19, 2005, in the chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He was buried in the Academy’s cemetery, located on the peninsula overlooking the Severn River and College Creek. There, he remains on permanent station in Section 01-008.
Michael M. McGreevy Jr., Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
The Honor Man of BUD/S Class 230, Lieutenant Michael M. McGreevy Jr. was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 24, 1975. His family moved to Portville, New York, a small town just north of the Pennsylvania border, soon after he was born. While attending Portville High School, he was involved in everything, including the student council, the National Honor Society, wrestling, soccer, ice hockey, and track, setting a school record for the eight-hundred-meter run. While in high school he wanted to take the state Regents exam in German, but his school did not offer that language. Undaunted, he bought German-language books and taught himself so well that he passed the exam. Tall and very thin, he ran more than three miles to school each morning to be there by 6:00 AM so that he could get in a session of strength building before classes started. Accepted for early admission to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, he declined, seeking instead a spot at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, which he received. He served as secretary of his class, graduating in 1997 with a B.S. in mechanical engineering.
Upon receiving his commission, he served aboard USS Oak Hill (LSD-51), a Harper’s Ferry–class landing ship, as the surface warfare officer. His passion was to become a SEAL, however, and so he entered BUD/S training in late 1999, graduating with Class 230 in August 2000 after his second attempt. Known as “Groove” by his friends, he served with SEAL Team Four, volunteered to attend the Army Ranger School, and graduated as Top Ranger, the Rangers’ equivalent of Honor Man.*
He then deployed to Southern Command and conducted foreign internal defense missions and multiple joint-combined exercises with several foreign special operations forces. Upon returning from this deployment, he volunteered for an emergent deployment with SEAL Team Eight to the Crisis Response Element, Joint Special Operations Task Force–Horn of Africa as the assistant officer in charge. Following that tour he transferred to SEAL Team Ten as officer in charge (OIC) of Echo Platoon. As OIC, he deployed in April 2005 to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 stars)
• Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal
• National Defense Service Medal (1 star)
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (1 star)
• Navy Expert Rifle
• Navy Expert Pistol
Burial and Memorials
Lieutenant McGreevy is survived by his wife, Laura, and his daughter, Molly. A private funeral service was conducted at the St. John the Apostle Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Lieutenant Michael McGreevy Jr. was laid to rest with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, “Where Valor Proudly Sleeps,” on October 20, 2005, in Section 60, along with several other of his comrades who perished on June 28, 2005.
Daniel R. Healy, Senior Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy
Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel R. Healy was born on January 17, 1968, in Exeter, New Hampshire. He was the first of five children of his parents, Henry and Natalie Healy. He graduated from Exeter High School in June 1986. After exploring his entrepreneurial spirit by owning his own landscaping business and working as a journeyman electrician for four years, he enlisted in the Navy in 1990, graduating from BUD/S in 1992 with Class 196.
He was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One (SDVT-1) at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from 1992 to 1996. A year of intensive language training at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, followed. He then served at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two at Little Creek, Virginia, before returning to SDVT-1 at Pearl, where he led a training platoon.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart (1 star)
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Achievement Medal
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award
• Meritorious Unit Commendation
• Good Conduct Medal (3 stars)
• National Defense Service Medal
Burial and Memorials
On July 9, 2005, Senior Chief Daniel R. Healy was buried with full military honors at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, California. His funeral was attended by Admiral Joseph Maguire, along with many of his SEAL brothers stationed at Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado and his teammates from SDVT-1 in Pearl Harbor.
Dan’s family organized an East Coast memorial service at Rye Harbor State Park, five miles from Exeter, overlooking the turquoise blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. More than a thousand people, including Judd Gregg, U.S. senator from New Hampshire, and his wife, Kathy, attended the event, which was held on Sunday, July 17, 2005, beneath a beautiful cloudless sky.
In his memory, Dan’s mother established the Daniel R. Healy Memorial Foundation to assist a graduate from Exeter High School who was entering the military or the building trades.
In 2008 the bridge on New Hampshire Route 101 between Manchester and Hampton Beach was renamed the Senior Chief Daniel R. Healy, U.S. Navy SEAL Bridge. That same year the pool in the local park in Exeter was renamed the Senior Chief Daniel R. Healy Memorial Pool.
Eric Shane Patton, Petty Officer Second Class, U.S. Navy
Eric Shane Patton, born on November 15, 1982, at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California, was the second of six children of Valerie and “JJ” Patton. When his parents divorced in 1994, Shane and his brothers moved to Boulder City, Nevada, with their father, a Las Vegas Municipal Court marshal and a former Navy SEAL. At Boulder City High School, he was a member of the baseball team and played guitar in a band called True Story. He also enjoyed skateboarding and surfing. Immediately upon graduation, he enlisted in the Navy with the goal of becoming a SEAL like his father. He graduated with BUD/S Class 239.
He was assigned to SEAL Team One in Pearl City, Hawaii, before his deployment to Afghanistan in April 2005. Originally scheduled to be part of Lieutenant Murphy’s four man reconnaissance unit, he was on the rescue helicopter struck by the RPG in the Korangal Valley on June 28, 2005. His remains arrived under military escort at McCarran International Airport on Thursday, July 6, 2005. Visitation was held on Friday, July 7, 2005, at the Palm Mortuary in Boulder City.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 stars)
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Rifle Expert
• Expert Pistol
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Service Medal
Burial and Memorials
With full military honors, Shane Patton was buried at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada, on Saturday, July 9, 2005.
Jeffrey Allen Lucas, Petty Officer First Class, U.S. Navy
Electronics Technician First Class Lucas was born on September 17, 1971. While growing up in Corbett, Oregon, he chose his career path early—in the fourth grade, when he wrote a paper about the Special Forces (Green Berets), the Rangers, the Marine Corps’ Force Recon, and the SEALs. He had his eyes set on the SEALs because “they were the best.” After graduating from high school in 1989, he immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Upon completing recruit training and Electronics Technician school, he transferred to Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. From there he transferred to the Branch Medical Clinic, San Diego, California, from May 1991 to June 1993.
He entered BUD/S in June 1993 and graduated with Class 191 in January 1994. Upon completing his SEAL training, he reported to SEAL Team One in Coronado, California, where he was stationed from 1994 to 1999, before transferring to the East Coast in 1999 to Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) in Dam Neck, Virginia. He then transferred to SEAL Team Eight for a year before again transferring to SEAL Team Ten in March 2002. A leading petty officer (LPO), he had ten years of experience as a SEAL, allowing him to create an extensive list of qualifications, including sniper, sniper instructor, and military free-fall parachutist.
He was married to his wife, Rhonda, for twelve years. They had one son, Seth, who was four years old when his father was killed in action.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 stars)
• Combat Action Ribbon
• National Defense Service Medal (1 star)
• Armed Forces Service Medal
• Kosovo Campaign Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Sea Service Deployment Medal (3 stars)
• NATO Medal
• Rifle Expert
• Expert Pistol
Burial and Memorials
With full military honors, Petty Officer Jeffrey Allen Lucas was laid to rest in Section 60, site 8229, in Arlington National Cemetery, “Where Valor Proudly Sleeps.”
The Jeff Lucas Memorial Fund was established by his family as a 501(c)(3) corporation to construct a lasting memorial to Jeff. A stadium grandstand and football sports complex will be built at Corbett High School. It will be dedicated as the Jeff Lucas Memorial Veterans Stadium. In addition, family and friends have established the Seth A. Lucas Fund.
Jacques Jules Fontan, Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy
Chief Fontan was born on November 11, 1968, in New Orleans, to Earl and Hazel Fontan. After graduating from Brother Martin High School in 1986, he attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy on March 7, 1989. Following graduation from the Recruit Training Command at Naval Station Great Lakes, he completed Fire Controlman “A” school at Fleet Combat Training Center, Dam Neck, Virginia. He then transferred to the USS Nicholas (FFG-47), Charleston, South Carolina, and then to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron One in Jacksonville, Florida. After graduating from BUD/S on October 23, 1998, he was assigned to SEAL Team Eight, Little Creek, Virginia, then to Naval Special Warfare Group Two, and subsequently to SEAL Team Ten, Little Creek, Virginia.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Joint Service Commendation Medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “V” device
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award
• Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon
• Navy “E” Ribbon
• Good Conduct Medal (4 stars)
• National Defense Service Medal (1 star)
• Southwest Asia Service Medal (2 stars)
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (2 stars)
• Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2 stars)
• NATO Medal
• Kuwait Liberation Medal
• Expert Pistol
• Sharpshooter M4 Rifle
Burial and Memorials
Chief Fontan was buried with full military honors. He is survived by his parents, his wife, Charissa, and his daughter, Jourdan.
Jeffrey Scott Taylor, Petty Officer First Class, U.S. Navy
Jeffrey S. Taylor was born on May 18, 1975, in Beckley, West Virginia. He attended Independence High School in Coal City, West Virginia, before enlisting in the Navy on June 20, 1994. His duty assignments included the Recruit Training Command, Naval Station Great Lakes, in Illinois; Naval School of Health Sciences, San Diego, California; Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia; Field Medical Service School, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; SEAL Team Eight, Little Creek, Virginia; USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), Norfolk, Virginia; John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and SEAL Team Ten, Little Creek, Virginia.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart Medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (1 star)
• Citation
• Navy Unit Commendation (1 star)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation
• Navy Battle “E” Ribbon
• Good Conduct Medal (3 stars)
• Navy Fleet Marine Force Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• National Defense Service Medal (1 star)
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Presidential Unit
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2 stars)
• Expert Rifle
• Expert Pistol
Burial and Memorials
Jeffrey Taylor’s wife Erin scattered his ashes over Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery.
James E. Suh, Petty Officer Second Class, U.S. Navy
James Erik Suh was born in Coronado, California, but later moved with his family to Deerfield Beach, Florida. James and his sister Claudia were raised by their single-parent father, Solomon Suh, a Korean immigrant. James excelled in all of his academic subjects in school and was placed in a program for gifted students. He was especially strong in math, but also proved to be a talented artist and athlete. James graduated from high school in June 1995, but as he prepared to enter the University of Florida, he also began thinking seriously about joining the Navy SEALs.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in statistics in 1999, James enlisted in the Navy in January 2001. He began his BUD/S training with Class 237 in July and received his SEAL Trident in February 2001. Following successful completion of SEAL Delivery Vehicle training, he was assigned to SDVT-1 in Hawaii in December 2003. In April 2005 he and his teammates of Alfa Platoon went to Afghanistan on what was his first deployment. Petty Officer Second Class James E. Suh was killed while serving as a member of the QRF in Operation Red Wings on June 28, 2005.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Burial and Memorials
James E. Suh was buried with full military honors in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California, on July 30, 2005. His funeral was attended by fifty of his SDVT-1 teammates. James’ father, Solomon, was presented the burial flag by Rear Admiral Joseph Maguire, Commander, Naval Special Warfare.
Stephen C. Reich, Major, U.S. Army
Stephen C. Reich was born on May 22, 1971, in Cleveland, Ohio, His family moved to Washington, Connecticut, when he was four years old. His father was a teacher and coach and his mother a nurse at the local community hospital. At Shepaug Valley Regional High School, he was a triple-sport standout in wrestling, basketball, and baseball. After high school, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, receiving his commission in 1993. While at West Point, he set numerous pitching records for the baseball team, several of which stand today. Reich graduated with dual degrees in Arabic and Spanish.
Following his commissioning, he received permission to play baseball for Team USA during the summer of 1993, receiving the honor of carrying the American flag in the opening ceremonies of the World University Games at Buffalo New York’s Rich Stadium. After initial flight qualification school, he was assigned to the University of Kentucky’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and played professional baseball in the Baltimore Orioles organization, having received a waiver from the Army. Reich entered the Army’s World Class Athlete Program in 1995 to train for the 1996 U.S. Olympic team trials.
In 1996, after receiving UH-60 Blackhawk transition training, he was ordered to Germany, where he served as platoon leader in Company A, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. While in Germany he became fluent in German, his third foreign language. During his subsequent tour with the 12th Aviation Brigade, he served in Operation Allied Force, deploying to Hungary, Bosnia, Albania, and Kosovo.
Returning from Germany in 2000, Reich attended the Infantry Captains Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by the Combined Arms and Services Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Upon arrival at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) in 2001, he deployed with the 2nd Battalion to Operation Enduring Freedom as a battle captain in support of Task Force Dagger, a special operations unit seeking the capture or death of Osama bin Laden in the Tora Bora mountain cave network of Afghanistan.
In December 2001 he served as operations officer for the 2nd Battalion’s detachment of MH-47E aircraft in Afghanistan. He commanded Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion from February 2002 through May 2003. Having been promoted to major, Reich then completed a one-year deployment to Daegu, Republic of Korea, as the operations officer for E Company, 160th SOAR. Other specialized military training consisted of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Level-C course, the Army Airborne School, and the Air Assault School.
Two weeks after his marriage to his wife, Jill, on March 19, 2005, he deployed to Bagram Airfield for his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, two oak leaf clusters
• Meritorious Service Medal, oak leaf cluster
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Overseas Service Medal
• Korean Defense Service Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Senior Aviator Badge
• Airborne Badge
• Air Assault Badge
• Combat Action Badge
Burial and Memorials
A private military ceremony was conducted at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia on July 7, and a memorial service was also held in Washington, Connecticut, at the Bryan Memorial Town Hall on July 10, which was attended by more than a thousand family members, friends, and town residents.
Although he was extremely confident, he was soft-spoken and never arrogant. In fact, his parents and bride did not know the actions for which he had received his first two Bronze Stars until after his death. Unfortunately, all are acutely aware of the actions that resulted in his third.
Each year on July 4, the Steve Reich Memorial Freedom Run is conducted in Washington, Connecticut, with proceeds going to the Steve Reich Memorial Scholarship Program benefiting students at his high school alma mater.
Chris J. Scherkenbach, Chief Warrant Officer 4, U.S. Army
The youngest of eight children of Elmer and Marjorie Scherkenbach, Chris was born on November 3, 1964, in Des Plaines, Illinois. He graduated from Prospect High School in 1982, then moved with his parents to Palm Harbor, Florida, following his father’s retirement from Ford Motor Company. The elder Scherkenbach had previously served as a decorated B-17 bomber pilot in World War II.
Chris graduated from the St. Petersburg Junior College and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army as a communications specialist. He completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in April 1987 and his training as an automatic data telecommunications center operator at Fort Gordon, Georgia, in July 1987. He then transferred to his first duty station in Germany.
Upon his return he was accepted into the Warrant Officer Program at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in 1990. After graduating that same year, he was immediately sent to the Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course and Initial Entry Rotary Wing (helicopter) training. After completing his CH-47D aircraft qualifications at Fort Rucker, he was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. He was then assigned to Camp Humphreys in South Korea as an MH-47D Chinook pilot. After completing his tour there, he returned to the 159th Aviation Regiment.
While on a fitness run in a local Savannah, Georgia, park, he met his future wife, Michelle, a physician’s assistant at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. They were married on September 20, 1997.
Chris was selected for the Army’s Degree Completion Program, graduating magna cum laude with a B.S. in aeronautics from the prestigious Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, the world’s largest aerospace university in March 2005.
His final assignment was Company B, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. On Friday, May 27, 2005, he deployed to Afghanistan. He was the pilot of the MH-47D shot down while attempting the midday rescue in Operation Red Wings.
Chris and Michelle were in the final stages of adopting an infant from China. On the day he was killed, Michelle had sent him an e-mail message confirming travel arrangements to China. That e-mail was found in the pocket of his flight suit after his body was recovered.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oak leaf cluster
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Army Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Army Service Ribbon
• Senior Army Aviator Badge
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Combat Action Badge
• Master Army Aviator Badge
Burial and Memorials
Chief Warrant Officer Chris Scherkenbach was buried with full military honors in Section 60, site 8200, in Arlington National Cemetery, next to a teammate, Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles. Approximately thirty days after Chris’s death, Michelle traveled to China and brought home their daughter, Sarah Grace Xiaomei Scherkenbach.
Sadly, Chris Scherkenbach never had the opportunity to meet his daughter. Nevertheless, if he had known in advance what the outcome of his mission that fateful day would be, he still would have gone, epitomizing the inscription on the Night Stalker Memorial Wall at Fort Campbell, Kentucky: “I serve with the memory and pride of those who have gone before me, for they love to fight, fought to win and would rather die than quit.” Sarah may not understand now why her father died, but the example of his courage will light her path for a lifetime.
Cory J. Goodnature, Chief Warrant Officer 3, U.S. Army
Born February 13, 1970, in Clarks Grove, Minnesota, to Donald and Deborah Goodnature, Cory was driven to become a military pilot and changed his plans more than once as a young man to realize his goal. After graduating from Albert Lea High School, where he participated in wrestling and track, he enrolled in the University of Minnesota and its Air Force ROTC program. Due to funding problems, the program was cut. He then transferred to the Marine Corps and had a pilot’s slot in the ROTC, but that program was also cut. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with an associate’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1991 and enlisted in the Army in October 1991.
Though his earlier efforts to become a pilot had been derailed, he was undeterred and worked his way up in the Army to achieve his goal. He served as a parachute rigger at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the Warrant Officer Basic Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Upon graduation from flight school in 1995, his first assignment was flying UH-1s (Hueys) in Korea, and in 1996 was assigned to Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. He tested for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in 1998 and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th SOAR at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, as an MH-47D Chinook pilot. Having served one tour in Iraq, he was on his fourth deployment in Afghanistan when he died. He leaves a wife, Lori, and two teenage boys, Shea and Brennan.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oak leaf cluster
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Korean Defense Service Medal
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• Senior Army Aviator Badge
• Airborne Badge
• Air Assault Badge
• Rigger Badge
• Combat Action Badge
A memorial service for Cory Goodnature was held on Friday, July 8, 2005, at the Isle of Hope Methodist Church in Savannah, Georgia. His funeral service was conducted at the Albert Lea United Methodist Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota, on July 16, 2005. With full military honors, he was buried at Graceland Cemetery in Albert Lea, where he remains on permanent station.
Each year the Isle of Hope Methodist Church hosts more than two hundred runners in the Cory Goodnature Run for Missions. The Cory Goodnature Memorial Scholarship Program is funded by an annual Golf Classic in Albert Lea.
James W. “Tre” Ponder III, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army
James “Tre” Ponder was born June 24, 1969, in Alabama, and was a resident of Clarksville, Tennessee. He joined the Army in March 1990 as a Chinook helicopter repairer. After graduating from basic training at Camp Eustis, Virginia, he was assigned to Camp Humphreys, Korea. He arrived at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in December 1992 and served in a variety of positions in the 2nd Battalion, including flight engineer instructor, standardization instructor, and regiment standardization instructor. He was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan in June 2005.
His military education consisted of the Primary Leadership Development, Combat Lifesaver, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE), Basic Noncommissioned Officer, Equal Opportunity Representatives, Air Assault, Airborne, and Army Advanced Noncommissioned Officers courses and schools.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device, 2 oak leaf clusters
• Army Commendation Medal
• Joint Service Achievement Medal
• Valorous Unit Award
• Army Superior Unit Award
• Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Korean Defense Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Overseas Service Ribbon
Following a funeral service on July 7, 2005, at the First Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, Master Sergeant Ponder was laid to rest with full military honors at the nearby Greenwood Cemetery. Tre is survived by his wife, Leslie, and his daughters, Samantha and Elizabeth.
Michael L. Russell, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army
A resident of Rincon, Georgia, he was born on September 28, 1973, in Virginia. Russell joined the Army in October 1991 as a Chinook helicopter repairer. After completing basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, his first duty station was Barbers Point, Hawaii, where he remained until April 1995.
In May 1996 he departed to the 158th Aviation Regiment located at Fort Carson, Colorado. In August 1996 he was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, in which he served as a flight engineer with the 3rd Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.
His military education included the Primary Leadership Development, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE), and Basic Noncommissioned Officers courses.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device, 1 oak leaf cluster
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oak leaf cluster
• Air Medal, oak leaf cluster
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• Army Superior Unit Award
• Senior Army Crew Member Badge
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Master Army Crew Member Badge
• Combat Action Badge
Sergeant First Class Michael Russell is survived by his wife, Annette, of Savannah, Georgia, and two daughters, Lauren and Megan. He was buried with full military honors in Stafford, Virginia.
Marcus V. Muralles, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army
Marcus V. Muralles was born October 5, 1971, in Louisiana, and was raised in Shelbyville, Indiana. He joined the Army in December 1988 as an infantryman. After completing Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. After completing his initial enlistment obligation, he was assigned to the inactive ready reserve in 1993.
In August 1998 he returned to active duty and graduated One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning in the summer of 1998. His first duty station was Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as a medical administrator, platoon medic, and company senior medic. In August 2003, Muralles was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as an aerial flight medic.
His military education and training included the Emergency Medical Technician, Basic Airborne, and Ranger schools, as well as the Primary Leadership Development, Jumpmaster, Special Operations Medic, Basic Noncommissioned Officer, and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Development courses.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device
• Meritorious Service Medal, 1 oak leaf cluster
• Air Medal with “V” device
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Expert Infantry Badge
• Combat Medical Badge
• Aviation Badge
• Master Parachutist Badge (2 combat jumps)
• Ranger Tab
• Combat Action Badge
Burial and Memorials
Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Diana, and their two children, Anna and Dominic.
Shamus O. Goare, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Shamus O. Goare was born May 28, 1976, in Danville, located in the upper northeastern corner of Knox County in northwestern Ohio. After graduating from Danville High School, he joined the Army in 1994 as a Huey helicopter repairer at the age of seventeen. He got his mother to sign his enlistment papers by convincing her that the forms were for something different. Attracted to the military life in general, he chose the Army because he liked its uniforms. He attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
From December 1994 to October 1996, Goare was assigned to Company I, 158th Aviation Battalion as a utility helicopter repairer at Fort Hood, Texas. In October 1996 he was reassigned as a UH-1 crew chief to 1st USA Support Battalion, Sinai, Egypt. Upon completion of a one-year tour in Egypt, he was assigned as a crew chief to 12th Aviation Brigade at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. From January to May 1999, he attended the Heavy Helicopter Repairer Course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and upon completion became a Chinook helicopter repairer. In June 1999 he was assigned to Company C, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Camp Humphreys, Korea, where he performed duties as a MH-47 mechanic until May 2000.
In June 2000 Goare was recruited and volunteered for the Night Stalkers and assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Training Company. Upon completion of the Basic Mission Qualification Course (Green Platoon), he was assigned as a flight engineer for Company B, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. His mother, Judy, says that Shamus agreed to join the Night Stalkers because he liked their maroon berets.
His military education and training included the Primary Leadership Development, SERE, Utility Helicopter Repairer, and Medium Helicopter Repairer courses.
Single, Shamus frequently volunteered for additional overseas deployments to allow men who were married or expecting the birth of a child soon to remain with their families, claiming that they would do the same for him. He had successfully completed two deployments to Iraq and was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.
Shamus was the frequent target of bullies while growing up. It wasn’t until after his death that those in Danville learned that Shamus personified character, courage, honor, humility, and valor.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star Medal with “V” device
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal with “V” device, 1 oak leaf cluster
• Air Medal
• Army Commendation Medal
• Joint Service Achievement Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Good Conduct Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Multinational Forces and Observers Medal
• Kuwaiti Defense Service Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Army Service Ribbon
• Combat Action Badge
• Senior Army Aviator Badge
Burial and Memorials
Shamus Goare is survived by his parents, Charles and Judith Goare, of Danville, Ohio. His funeral service was held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, July 12, at the Fischer Funeral Home.
He was laid to his earthly rest with full military honors in St. Luke’s Cemetery in Danville. At the funeral, Lieutenant General Philip Kensinger, the commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, presented Shamus’s parents with the Bronze Star with “V” device, the Purple Heart, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Kip Allen Jacoby, Sergeant, U.S. Army
Kip was born September 2, 1983, to Stephen and Susan Jacoby of Pompano Beach, Florida. After graduating from Northeast High School in June 2002, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in October that same year. He successfully completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, after which he attended and subsequently graduated from Advanced Individual Training at Fort Eustis, Virginia, in May 2003.
In June 2003 he was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Training Company and completed the Basic Mission Qualification Course. He was subsequently assigned as a helicopter repairman for the 3rd Battalion, 160th SOAR.
In February 2004 he was reassigned within the battalion to Company B as a CH-47D flight engineer. Sergeant Jacoby’s military schools included the SERE school, the Basic Mission Qualification Course, and the Heavy Helicopter Repairer Course.
Military Awards and Decorations
• Bronze Star with “V” device (posthumously)
• Purple Heart (posthumously)
• Air Medal with “V” device (posthumously)
• Meritorious Service Medal (posthumously)
• Good Conduct Medal (posthumously)
• Combat Action Badge (posthumously)
• National Defense Service Ribbon
• Army Service Ribbon
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Army Aviation Crewmember Badge
Burial and Memorials
A memorial service was held for Sergeant Kip Jacoby on July 8, 2005, in his hometown of Pompano Beach, Florida.
* The author is unaware of any other member of the U.S. military to have achieved “Honor Man” status in both BUD/S and Ranger School.