Snapshots of the young life of Navy SEAL Lt. Brendan Looney filled the gymnasium of DeMatha Catholic High School on Sunday.
Boyhood photos of Looney playing with his younger brothers Billy and Stephen; Looney in his sweaty No. 40 DeMatha football uniform; Looney wearing his all whites from the U.S. Naval Academy. The Looney brothers together again, this time as teammates on the academy’s lacrosse team, where Looney became an All-American and led the Middies to the NCAA National Championship game.
Other, more recent photos captured Looney the Navy SEAL in Afghanistan, his strong jaw covered in a heavy beard. In one shot, he’s riding on horseback; in another he’s wrapped in Afghan garb; others show him smoking a fat cigar and relaxing with fellow soldiers.
The biggest photo was of Looney and his young wife, Amy Hastings, taken at their wedding just days before he was deployed to Iraq.
Said one admirer, “He was a god among champions.”
Looney, 29, of Silver Spring, was killed Sept. 21 along with eight other military personnel in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan — just two weeks before he was scheduled to conclude his military career. He was killed in the Zabul province in Southern Afghanistan while supporting a special operations mission. The Navy announced Sunday that Looney will receive the Bronze Star.
Nearly 2,000 people, some from as far away as Germany, showed up at the private Prince George’s County school Sunday to pay respects to the fallen Navy SEAL. The line of mourners wrapped around the gymnasium, and the wait to get inside was nearly two hours for some attendees. Flags around the school were lowered to half-mast.
On hand was Gov. Martin O’Malley, who described the family as “strong, loving and giving” for sending three sons into the Navy.
“You can see Brendan was a natural leader in all areas,” O’Malley said. “We should all count our blessings that people like Brendan answer the call, put on the uniform and put themselves in harm’s way for us.”
Tammy Croyle, of Bowie, whose two sons played football with Looney, remembers Looney as always smiling.
“He’s too young to die. He was a scholar, a true American. He could have done anything,” Croyle said.
Funeral services will be held Monday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at 10 a.m. followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Travis Manion Foundation or DeMatha Catholic High School. Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion was Looney’s roommate at the Naval Academy; he was killed while serving in Iraq in 2007. The former roommates will be buried side by side Monday at the request of Looney’s wife.
