Retired Master Sgt. Mark Allen died on Saturday at the age of 46, a decade after a sniper shot him in the head in Afghanistan.
He spent three years in a Florida hospital and was unable to walk or speak and required around-the-clock care. Allen retired in 2013 after more than two decades of service. He went on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009 looking for Army Pvt. Bowe Bergdahl, who had deserted his base in the country, when a sniper shot him in the head.
Bergdahl was captured and held by the Taliban for five years until the Obama administration traded five Taliban prisoners to bring him back to the United States. Bergdahl later faced trial for deserting and pleaded guilty, was reduced in rank, and fined $10,000. He was also dishonorably discharged from the military.
At the time, Allen’s wife Shannon made her thoughts on Bergdahl crystal clear, writing on Facebook, “Meet my husband, injuries directly brought to you by the actions of this traitor.”
At Bergdahl’s trial, she testified that she spent 90 minutes every morning getting her husband out of bed, showered, and dressed. She added that the couple’s young daughter enjoyed climbing into her father’s wheelchair and sitting on his lap.
U.S. Veterans’ Network shared a Facebook tribute in Allen’s honor after his death. The organization recognized his service to the country, writing, “MSG Mark Allen, a true American hero. Thank you for your service brother. We’ll take it from here.”
