With the Afghanistan War receding from the minds of most Americans, Navy SEAL skydivers in Suffolk, Va., ensured that soldiers who died 10 years ago were not forgotten.
An Operation Red Wings event in Suffolk, Va. commemorated the 19 Army Special Forces soldiers and Navy Seals who died in a failed rescue mission and battle in Afghanistan.
One by one, Navy SEALs leaped out of an airplane, opening colorful parachutes that sent trails of colorful smoke into the sky, to honor the 19. One SEAL made a moving descent, holding an American flag as he fell. When he landed, others grabbed the flag’s edges, preventing it from touching the ground.
The event was intended to celebrate the soldiers’ service rather than memorialize their deaths. It was attended by families of the fallen soldiers, fellow SEALs and other veterans, some of whom shed tears while watching the touching display.
Patsy Dietz, widow of fallen SEAL Danny Dietz, helped plan the commemoration. “It’s really rare to have such a tragic event that involved so many,” Dietz told the Virginian Pilot at the event Saturday. “It’s been 10 years, and we’re still really close. We continue to honor the guys.”
The event began with a 33-mile remembrance ride. After the jumps, six fallen soldiers’ families received American flag shadow boxes.
“Ten years later, some people forget, some move on,” said Nick Baggett, a retired Navy SEAL and Danny Dietz’s father-in-law. “Everyone here coming together today to remember them — that means so much.”
Emily Leayman is an intern at the Washington Examiner
