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This Memorial
Page is Dedicated to those SEALs lost in Afghanistan
This Memorial Page is Dedicated to those SEALs lost in Afghanistan
In Memory of
ABH1 Neil C. Roberts |
The family has
requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Naval
Special Warfare Foundation, P.O. Box 5365, Virginia Beach, VA 23471,
or to the Neil Roberts Memorial Fund, Navy Federal Credit Union,
Lynnhaven Branch, 509 Viking Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.
In
Memory of HMC Matthew J. Bourgeois
A Navy SEAL
Just a quick story.
Matt Bourgeois and I did a deployment together back
in ’90.
Matt Bourgeois joined SEAL Team 2 Alpha platoon while
were already deployed to NSWU-2 in Machrahanish in 1990,
about one month into the cruise.
Matt was brand new, in fact he didn’t have his Trident
yet, when he came to us. We were short a corpsman and
Matt was the guy. Our platoon had taken (a minor part
in the Invasion of Panama about 7 months earlier, so
even though it was the first cruise for most of us,
we were all pretty long in the tooth, at least in our
own minds.
Matt Bourgeois quickly became Meat Bourgeois as we treated
him like an ugly dog for about the first month or so.
What we all quickly came to realize was that despite
his small stature (he was about 5’7, 135 lbs) and DEEP
southern accent (He called himself Matt Boowjshwaaah)
he was a tough bastard and a real good guy. You couldn’t
help but like him.
One night at the Barrel (the pub at RAF Mach), virtually
the entire platoon was in having a beer (or 7) when
Ken V. called over to tell us that we had been recalled
and were heading out within the hour. We were to report
to the barracks for an intel brief in the lounge.
We all show up, there are blankets on the windows, easel
set up, the whole nine yards. Once Ed (platoon OIC)
was satisfied that we had a full head count, he instructed
Ken to proceed with the briefing.
Ken (paraphrasing): “From ..Commanding officer SEAL
Team Two, To…OIC SEAL Team Two Alpha Platoon… be advised
that Hospital Corpsman third Class Matthew Bourgeois
has successfully completed probationary period and is
designated Naval Enlisted Code Fifty-Three Twenty-Six
effective this date blah blah blah.
Matt was finally getting his Trident. What ensued was
one of the worst hazings I have ever seen. The game
was platoon jeopardy. I was the host and Matt had to
answer questions pertaining to the other members of
the platoon. A correct answer and he had to chug a beer,
incorrect and Todd was standing behind him with an IBS
paddle (Todd had played baseball in college so this
was not insignificant)
“What are the names of Mark’s three daughters”
WHACK
“What town is Chris from”
WHACK
“what religion are TK's parents”
Chug I think he got that one right
“What is the state slogan of Tim's home state of New
Hampshire”
WHACK
Eventually someone asked him to name the war which started
in 1862 and ended in 1865 Matt: “The War of Northern
Aggression”
WHACK
Same question
Matt: “I told you, ..’The War of Northern Aggression’
whatsa matter, ain’t you got no learnin?”
SMACK
Same question
Matt: “The War of F-ing Northern Aggression, and Tallahassee
NEVER FELL”
It went on like that for a while, until Ken made us
stop.
Matt took it like a champ, and never took any shit from
any of us again.
I know it isn’t much of a story, but that is what I
am remembering now fellas. I have a bunch of pictures
of Matt, that I’m gonna go dig up now. He was a GREAT
guy.
Dave Rogers
IC1 Thomas
Eugene Retzer
A
Navy SEAL
Most of
you already know that a third SEAL gave his life
in Afghanistan - Petty Officer Tom Retzer. Tom served
in SEAL Team THREE and was stationed on the East
Coast at the time of his death. Tom was
in a HumVee when several vehicles were ambushed,
and he was shot. He died Thursday 28 June 2003 from
the wound. The incident occurred in a mountainous
region south of Kabul near the Pakistan border.
Tom graduated from Mount Whitney High School in Visalia,
California and attend BUD/S shortly after his graduation.
He has served in the Teams for ten years. He is survived
by his wife Courtney and two sons, age 5 and 21 months.
Tom was a warrior, teammate, and outdoors man, but
most of all he was a devoted father and husband.
PH1 David
M Tapper
A
Navy SEAL
The Naval Special Warfare Community mourns the death
of a fellow warrior, teammate, and friend - PO1 David
M. Tapper. Dave is the fourth SEAL to give his life
in Afghanistan conducting operations as part of Operation
Enduring Freedom. He was fatally wounded last Wednesday
after his convoy made contact with enemy forces in
the vicinity of Orgun in Paktika province. Dave was
transported to Bagram Air Base hospital, where he died
of his wounds Thursday evening, 21 August 2003.
Originally from Camden County, N.J., Dave enlisted
in the Navy in November 1989 and graduated in February
1991. He served in both East and West Coast SEAL teams
and recently returned from combat
operations in Iraq.
In
Memory of HMC Matthew J. Bourgeois |
IC1 Thomas
Eugene Retzer
Most of
you already know that a third SEAL gave his life
in Afghanistan - Petty Officer Tom Retzer. Tom served
in SEAL Team THREE and was stationed on the East
Coast at the time of his death. Tom was
in a HumVee when several vehicles were ambushed,
and he was shot. He died Thursday 28 June 2003 from
the wound. The incident occurred in a mountainous
region south of Kabul near the Pakistan border. |
PH1 David
M Tapper The Naval Special Warfare Community mourns the death
of a fellow warrior, teammate, and friend - PO1 David
M. Tapper. Dave is the fourth SEAL to give his life
in Afghanistan conducting operations as part of Operation
Enduring Freedom. He was fatally wounded last Wednesday
after his convoy made contact with enemy forces in
the vicinity of Orgun in Paktika province. Dave was
transported to Bagram Air Base hospital, where he died
of his wounds Thursday evening, 21 August 2003. |