IGTNT Candle Logo created by Timroff
I Got The News Today (IGTNT) , which is among the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos, provides members of this community a venue to pay their respects to those who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The IGTNT title is a reminder that nearly every day the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
Honoring and Remembering
Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean P. Sullivan
Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) Second Class Joseph P. Fitzmorris
Since 2001 we have lost 2052 American troops in Afghanistan and a total of 3101 American and coalition forces.
DoD Identifies Navy Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two sailors who died in a helicopter crash July 19 in Oman.
Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean P. Sullivan, 40, of St. Louis, Mo., and Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) Second Class Joseph P. Fitzmorris, 31, of West Monroe, La., were declared deceased following an extensive search of the wreckage and the surrounding areas of the crash.
U.S. Navy Band Memorial Day presentation of the "Navy Hymn", Eternal Father Strong To Save followed by Echo Taps.
A MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter went down on July 19th about 60 miles southwest of Muscat, Oman, during heavy-lift operations. The US Navy reports the crash was not a result of hostile activity.
A separate MH-53E from the HM-15 squadron provided rescue assistance at the crash site and three of the five crew members were safely recovered. Further search and rescue efforts were called off on July 20th. The incident is under investigation.
The MH-53E "Super Stallion" is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United State Military. The three-engine MH-53E is able to operate from aircraft carriers and other warships and is mainly used for minesweeping operations.
Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squardron FIFTEEN (HM-15), known as "Blackhawks" moved to Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia in 2009 from Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Texas. The unit includes around 600 people and won an aviation battle efficiency award for its performance in 2011.
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Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean P. Sullivan, 40, St. Louis, Missouri
Sean Patrick Sullivan, known as "Sully" to his friends, graduated from Lindbergh High School in 1990. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy the following year making the fourth generation that someone in his family served in the Navy.
Sullivan had previous deployments in Operation Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some of his numerous awards were three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, an Army Achievement Medal and the Aviation Battle Efficiency Award. Senior Chief Sullivan was named Air Crewman of the Year in 2006 for NHA Region Four.
Sullivan's father said his son is remembered for his excellence in both training and service, as well as his sharp sense of humor, kind and generous nature, and hugs.
He is survived by his wife, Amy.
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Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jospeh P. Fitzmorris, 31 of West Monroe, Louisiana
Joseph P. Fitzmorris attended Louisiana Tech University and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches.
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As you can see, there was precious little personal information available on these two brave sailors. I did find some moving tributes to them on facebook pages:
Ben Deaver, one of their shipmates, has posted several moving tributes to them on his facebook page. He is also the person who designed the HM-15 Emblem w/black memorial swatch that I used above.
Two great guys who represented this with pride.
"I am a United States Naval Aircrewman. My country has built me the finest aircraft known to man. They have entrusted me to use it to keep our country free. With my Honor, Courage, and Commitment, my aircraft will be able to perform any task. I will always remember that I am part of an unbeatable team, the United States Naval Aircrew Team. Being an aircrewman is not an easy job. When I am cold, hot, or tired, I will not fail my crew. When flying, I will be ever diligent and watchful to keep my crew safe. If we fly into battle, may the heavens watch over our crew and protect us from the enemy so that we may fly again." — with Sean Sullivan and J.P. Fitzmorris. ~ Ben Deaver
From a
US Navy Facebook page comes this moving post:
My blood once again has shivered in the aches of our fallen brothers. My tears flow to the heartache of the families that have lost love. The names of our falle...n Blackhawks are etched forever in the stones. The stones of the many names that have pinned their wings on the altar of freedom as their last flight has flown.
Fellow Blackhawks, we mourn once again. we mourn in the event of the caskets being covered with the colors of freedom being ever so graciously walked into a final resting place. The trumpets will blare loudly the song of mourning. The song that makes the strongest fall. The song of military rest. For it is this song that has been played continously for years now and years to come. Many have found solace in its tune. For it is a tune that means you have served your mission with Honor, Courage, Commitment. You served with The Navy's core values.
Your fellow Blackhawks will firmly grip the handles, walk with a precarious step, but never let go. We will lay you to rest. We will share tears with your loved ones and let them know that they will be forever in our family. The Blackhawk Family. The family that has yet to be broken not matter the size of catastrophe. We unite like no other and join hands.
We have served under the righteous flag of freedom. The flag that for so many have given the ultimate gift to our country. A gift that that till this day so many people cannot comprehend what it clearly means to have Brothers in Arms. May your wings be spread forever into the heavens. May all of you be accepted into the glory as there are Blackhawks who will be awaiting for you at the gates. They will welcome you, embrace you, love you and salute you.
Please, now and forever, look down upon your family and open your arms to safeguard them. Your dedication, perseverance and loyalty to the U.S. is engraved in our hearts.
Fly now Blackhawks, fly into the night. We will continue the fight as the guard has been relieved. ~ Eliazar Cisneros
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About the IGTNT series:
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, noweasels, monkeybiz, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Kestrel9000, TheFatLadySings, Ekaterin and me, JaxDem.
These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for them. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
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Any Soldier – (Marine, Sailor, Airman or CoastGuardsman) Provides detailed information on sending care packages or cards and letters to deployed service members.
Books For Soldiers - View requests for and send troops books, DVDs, games and relief supplies.
Fisher House – Provides a “home away from home” for military families to be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury.
Helmets to Hardhats - Connects veterans into promising careers in construction.
Homes For Our Troops – Building specially adapted homes for our severely injured veterans at no cost to the veterans.
The Landstuhl Hospital Care Project (LHCP) - a non-profit organization that provides comfort and relief items for military members who become sick, injured, or wounded from service in Afghanistan.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans – The VA estimates 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. There are ways to get involved or donate at the link.
Netroots for the Troops (NFTT) – This non-profit raises money for the assembly, mailing and delivery of care packages to American military in war zones.
Special Operations Warrior Foundation - Provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.
USA Together - "It's like craigslist for Wounded Warriors". Brings together injured service members who need assistance as they recover, with the people who want to help them.
Veterans Green Jobs - Helps transition veterans into their communities and find career opportunities in environment sustainable sectors of our economy.
Welcome Back Veterans - Committed to providing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment to our veterans and their families in a public/private partnership
Wounded Warrior Project - Their vision is to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded warriors in this nation's history.
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Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.