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In 2004, Travis Manion and his roommate and best friend, Brendan Looney, had just graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were demanding and both men were expecting to be deployed soon.
They had met each other at the Naval Academy and became fast friends – brothers, really. They had so much in common: they were both athletes, both fun-loving and outgoing, and both from close-knit families. Brendan had 2 younger brothers who attended the Naval Academy with him, and Travis’s dad was was a retired Marine Colonel. Clearly, they both understood duty, honor, love of country, and sacrifice.
Travis was the first of the two to deploy. In 2005, he went to Iraq and then back again in 2007, where he went to Fallujah. While out on patrol, his team was surrounded by the enemy. When two Marines were shot, Travis moved into harm’s way in an attempt to draw fire away from them so that they could receive care. While loading his grenade launcher, a sniper shot Travis. First aid was rendered on site, but he couldn’t be saved. Travis was 26 years old. He was buried at a cemetery near his family’s home in Pennsylvania.
Fast forward to June 2008.
Brendan has just finished his SEAL training and was planning to marry his longtime girl, Amy, on July 12th. Two days after their wedding, he was deployed to Iraq and then Afghanistan. Brendan wore a bracelet with Travis’s name on it — he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather be next to in battle.
Brendan went on 58 combat missions while in the Taliban stronghold of Zabul Province, Afghanistan. In September 2010, while observing an operation taking place in the village of Ayatalah, Brendan and eight others were killed when their helo crashed en route.
As Amy, Brendan’s wife, began to face the reality of his death, she couldn’t get it out of her mind that Brendan and Travis should be together at Arlington National Cemetery. She contacted Travis’ family.
On Sept. 27, 2010 – three days before Brendan was laid to rest – Travis’s body was disinterred and moved 150 miles to Arlington National Cemetery. Brendan was then buried next to him, side by side, brothers in arms.
This Memorial Day, there’s a newly released book called “Brothers Forever” which is co-authored by Travis’s dad, Colonel Tom Manion, (Ret.), with the Forward by General John Allen. I’m really anxious to read it! At their website, you can see more pictures of Travis and Brendan, and you can also read an excerpt of the book. Below is the book cover.
Travis Manion and Brendan Looney were warriors for freedom and are now brothers forever. Their sacrifice, our gratitude this Memorial Day weekend.
Our “Weekend Links” are below the fold!
Great Weekend Blog Reading Links!
Teach at Pirate’s Cove is blogging about this…“Obama’s State Department Really Loves A Cleric Who Wants Americans Killed.”
The Other McCain has many good blog posts up including this one by Stacy on “Deranged Cyberstalker Bill Schmalfeldt Doubts My Expertise in Crazy?” 😉
Phineas at Sister Toldjah has up this post on “We’ve known for a while , but it bears repeating: Obama is monumentally incompetent.”
Professor Jacobson at Legal Insurrection has up this post today on “Redistribution masquerading as reparations.” Go read it!
V the K at Gay Patriot has up this blog post called “Obama Administration Gave Climate Change Extremists $5.7 Million to Write Bad SyFy Movie Plots.”
Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit, has many great posts at his blog hub from all over the blogosphere so go check them out! And you can read Glenn’s latest article in USA Today on “Higher ed becoming a joke”, here.
Dana at The First Street Journal has up a great post called “We told you so! The VA scandal doesn’t surprise us.”
As always, Michelle Obama’s Mirror has up a great post called “#Who’s My Little Golubushka?”
Jammie at Jammie Wearing Fools has up this post “Freeloader-in-Chief: ‘I Don’t Take Free Food'”.
This Ain’t Hell has up a lot of great posts this weekend, but I especially like this post by Jonn called “Dedrick Foust meets Don Shipley.”
Evil Blogger Lady has this post on “The VA Scandal is just a preview for ObamaCare…”
Donald Douglas at American Power has up this blog post on “No More Mister Nice Blargh! — Prepping for ‘Right Wing Reaction’ to Leftist Elliot Rodger!”
Neo at Neo-Neocon is writing about “The president and the enablers.”
Blackiswhite, Imperial Consigliere at Three Sure Things of Life has up this post, “Lessons I Learned From the Obama Administration.”
Jeff at Protein Wisdom has this post up, “Land of the flawed, home of the corrupt.”
B5 at Blackfive has up this post, “The Gates of Heaven.” Remember them.
Ann Althouse has up a number of great posts, but I like this one – “Camille Paglia talks about Hillary Clinton in 1994.”
Jazz Shaw at Hot Air has up this post up… “Mark Cuban and the dangerous trap of truth.”
and finally, Ace at AoSHQ has up this post on “The VA Is Killing People, Libya Is About to Explode, the Russians are in Control of Ukrainian Cities, But the Democrats Are Jerking Off on Twitter.” Read the comments. 🙂
Have a terrific weekend and please, remember those who gave all their tomorrows for us!
Catherine Wilkinson says: Tears…..and gratitude that men like that lived. And live.
VALman says: “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother . . .”
We recall the work “Band of Brothers” written by Stephen E. Ambrose. The miniseries by the same name follows the 506 PIR, 101st Airborne, East Company during WWII. I’m sure that many, following, the end of that war hoped it would be the end of such conflicts. As we all know, sadly it has not.
Now, other generations have answered the call of “duty, honor, love of country, and sacrifice.” Their sacrifices have been varied and many. Many, far, far too many, have undergone the ultimate sacrifice, such as that of Travis Manion and Brendan Looney. As such, these, as well as those who fought along side them, are this generation’s “Band of Brothers”.
While we honor them this Memorial Day in so many ways, I can think of no better one than to vow never to give up the struggle for the “soul” of this country. And, and, I can only hope that the leaders of this country are held accountable for answering the following: Why? Why!?! Why are the citizens of this country going to foreign lands to engage in armed conflicts, to suffer injury, or emotional and mental distress, to be maimed, or to be killed . . . YOU tell us why they’re sacrificing against forces and powers that, for all purposes, are very much akin those not being used against America by her own government? We won’t rest until we have answers.
May my prayers be joined with yours this Memorial Day for those who rest from their earthly struggles as well as remembering those who still continue in theirs. God bless America!
Kate says: Beautiful.
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