Mogadishu survivor felled in Wednesday's Black Hawk crash

MSNBC.com ^ | 01/09/04 | Don Teague

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Aaron Weaver fought to serve in Iraq, battled cancer, then died when Army helicopter went down in Iraq

Above all things, Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver was a survivor. As a 22-year-old sergeant, Weaver was part of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia — where 18 U.S. Army soldiers lost their lives.
The fight was chronicled in the movie “Blackhawk Down.”

In Mogadishu, Weaver's vehicle took a direct hit from a rocket-propelled grenade, but he wasn't injured.

He later spoke in a television documentary about his experience and on seeing one of the Black Hawks crash.

“And you could see a helicopter just lose that thrust when it hit the tail rotor and started spinning around ... and I lost it behind that building,” Weaver said.

Later, Weaver earned his wings as an army aviator in Iraq, piloting a Kiowa Warrior helicopter — battling Iraqi guerrillas while also fighting testicular cancer.

"He was an Army Ranger. Tough mentally and tough physically," said Mike Weaver, Aaron Weaver's father.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

A sad day for another American family.

It seems as if I am asking myself more and more lately, "Where do we find such men?"

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[Archangelsk]

Ping and pass on.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Rememberance bump.

[Old Grumpy]

Tragic. He's my idea of a true hero.

[dennisw]

May God bless, may he rest in peace.

[MEG33]

God bless this hero.

[elfman2]

"His brother, a Black Hawk pilot also serving in Iraq, is on his way home now, hoping to say goodbye to a proud soldier who survived so much — and sacrificed everything."

I think these words are misused. This brave soldier didn’t “sacrifice” everything, he “risked” his life, and had it taken away by the enemy.

[Molly Pitcher]

You'll want to read this....

[cynicom]

Does the use of language really matter that much in this case?

[GirlShortstop]

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. -- John Stuart Mill

Rest in Peace Aaron Weaver

[Fury]

Thanks for the post.

Am also pinging rotorhawk - good to see you again...

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

That John Stuart Mill quote is one of my personal favorites.

I have wanted to place it on my profile page among my other favorites for some time but for one reason or another haven't yet.

I may do it today.

[cynicom]

When men and circumstances meet, someone always steps forward to answer the call. I recall going thru a "volunteer" call during the Korean war. The options were there, volunteer and receive an almost certain trip to Korea, choose another option and never get your hands dirty, or the third, perhaps overseas but always safe. It was amazing at the cross section of men that chose the first option. The circumstance found the men it needed.

[metalboy]

That should make this guy happy........

Mutt Professor Award of 2003

Prof. Nicholas De Genova of Columbia University

Said in public that he 'wishes a million Mogadishus' upon US troops, that US troops live an indecent life and that Israel has no heritage to the holocaust

272 days

No apology and he still has a job.

Remember that next time a conservative is fired, resigns or is investigated for saying or doing something slightly politically incorrect.

Hypocrisy: For the left it`s a religion

[GirlShortstop]

That John Stuart Mill quote is one of my personal favorites.

Mine as well.    FReegards.   bttt for a hero, Aaron Weaver.

[KQQL]

May they all rest in Peace

[I_saw_the_light]

BUMP for a Defender of Freedom. RIP.

[FITZ]

Hero bump.

[leadpenny]

Very sad. It is also sad for Don Teague. I remember his reporting from Iraq and he is also a former US Army Helicopter Pilot.