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.

[justshe]

Amen

[Palladin]

What sacrifices have you made for your country lately?

[Dante3]

How terribly sad. Prayers for the family.

[JulieRNR21]

Thank you, Aaron Weaver for fighting to protect our freedom from terrorism!

[eyespysomething]

teary eyed bump.

[Ciexyz]

Hero bump.

[archy]

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

This won't.

[Squantos]

This man was also battling cancer..........damn.....just damn. Bless him and his family.

[Squantos]

BTTT

[W5X]

We find these men and women all around us. The former paperboy, babysitter, high school quarterback and the cub scout who sells stuff for fundraisers. These are the current day Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines who are the defenders of our way of life. I agree, where do we find these men? They are the citizen Soldier who has guarded our nation for over two centuries. The common man or woman is now the true hero. God bless them all!

[W5X]

We find these men and women all around us. The former paperboy, babysitter, high school quarterback and the cub scout who sells stuff for fundraisers. These are the current day Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines who are the defenders of our way of life. I agree, where do we find these men? They are the citizen Soldier who has guarded our nation for over two centuries. The common man or woman is now the true hero. God bless them all!

[Turbo Pig]

These soldier, sailors, airmen, and Marines make sacrifices on a daily basis, whether they are under fire in a combat zone, or posted stateside. They sacrifice personal freedoms that 99% of the people in this country take for granted. They sacrifice a "normal" family life. They sacrifice the right to live in a safe and comfortable environment. The thing that makes me so proud to have served with people like this brave soldier is that they do it willingly. They do it with a sense of duty that is breath taking at times.

By nature of their life's choosing they are subject to risk, but don't you doubt for one second that these people have not sacrificed themselves for the common good. The ones that die on the battlefield, whether it is in a slum in Bagdhad, a dirty field in Afhganistan, or an office in the Pentagon have sacrificed everything. They have sacrificed everything so that people can sit here a debate whether they have sacrificed anything , or simply taken a risk.

[nonliberal]

I agree with Patton that we should not be asking God why such good men die. Rather we should be thanking God that such good men lived.

[elfman2]

"The ones that die on the battlefield, whether it is in a slum in Bagdhad, a dirty field in Afhganistan, or an office in the Pentagon have sacrificed everything. "

Turbo Pig, In general, that’s false. To make a sacrifice, a trade, you have to make the decision. In most cases, someone else made the decision to end their lives. There’s a “sacrifice” in everything we do. If we choose one path, we sacrifice the fruits of another. The difference with the military in general is in degree. Few in the military who died actually made a decision to sacrifice their lives for ideological reasons, but many of them did risk their lives for that.

The vast majority of those who actually choose to die do so for their buddies, their team, not wanting to let them down. That’s what has been reported from debriefings in a study after the battle for Tarawa in which a large number of Marines chose to wade into probable death against enemy crossfire rather than return toward their ship.

Recognizing this is not a slam on the bravery of those who risk death, but a recognition of the nature of war, of sacrifice and is a testament to the honorable character and rational nature of those who serve to defend our nation.

Palladin, You’re not justified in asking another “what sacrifices have you made for your country lately”. It’s self righteous, presuming the authority to set standards for another on such a personal issue, like asking what one has done to love their wife, or how much one donates to charity.

cynicom, Maybe as you suggest this isn’t such a significant misuse of language. Maybe I’m just sensitive to it because I’ve been involved in a debate with someone who redefined words to promote his objective.

[Turbo Pig]

Look up sacrifice in the dictionary. It reads in part: "Forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim".

Laying down their lives for "the mission", or "my buddy", or "God and country" fall under the above definition. Subjugating yourself on a daily basis in the defense of the country falls under the above definition.

If the Constitution did not say that people have the right to have "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", I might buy into what you are saying. By simply saying "they take risks", you cheapen their lives and actions.

[Turbo Pig]

That should read: "If the Declaration Of Independence" shouldn't it? Aw hell, it is someplace in there.

Begging your pardon. I am hyped up on Vicadin(SP), waiting for my wisdom teeth to come out. Can't happen soon enough to stop taking these things....can't seem to think straight and miss simple facts in my thought process.

[elfman2]

I don’t know why you quoted for “God and Country”. I said that was not one of the reasons that the Tarawa study concluded that Marines made the decision to die.

I can’t help you in your delusion that soldiers not making an explicit choice to die for their county “cheapens their lives and actions”. The world is filled with people living under misconceptions without evidence.

I think a group of people “risking” their lives for a noble cause and occasionally choosing to sacrifice it for their comrades is way more than enough to make them heroes. I think that should be enough to impress you.

[elfman2]

" I am hyped up on Vicadin(SP), waiting for my wisdom teeth to come out. "

10 years in the USMC and your still waiting for wisdom teeth to come in? Those things are way behind schedule man. The Navy dentist wanted to pull all mine claiming they’d cause problems. I’m glad that I dismissed them. The teeth came in perfect.

[Turbo Pig]

They wanted to take them out. They were straight at the time, so I talked them out of it. Navy dentists scared the snot out of me. Civilian dentists don't rate much higher on the chart, either. Dentists, standing in lines and being cold turn me into a raving weenie :-)

[elfman2]

"Navy dentists scared the snot out of me. Civilian dentists don't rate much higher on the chart, either."

LOL! I think that if they don’t go into the profession as latent sadist it turns them that way. How else can you cycle from pain creator to pain creator 10 hours a day keep your sanity.