Posted on 07/01/2005 10:14:32 PM PDT by neverdem
Steve Reich never expressed regret that his promising professional baseball career lasted only two games for a Baltimore Orioles farm team before the Army summoned him back to active duty 10 years ago.
"When the Army said they couldn't spare him, that was it," said Gary Fitzherbert, a longtime friend of the Reich family in Washington, Conn. "No argument. Baseball was a big dream, but it always came second place to the service."
Major Reich, 34, a West Point graduate, was in the command seat of the Chinook MH-47 helicopter that was shot down on Tuesday in a treacherous mountain ravine in eastern Afghanistan, killing him and 15 others trying to relieve a Special Forces team battling resurgent rebels. As the names of the dead began to emerge late this week, families and friends were assimilating the news.
Danny Graves of the New York Mets remembered Major Reich, his fellow pitcher on the U.S. National Baseball Team, for which they played in the early 1990's. "He was so polite and respectful that when he talked everyone on the team kept their mouth shut," Mr. Graves said. "It was like we knew that we had to listen. We were all young, immature kids just dreaming about playing big-league baseball. His dream was to serve his country. You knew a couple of minutes after meeting him that's what he wanted to do and what he was going to do."
American military officials in the Afghan capital said they had confirmed that all 16 on the helicopter died in the crash, which Pentagon officials said had apparently been caused by a rocket-propelled grenade. The victims were seven soldiers from Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.; one soldier from Fort Campbell, Ky.; and eight Navy Seal commandos assigned to units in Virginia Beach and San Diego.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Ping for our valiant troops who gave their lives so that we may live in freedom this 4th of July weekend.
Prayers for their families.
Prayers for our soldiers and their families.
Thank you for posting this. God bless these heroes, and their families.
We need to pray for these soldiers families, but I am worried about the GI's they were sent to rescue. They are still missing from Monday. The helicopter was sent to back up a recon mission in the mountains that was in a fire fight. Nothing has been heard since Monday and no sign of them yet.
Why must the very best be sacrified because of the acts of the very worst?
I know the answer, we all do. But someday I hope that it will never be so again. And these brave heros are part of that day coming one day.
Sad day.
Prayers for the family.
I wish I could do something to ease their pains, but what?
I am worried , too, but these are special forces. Maybe they are "remaining hidden, have left the area, whatever". I too pray for their safety.
prayer bump
Assuaging the pain of the loved ones will be left up to time. Justice will be timely. God bless the fighting men and women of our righteous Nation.
I have sent some cards to families.
Freepers can be very resourceful in finding addresses and links.
It seems that most families really appreciate the cards.
bump
Bump and prayers for the families. And to the fallen Warriors: "Thank you for your service and sacrifice."
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