By Penny Owens Taylor
I would like to introduce my hero, Bartt Owens.
Bartt is not only my hero but a hero to our entire nation. Bartt was a captain in the U.S. Army and a pilot on a mission in the Philippines. Bartt’s (Chinook) helicopter crashed, killing himself and all 10 on board. They were shuffling Green Berets to an island to aid in the fight against terrorism for our country.
Bartt was the epitome of honor, decency, honesty and loyalty.
Bartt was not only an example of what every son should be, but he was also a wonderful husband to his wife Leah, and a most loving, dedicated father. He put his family above everything in his life. He was away from his family on many occasions due to military training, etc. But when he was home with them, he did everything for them, from taking short mini-vacations, trips to museums, bookstores, toy stores, the aquarium and Kings Island, to changing diapers and reading bedtime stories.
I think the very thing that made me most proud of Bartt was seeing him as a father with his daughters Megan and Lauren, and being the great husband he was to Leah.
Bartt graduated from Franklin High School as an honor student and president of his class. After high school, he went to college at West Point, the United States Military Academy, one of the finest colleges in our nation.
Upon graduation, he went to Fort Rucker, Ala., to train to become a helicopter pilot. After graduation from flight school, he became a pilot for the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Bartt later assessed to the 160th Division, as a night stalker also at Fort Campbell. The night stalkers are the most elite division of the Army’s Aviation Branch.
Average was never enough for Bartt. He always tried to excel at what task he endeavored.
Bartt was also an excellent role model for my grandson, Clayton Owens. He motivated Clayton to succeed as an honor student in high school as he had been. He helped direct Clayton to college, where Clayton is now a sophomore at Ohio State University.
I recently received a call from a friend of Bartt’s from Germany, who is also a captain in the Army. He stated that he just had to call me and let me know how Bartt had touched his life, and I would never know just how many lives Bartt had touched.
Bartt was a motivator and born leader.
In closing, I would like to quote the scripture John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
My hero is my son Bartt Owens. I am so extremely proud to have had Bartt Owens for a son and hero.
As a mother of a son in the night stalkers, I have to close by saying, “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.”
God bless and be with our men in the U.S. military. This country is blessed to have them fighting for our safety and freedom.
RIP Captain Owens