U S Air Force Staff Sgt, Combat Control Team, 24th Special Tactics
Squadron based at Fort Bragg's Pope Field, one of 30 U.S. Military
servicemen, 22 Navy personnel, including 15 SEALs, 3 Air Force troops, 5
Army air crew and military dog Bart (ST6 K-9), killed when their CH-47
Chinook, a U.S. military helicopter was shot down in eastern
Afghanistan.
Harvell, 26, was from Long Beach, Calif
6pm tonight (Friday Sept 9) at the Queen Mary's Banquet Room, in Long Beach.
Family and friends will gather to pay respects to a great man.
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine!
O Beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine!
O Beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
Regardless of how you feel about the wars, this man died a soldier for the United States.
Ride your bike to the Queen Mary and show some respect for one our friends.
From my heart, thank you Andrew W Harvell.
6 comments:
Jeff,
Thanks for posting. He was with my brothers, and two best friends; Rat and Lou. Here is a toast I gave that you can share:
I made this up! No one else.
If you see it floating around the net, it was taken from me.
I don't mind people toasting to it or I wouldn't have posted it
but....the point is don't pretend that you came up with it, and remember that it is meant, and uses phrases, for one group of people, no one else.
Parents of our brethren , we are grateful to you for instilling the warrior spirit in your sons.
Wives of our brothers, we are eternally thankful to you for sharing your husband with us.
Children of our warriors, we are here for you forever, take pride in your father's actions.
Thank the Gods these men died a warriors death.
Long live the brotherhood!
See you in Valhalla!
Btw- we all dig COC and all the chopper stuff that you guys do. Much respect. 'The Brotherhood' is what we called the particular group Andrew was with. Valhalla is where we think we are going.
Sorry about that top part. I cut and pasted from my blog. Had an issue with others stealing it.
This is not going to be a "bike show" you won't get your sweet chop in a mag, this is for a man who gave his life for this country, I knew him personly, ride down and show support and RESPECT for our troops no matter what your view on the war is.
Kyle, thank you.
Sean, if you see this...Im sorry about the loss of your brother.
Much respect.
We know of the Navy SEALs, we know of the Army Rangers and the Special Forces (Green Berets), but this MAN was of the little known Air Force elite, the Special Operations Air Rescue (Red Berets). '69-'70 Laos we watched them disappear over the horizon to pull downed pilots surrounded by the enemy out of the jungle under heavy fire. They were and are the some of the "Best of the Best". R.I.P.
to Andrew and his family, we will never forget your sons commitment and service for our defense of freedom. My prayer and thoughts are with you and your family in this time.
be strong-
Jason McCann
USMC
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