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Mark Alexander- Contributor
[Courtesty of The Federalist Patriot]
Mark
Morrison Alexander is Executive Editor and Publisher of The
Federalist Patriot, the Web's "Conservative E-Journal
of Record" and now the
most widely subscribed Internet-based publication. [go
to Alexander index]
 "Love
ya Dad"
Some gave all…
[Mark Alexander] 3/24/05 |
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Chief Warrant
Officer Ron Young's AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopter was shot
down 23
March 2003 -- just three days after our nation
launched Operation Iraqi Freedom in further prosecution of our
preemptive war against Jihadistan terrorists. In a recent conversation,
Young detailed the 28 days he and his copilot, CWO David Williams,
experienced as POWs. Of their liberation by U.S. Marines, he
says, "I felt as if I had won the lottery of life."
Young has
been subjected to some degree of "celebrity-hero" status
as the result of his ordeal, but in the course of our conversation,
he mentioned a close friend and mentor, CWO Aaron Weaver, whom
he humbly considers an authentic hero.
Indeed -- CWO Weaver is just that.
Aaron Andrew Weaver was the second of eight children. His father,
Mike Weaver, adopted Aaron and his brother Ryan when they were
toddlers. Like many great Patriots, Aaron always knew he wanted
to serve his country.
Aaron, in
fact, was part of a Patriot caste. His grandfather was a veteran
of World
War II and Korea, and his father was a
Marine. Shortly after graduating from high school, he left his
hometown of Inverness, Florida, and followed his brother Steven
into the Army. His younger brother Ryan was next to join the
Army, and his sister joined the Air Force. Aaron became a member
of the Army's elite "All American" Division, the 82nd
Airborne.
In 1993,
Weaver, then a 22-year-old Army Ranger sergeant, volunteered
for the Ranger
strike team sent to rescue survivors of a chaotic
mission gone wrong in Mogadishu, Somalia. There, 18 soldiers
were killed and more than 70 wounded in a ferocious battle with
forces loyal to Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. For his
actions in Mogadishu, Weaver received a Bronze Star. The battle
itself would later be chronicled in the book, "Black Hawk
Down," and in a movie by the same name, in which Weaver
made a brief cameo appearance.
Following his service in Mogadishu, Weaver set his sights on
becoming an Army aviator like his two brothers. A few years later,
he completed pilot training and was assigned an OH-58 Kiowa as
part of the 17th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bragg.
Prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Aaron was diagnosed with cancer.
Yet despite undergoing treatment, he resolved to remain on active
duty. When he learned that his unit would soon deploy to Iraq,
he relentlessly petitioned the Army to allow him to go. Finally,
Weaver received a medical waiver and was allowed to stay with
his unit on the condition that he continue his cancer screening.
"It's a brotherhood thing," said his father. "He
had to be there."
In Iraq, Aaron flew his OH-58 on many missions in support of
ground forces, gathering vital intelligence on the location and
strength of insurgent forces. He was a soldier's soldier, and
his spirit served as inspiration for all those around him. He
was scheduled to come home this month, and he and his wife were
looking forward to starting the next leg of his service -- as
a flight instructor at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
On 8 January, en route back to Baghdad, CWO Aaron Weaver and
eight others were killed when their UH-60 MEDEVAC Black Hawk,
clearly marked with its red cross, was hit by rocket fire near
Fallujah.
"He was an Army Ranger," said his father. "Tough
mentally and tough physically." Yet as is often the case
with Patriot warriors, Aaron Weaver had another side -- a side
perhaps best captured by the way he signed his letters to his
father: "Love ya Dad." Speaking for the family, Aaron's
aunt, Kristy Weaver Patterson, said, "I'm very proud of
him, that he made the decision to sacrifice his life for the
betterment of the United States of America. He paid the ultimate
price and his children will continue to pay the ultimate price.
But my family has no regrets, and we are very proud of Aaron."
Says fellow
Patriot Ron Young of his colleague, "Aaron
will remain my personal hero and friend for life. He fought every
battle in his life as though it could be the last, and many times
it could have been his last. He remained a true leader, and he
exemplified the Army's values. Those who knew him loved him dearly.
America lost one of its greatest sons when Aaron was taken from
us."
In addition to his father, mother and siblings, Aaron Weaver
is survived by his wife, Nancy; their son, Austin; and their
daughter, Savannah (http://FederalistPatriot.US/news/Weaver.asp).
This brief profile of an American fighting man's service and
sacrifice on behalf of his countrymen is not submitted because
of his unique status as a Patriot. Rather, it is submitted because
Aaron Weaver's story typifies the courage and dedication of so
many uniformed Patriots -- those sworn to defend their nation's
Constitution and the liberty it guarantees.
One small way you can express your gratitude to our Armed Forces
is to support Operation Shield of Strength. Please link to http://FederalistPatriot.US/SoS/
and read about this service sponsored by readers of The Federalist
Patriot.
(Note that 100 percent of the proceeds from these donations
are applied to military requests for Shields. We at The Patriot
are both honored and humbled to donate our services and personnel,
and we will match your donations to military units. If you're
among our military readers and would like us to find an OpSoS
sponsor for your battalion, please e-mail us.)
"Members of our military are undertaking difficult missions
in some of the most dangerous and desolate parts of the world.
These volunteers know the risks they face, and they know the
cause they serve. ... In this vital cause, some of our men and
women in uniform have fallen, some have returned home with terrible
injuries, and all who sacrifice will have the permanent gratitude
of the United States of America." --President Bush in remarks
delivered this week at the National Defense University. tOR
copyright
2005 Federalist Patriot
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