Travis Manion and Brendan Looney were roommates at the U.S. Naval Academy. They became best friends from day one. Though separated by two wars, one serving in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan, they remained best friends. Both gave their lives in serving their country and now these best friends are buried side by side in Arlington National Cemetery.
Too often we hear athletes and others undeserving of the title referred to as heroes. What a bunch of crap! The true heroes are those civilians who risk their lives on the behalf of others and the soldiers, cops and firefighters who risk and give their lives in the line of duty.
MARYLAND SEAL BRENDON LOONEY REUNITED WITH BEST FRIEND IN DEATH
By Laura Dattaro
Baltimore City Paper
October 4, 2010
Lt. Brendan Looney, a 2004 U.S. Naval Academy graduate and a former student at Hyattsville’s Dematha Catholic High School, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery today following his Sept. 21 death (links to Word file) in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. He was on assignment with a West Coast-based SEAL team.
Looney’s roommate at the Academy, Lt. Travis Manion, also a 2004 graduate, died in Iraq in 2007 while rescuing wounded members of his Marine unit. Manion, whose family buried him at Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken, Penn., had expressed wishes to be buried in Arlington should he be killed in combat. His family relocated his body to Arlington Friday so the friends could be buried side by side.
Two soldiers, two friends, two wars, two deaths: a small picture of the big risks and costs of our actions half a planet away.
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