Military Mourns Loss Of MH-47 Crew In Afghanistan

More than 800 people -- service members and family -- gathered Thursday for a memorial service at Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah, GA, remembering the crew of an MH-47 Chinook that went down in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan. It was the deadliest single attack on American forces since the fighting in that South Asian country began in 2001.

"A loss of one is felt by everybody, but a loss of eight is a shockwave," said Maj. Chad Chasteen, a company commander in the slain soldiers' unit, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment -- the Night Stalkers. He was quoted by the Associated Press.

Some soldiers wept as a slide projector flashed the faces of the dead on a big screen:

• Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare
• Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature
• Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby
• Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles
• Maj. Stephen C. Reich
• Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell
• Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach
• Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III

"I can still see Mike hanging off the ramp, one wheel on the side of a mountain, amazingly able to get his teams in to their landing zones," former unit member Jason Sims said of Russell.

"I know you punched your ticket the way you wanted it, flying in the clouds," Sgt. Jason Bailey said, sobbing during his eulogy to Goare. "Grab Muralles by the shoulders and tell him it's OK to sit on the gun cans. Because guns aren't needed where you're going."

SSgt. Goare, CWO Goodnature, Sgt. Jacoby, Sgt. Muralles, Maj. Stephen C. Reich, Sgt. Russell CWO Scherkenbach and MSgt. Ponder have all gone west, where there's no early roll call and every day is a pleasant parade. Happy landings, all.

FMI: www.nightstalkers.com