For the Fallen: Sailors Who Gave All
Posted onA Memorial Day Salute from Old Salt Coffee
Some gave time. Some gave blood. And some, like the warriors we honor today, gave everything.
This Memorial Day, we don’t run a sale. We don’t shout about discounts.
We hoist a mug—and we remember.
We remember the brave men of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the entire joint force who gave their lives not in distant wars of history books—but in the shadows of the wars we fought for the last two decades. They wore the same tridents, anchors, and eagles many of us once did. They never came home.
Here are their stories. Their sacrifices. Their legacies.
⚓ LT Michael Murphy, SEAL
Fallen: June 28, 2005 – Kunar Province, Afghanistan
During Operation Red Wings, Murphy led a four-man SEAL recon team deep behind enemy lines. When ambushed, he exposed himself to enemy fire to make a satellite call for help. Shot multiple times, he completed the call and returned to the fight before succumbing to his wounds. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the first Sailor to receive it since Vietnam.
His legacy sails in the Pacific aboard USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112), a destroyer named in his honor.
The kind of leader who runs toward fire, not away from it.
⚓ The Warriors of Extortion 17
Fallen: August 6, 2011 – Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Before sunrise, a CH-47 Chinook—call sign Extortion 17—was shot down during a mission to reinforce troops in contact. All 38 souls aboard were lost, including 30 Americans: SEALs, Night Stalkers, Air Force Special Tactics Airmen, Navy support personnel, seven Afghan commandos, and a military working dog.
It remains the deadliest single day in the history of U.S. Naval Special Warfare.
🕯️ U.S. Navy SEALs (17):
SOC Jared W. Day
SOC Christopher G. Campbell
SOC John W. Faas
SOC Kevin A. Houston
SOC Jonas B. Kelsall
SOC Louis J. Langlais
SOC Matthew D. Mason
SOC Stephen M. Mills
SOC Thomas A. Ratzlaff
SOC Robert J. Reeves
SOC Heath M. Robinson
SOC Nicholas P. Spehar
SOC Michael J. Strange
SOC Aaron C. Vaughn
SOC Jason R. Workman
SO1 Jesse D. Pittman
SO2 Nicholas B. Null
🕯️ U.S. Navy Support (2):
IT1 (SW) Jared W. Day
LCDR Jonas B. Kelsall
🕯️ U.S. Army – 160th SOAR (5):
CWO Bryan J. Nichols
CWO David R. Carter
SFC Patrick D. Hamburger
SSG Alexander J. Bennett
SSG Spencer C. Duncan
🕯️ U.S. Air Force Special Tactics (3):
TSgt John W. Brown
SSgt Andrew W. Harvell
SSgt Daniel L. Zerbe
🐾 Military Working Dog:
Bart (Navy SEAL K9)
They boarded the helo ready to fight. They left this world together.
A brotherhood forged in fire and sealed in the silence of a final watch.
⚓ PO2 (SEAL) Michael Monsoor
Fallen: September 29, 2006 – Ramadi, Iraq
In a brutal rooftop firefight, Monsoor threw himself on a grenade to protect his teammates. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his sacrifice.
The Navy honored his courage by naming a next-generation destroyer after him: USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001).
In a moment of chaos, he chose courage—and saved his brothers.
⚓ LTJG Francis Toner IV
Fallen: March 27, 2009 – Camp Shaheen, Afghanistan
While jogging inside the wire, Toner was attacked by an enemy in disguise. Unarmed, he charged the shooter, giving others time to escape. He died a hero.
No weapon in hand. Just instinct. And bravery.
⚓ ET1 (SS) Thomas Hull
Fallen: January 8, 2005 – Western Pacific Ocean
ET1 Hull was the lone fatality aboard USS San Francisco (SSN-711) after the submarine collided with an uncharted undersea mountain at flank speed. His death was a somber reminder that risk is constant—even in routine patrols.
The sea is always unforgiving—but Hull stood his watch until the end.
⚓ OS2 Ryan Job
Wounded: 2006 – Ramadi, Iraq
Died: 2009 – Scottsdale, AZ
Blinded by a sniper, Job lived boldly—earning a degree, marrying, and climbing Mount Rainier before dying from surgery complications. His story, carried by those who knew him, remains one of quiet resilience.
A warrior in battle. A fighter in life.
⚓ Cpl Jason Dunham, USMC
Fallen: April 22, 2004 – Karabilah, Iraq
Cpl Dunham threw himself on a grenade to protect fellow Marines during a surprise ambush. He later died from his wounds and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the first Marine to receive it in the Iraq War.
His legacy lives on through USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), a guided missile destroyer bearing his name and courage.
He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t flinch. He chose his brothers’ lives over his own.
⚓ LT Michael Scott Speicher, U.S. Navy
Fallen: January 17, 1991 – Western Iraq
On the opening night of Operation Desert Storm, LT Speicher launched from USS Saratoga (CV-60) in his F/A-18 Hornet. He was shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25, becoming the first American combat casualty of the Gulf War. His status remained unresolved for years until his remains were found in 2009—closing a chapter that haunted a generation of naval aviators.
👉 Read more
He flew into the unknown—and paid the ultimate price.
Why We Remember
We don’t remember because we have to.
We remember because these were our brothers. Our shipmates. Our teammates. The ones who walked the same decks, flew the same missions, patrolled the same valleys.
They were warriors, jokers, leaders, protectors, and friends.
And while they never came home—we carry them with us, every day.
For nearly two decades, we fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. Many of us were there. We stood those watches. We lost good people.
We rightly honor the “Greatest Generation.”
But let’s be clear: this generation served, too.
They fought. They bled. They died.
And they deserve to be remembered not just with words—but with reverence.
So this Memorial Day, don’t just enjoy the long weekend.
Hoist a mug. Say their names. Keep their stories alive.
Because remembrance is the duty we carry for those who no longer can.
#HoistAMug
#HonorTheFallen
#ServiceAndSacrifice
#SilentService
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#MemorialDay
