Navy SEAL Charles Keating IV in Iraq — a warrior's warrior, captured in a moment that says everything about courage, grit, and sacrifice.
This is going to be a different kind of article for me. Back in 2012, about the same time Brandon founded SOFREP, I began answering military-type questions on Quora. If you are not familiar with the platform, it was started back in 2010 by two former Facebook employees to be a place where people could go to ask questions and provide answers on a wide range of topics. In time, I became what they called a “Top Writer.”
After multiple traumatic brain injuries spanning many years, my neurologist suggested taking up a hobby to keep my thinker occupied. Since I can’t draw for crap, I took up writing. I still visit Quora from time to time, and if you must, you can check out some of the over 7,000 answers I wrote for them here.
But this story isn’t about me. It’s about a Navy SEAL named Charles Keating IV, and he died in Iraq in 2016 while fighting ISIS.
The Quora question that I answered was this: “Why is the death of a US Navy SEAL at the hands of ISIS such a big deal?” What follows is my reply to this question, written over 8 years ago.
My Answer
What?! Why is it a big deal?!! I try very hard to remove my emotions from my answers, but I find it difficult here.
The name of the Navy SEAL was Charles Keating. He was 31 years old, and he was engaged to be married in November. He had friends, family, and Teammates who loved him. He gave his life doing his part to wipe out one of the most evil terrorist forces on the planet so that whoever asked that question (and countless others) can be safe in his/her everyday life.
Here he is at 16 in 2002, posing with some VHS tapes he appeared in for the Discovery Channel. Image Credit: The Keating Family
Have we as a people become so desensitized to images of war that we forget what it really is? To those of us who have served, news of Keating’s death brings memories flooding back, and it stings a bit. He wasn’t an actor in a reality TV show. He was a warrior who made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation, and now he is gone forever. He deserves our greatest respect, and his family deserves our deepest sympathy.
What does it say about our society when a celebrity dies, no matter how truly talented and beloved they were, when their death receives 24-hour-a-day coverage, sometimes for days on end? When an elite warrior dies fighting ISIS, the news may mention it now and again for maybe a day or so.
This is going to be a different kind of article for me. Back in 2012, about the same time Brandon founded SOFREP, I began answering military-type questions on Quora. If you are not familiar with the platform, it was started back in 2010 by two former Facebook employees to be a place where people could go to ask questions and provide answers on a wide range of topics. In time, I became what they called a “Top Writer.”
After multiple traumatic brain injuries spanning many years, my neurologist suggested taking up a hobby to keep my thinker occupied. Since I can’t draw for crap, I took up writing. I still visit Quora from time to time, and if you must, you can check out some of the over 7,000 answers I wrote for them here.
But this story isn’t about me. It’s about a Navy SEAL named Charles Keating IV, and he died in Iraq in 2016 while fighting ISIS.
The Quora question that I answered was this: “Why is the death of a US Navy SEAL at the hands of ISIS such a big deal?” What follows is my reply to this question, written over 8 years ago.
My Answer
What?! Why is it a big deal?!! I try very hard to remove my emotions from my answers, but I find it difficult here.
The name of the Navy SEAL was Charles Keating. He was 31 years old, and he was engaged to be married in November. He had friends, family, and Teammates who loved him. He gave his life doing his part to wipe out one of the most evil terrorist forces on the planet so that whoever asked that question (and countless others) can be safe in his/her everyday life.
Here he is at 16 in 2002, posing with some VHS tapes he appeared in for the Discovery Channel. Image Credit: The Keating Family
Have we as a people become so desensitized to images of war that we forget what it really is? To those of us who have served, news of Keating’s death brings memories flooding back, and it stings a bit. He wasn’t an actor in a reality TV show. He was a warrior who made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation, and now he is gone forever. He deserves our greatest respect, and his family deserves our deepest sympathy.
What does it say about our society when a celebrity dies, no matter how truly talented and beloved they were, when their death receives 24-hour-a-day coverage, sometimes for days on end? When an elite warrior dies fighting ISIS, the news may mention it now and again for maybe a day or so.
As a rule, SEALS do not want any attention drawn to themselves personally. If killed in action, they do not want to be the center of attention. What they want is to have their family taken care of and comforted. They would wish that no one else on their Team would have been injured.
The backstory on how Keating was killed gives us some insight into just how organized and effective a fighting force ISIS has become.
His death occurred after Islamic State fighters began attacking Peshmerga lines at dawn near the town of Teleskof, about 20 miles north of Mosul, the Islamic State’s main stronghold in Iraq, Kurdish officers said. The militants launched a multi-pronged attack starting at about 5:30 a.m. from several directions, using hundreds of fighters. Islamic State forces breached Kurdish front lines with more than 10 car bombs, also using bulldozers to push through.
Peshmerga forces were quickly overrun and began to retreat. SEALs in four vehicles quickly rushed forward to open up a pathway to aid in the retreat of the Peshmerga. One of their vehicles was hit, and the door was flung open. An American on the ground confirmed that Keating was killed by small arms fire.
Call me old-fashioned, but trying to protect the world from the proliferation of evil is a pretty big deal. It’s a huge deal. Rushing in towards ISIS gunfire to help others escape it is damn brave. Rest in peace Charles Keating. Your act of bravery will not be forgotten.
Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) 1st Class Charles H. Keating IV. Image Credit: US Navy
New Content: May 7, 2016
Just found out today that Keating had secretly married his fiancée Brooke Clark before he deployed to Iraq. Publicly, the couple had a wedding planned for November.
Couples often marry prior to deployments because, as a spouse, they are entitled to certain benefits should their partner be killed in action. He was clearly looking out for her future.
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As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
One team, one fight,
Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
Guy D. McCardle is a sixteen-year veteran of the United States Army and most recently served as a Medical Operations Officer during OIF I and OIF II. He holds a degree in Biology from Washington & Jefferson College and is a graduate of the US Army Academy of Health Sciences. Guy has been a contributing writer to Apple News, Business Insider, International Business Times, and
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