Another image plucked from deep within a stack of old dusty photos at the SOFREP archives. In the front row, clutching his omnipresent mug, is former Delta operator and SOFREP writer Geo Hand. The other four gentlemen shown were Delta as well. To Geo’s right is Chris W., and to his right is Brian P. In the back row, from the left and standing tall, we have Gaetano “Guy” (or “Guido”) Cutino and Mark “Cos” S.
Geo wrote a heartfelt memorial to his friend and colleague back in 2015. You can read that complete piece here.
What follows is an excerpt:
On my last three-month trip to Bosnia, in my 20th year of service in the U.S. Army, a well-respected brother of mine approached me as I sat at the only laptop computer with email for contacting back home. “Chik, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you outside.” Of course I had a minute. Once outside, he spoke. “George, Guy Cutino died in a helo assault last night. He was struck in the head by a rotor from a MH-6.”
The helo landed facing 90 degrees off from what was planned and briefed. That put the helo parallel to a slope. The helo tipped its rotor down toward that slope to compensate for the terrain. Guy was on that same side. He exited and moved up the slope and the rotor struck his head.
Guy was too tall in the saddle; the rotor was too low. The team leader on Guy’s team is one of the most highly decorated men in the military—Pat “Falcon” K. O. S. Pat recovered the top of Guy’s helmet, with the top of his head still in it.
Gone, but never forgotten.
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