Remembering the Fallen

“C-130 rollin’ down the strip, Airborne Ranger’s gonna take a little trip. Mission Top Secret destination unknown; he don’t know if he’s ever comin’ home.” – Author’s recollection of a Jody call from many years ago

Everyone knows that military training is dangerous. When we raise our hands to take the oath, we know what can happen. Ranger training can be particularly hazardous; last week, it claimed two more victims.

According to information published by The Hill, two Ranger candidates have been killed during a training exercise in Georgia. Both men, SSG George Taber, 30, and 2LT Evan Fitzgibbon, 23, died after being struck by a falling tree on August 9th on Yonah mountain.

Due to the sudden shift in the weather in the mountainous training area, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning from 3:00 PM to 3:45. They warned that wind speeds could reach 60 miles per hour, which could be combined with quarter-sized hail.