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Name: Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves
Age: 32
From: Shreveport, LA
Assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team
Incident: Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves
died Aug. 6 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter in which he was riding was shot down.
Died with childhood friend in helo crash
Staff and wire reports
Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves and Lt. Cmdr. Jonas Kelsall had been childhood friends in Shreveport, La., where they played soccer together and graduated from Caddo Magnet High School, Kelsall&rsquos father, John, told The Times of Shreveport and KLSA-TV..
Both joined the military after graduation, though the 32-year-old Reeves spent a year at Louisiana State University first, his father, Jim Reeves, told The Times.
Reeves became a SEAL in 1999 and served on SEAL Team 6, his father said.
His decorations include include four Bronze Star Medals with &lsquoV&rsquo device for valor, Joint Service Commendation Medal with &lsquoV&rsquo device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with &lsquoV&rsquo device for valor, Combat Action Ribbon, two Presidential Unit Citations, three Navy Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Navy Expert Rifleman Medal and Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal.
John Reeves placed several American flags outside his home and his neighbors joined in, many decorating their homes in red, white and blue in support of the families.
Friends, family say goodbye to fallen SEAL
By John Andrew Prime
The (Shreveport, La.) Times
SHREVEPORT, La. &mdash Northwest Louisiana bade farewell Aug. 13 to an honored fallen son, Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32.
In a service at St. Mark&rsquos Episcopal Cathedral, city fathers, state leaders, family members and fellow SEAL team members held a memorial for Reeves, killed along with 21 other Navy Special Warfare personnel Aug. 6 when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter was downed by a Taliban rocket near Kabul, Afghanistan.
Killed with Reeves was his childhood friend and fellow classmate at Caddo Magnet High School, Lt. Cmdr. Jonas Kelsall, the mission&rsquos leader. Both men were 32.
The shootdown also killed the helicopter&rsquos Army aircrew, Air Force pararescue and combat controllers, and Afghan security personnel, 38 men in all.
&ldquoWhile we are overcome with grief from Rob&rsquos tragic loss, we will never forget the love he had for his family, friends, the United States Navy and his Navy SEAL brothers,&rdquo SEAL Cmdr. Bill Mahoney read from a prepared statement from the family. He did not take or answer questions, and the Navy and the Reeves family did not allow media inside the cathedral. &ldquoThis past week has been the hardest we have ever had to endure. But words cannot express how grateful we are for the outpouring of support from the Shreveport community. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.&rdquo
According to the program, memorial euologists were Capt. Pete Van Hoosier, Chief Petty Officer Jerritt Lacy and Dr. Jon Christian Stewart.
Bossier City combat-wounded Army veteran of the Vietnam War Richard Garner, state commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, attended the service and recalled the tributes paid to Reeves by the men who had served with him.
&ldquoSeveral of his buddies talked about his pranks, his antics, that he would play on them,&rdquo Garner said. &ldquoBut he was every step of the way the soldier, the brave guy that would step forward and say, &lsquoLet me do it. I&rsquoll go.&rsquo&rdquo
Garner said attending the memorial brought back memories of his war experience and what people today should appreciate.
&ldquoMy memorials were attended right on the battlefield,&rdquo he said. &ldquoYou think back to these young men, especially the Iraq-Afghanistan guys, who could have chosen other professions, could have done other things. But they stepped forward for us. All these tough young men and women that go to these God-forsaken places, these holes-in-the-wall, the dark places of our earth, and they hunt down those that would do us harm. We owe them a debt of gratitude. And I just say, &lsquoGod bless those young men.&rsquo They have stepped up for this country, and we certainly need to step up for them.&rdquo
The service was led by the Very Rev. Dr. Jacob W. Owensby, the cathedral&rsquos dean. Gov. Bobby Jindal could not change his schedule to attend but was represented by state Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, Jindal&rsquos office said. Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, Chief of Police Willie Shaw and other city officials attended, as did command personnel from Barksdale Air Force Base.
Hundreds of motorcyclists from across Louisiana and East Texas, mostly from the Patriot Guard Riders but also from the Gray Ghosts, the Buffalo Soldiers, the American Legion, VFW and Wicked Ways, to name a few, formed a thick throng on Fairfield Avenue for several streets north and south of Rutherford Street, as the Reeves family, Navy SEALs and Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel, as well as civilian mourners, poured into the cathedral through an honor cordon of Patrol Guards holding large U.S. flags.
The biker contingent included many veterans, who stood ready for any interference. Rumors swirled for days that members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, which stages protests at military funerals, might make an appearance.
Had they, the veterans in the motorcycle crowd might have objected. There were a few former SEALs in that, too.
&ldquoThey&rsquove been trickling in, you can tell by their [trident] insignia,&rdquo said Marine Corps veteran Scott Love, a member of the Devil Dogs Motorcycle Club. He rode in with friends and fellow veterans from East Texas. &ldquoAnd they still have that walk. ... Once a Marine, always a Marine.&rdquo
The answer he gave echoed those by others who swigged water or sought shade during the 45 minutes of the memorial, waiting for the time when they would reform their line to pay honor to the Reeves family and mourners.
&ldquoOne of my brothers fell,&rdquo Love said. &ldquoHe was a SEAL but died in service to his country. &lsquoNo greater love hath one man than he will lay down his life for his brother.&rsquo He gave his life for his country. He made the ultimate sacrifice.&rdquo
The nonveterans felt the same way.
&ldquoI&rsquom here to pay honor and give tribute,&rdquo said Sue Thomas of Shreveport. &ldquoThis is my country, our community, and he is one of our fallen sons.&rdquo
Fellow Shreveporter Terry Martin was there with toddler/stroller-aged children Walker and Harper, and emotion filled his voice as he tried to find the words to say how he felt.
&ldquoThis city ... has lost a good son,&rdquo he said. &ldquoI&rsquove got a son their age, too, and I can&rsquot imagine what these parents are going through. I&rsquom very proud of these boys. I did not know them, don&rsquot know their parents, I just know they&rsquore home-town guys and they were fighting for this guy, and this one,&rdquo he said, pointing to his children. &ldquoYou hear about sacrifice? This is the ultimate sacrifice. So we just wanted to come out and show our support.&rdquo
Died: August 6, 2011
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Prayers & Condolences For:
Robert J. Reeves
BY John on Sep 02, 2011 | |  | May the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you and your family forever.
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