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Memorial Day
- Thread starter karlvv30
- Start date
Once again I can't like a post where a fine young soldier has died but I can salute a brave young man who gave all to his comrades and his country,RIP and God bless.
AMS1 Brian Patrick Gibson "Gibby"
RIP 7/16/2003
Some of you will understand when I tell you Gibby is one of the men I grew up with in the Navy. With the exception of boot camp Gibby was one of a group of six(The Sigonella Six)of us that were together the entire length of training and we arrived to Sigonella, Sicily - HC4 together as 19 years old E-3 worms and off we went. We built a bond of brotherhood through our blood and sweat. You can include the tears of our superiors. We were a rowdy group - mostly a bunch of thugs when not flying(In our mission box).
I came home from work 7/16/03 and turned on Fox News and the first report I heard was a Navy helicopter had gone down in Sicily. I remember it like yesterday. I knew immediately that one of my brothers had fallen. I got a call about 10 minutes later and I found out it was "Gibby" - at this point Brian was the NATOPS Petty Officer and wrote the flight schedule for the enlisted men and his position was the top E-6 in the command. He died on a FAM flight because one of his men had to leave to join his wife at the hospital, she had started labor. I didn't know the pilots on the flight. The other crew man on the flight was 19 - he had just completed the 12-18 month training program and made it to the fleet. To give you a run down of where Brian served - all 13 years in theatre(over seas)
First Gulf War(includes being on the ground in just about every country in the ME)
Bosnia
Somalia
Sierra Leone
Liberia....
And many others after I left and came home in 1996.
He had just returned from the squadron's permanent detachment in Bahrain from a 90 day turn. We spent a lot of time in the sand box.
We are talking years upon years of combat/hazardous duty. It is a shame he died on a simple training flight that he should have never been on. But that was Gibby - a true professional who always put his shipmates first.
He never came home. Stayed on sea duty for 13 years. It was a lock that he would make Chief/E-7 in the next cycle. His Mother fainted on me when The Honor Guard started the volley at the funeral. Many of us here have these stories. The folks in these posts are my heroes.
God Bless the families, friends, and brothers in arms who will mourn this weekend.
RIP 7/16/2003
Some of you will understand when I tell you Gibby is one of the men I grew up with in the Navy. With the exception of boot camp Gibby was one of a group of six(The Sigonella Six)of us that were together the entire length of training and we arrived to Sigonella, Sicily - HC4 together as 19 years old E-3 worms and off we went. We built a bond of brotherhood through our blood and sweat. You can include the tears of our superiors. We were a rowdy group - mostly a bunch of thugs when not flying(In our mission box).
I came home from work 7/16/03 and turned on Fox News and the first report I heard was a Navy helicopter had gone down in Sicily. I remember it like yesterday. I knew immediately that one of my brothers had fallen. I got a call about 10 minutes later and I found out it was "Gibby" - at this point Brian was the NATOPS Petty Officer and wrote the flight schedule for the enlisted men and his position was the top E-6 in the command. He died on a FAM flight because one of his men had to leave to join his wife at the hospital, she had started labor. I didn't know the pilots on the flight. The other crew man on the flight was 19 - he had just completed the 12-18 month training program and made it to the fleet. To give you a run down of where Brian served - all 13 years in theatre(over seas)
First Gulf War(includes being on the ground in just about every country in the ME)
Bosnia
Somalia
Sierra Leone
Liberia....
And many others after I left and came home in 1996.
He had just returned from the squadron's permanent detachment in Bahrain from a 90 day turn. We spent a lot of time in the sand box.
We are talking years upon years of combat/hazardous duty. It is a shame he died on a simple training flight that he should have never been on. But that was Gibby - a true professional who always put his shipmates first.
He never came home. Stayed on sea duty for 13 years. It was a lock that he would make Chief/E-7 in the next cycle. His Mother fainted on me when The Honor Guard started the volley at the funeral. Many of us here have these stories. The folks in these posts are my heroes.
God Bless the families, friends, and brothers in arms who will mourn this weekend.
Your friend paid the Ultimate Price... He was unselfish and pure..
I am sorry for your loss, our Country is worse withought fine individuals like this. But, his sacrifice is an example of what separates men..
Tears my heart out that I can't be with my brothers this weekend to Honor those we love and lost..MY phone is going none stop and the e-mail box is filling from brothers calling from DC..As said before this is not a holiday! Monday I will sit down with a bottle and pay my respects. God bless all that paid the ultimate price for our Freedom...
Your with them, in your thoughts, and prayers. And they care enough about you to call, and email you.
God Bless all the brave souls brother.
Private Dawson, KIA Iraqi Freedom 2010. 6 months out of basic training.
**** yeah OP. I never understood those, especially in the firearms industry, that commercialize Memorial Day.
