On this Memorial Day, I would like to pay honor and respect to the fallen warriors from the 2004 Fallujah, Iraq ambush.
On March 31, 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq, four American contractors from Blackwater USA were conducting a delivery for food caterers when Iraqi insurgents ambushed their vehicle. The insurgents killed the contractors, dragged their bodies from their vehicle, beat and burnt their corpses, dragged their corpses through the city streets, and finally hung the corpses over a bridge crossing the Euphrates River.
The four US contractors were:
- Scott Helvenston (Navy SEAL)
- Jerry Zovko (Army Ranger)
- Wesley Batalona (Army Ranger)
- Mike Teague (Army Ranger)
In particular, Helvenston (pictured above) was a former Hollywood fitness trainer who once trained Demi Moore for her role in the film GI Jane.
Warriors, I honor and salute you.
REST IN PEACE.
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For more information:
Wikipedia article about the ambush
New York Times article about the ambush
Wikipedia article about Scott Helvenston
IMDB biography of Scott Helvenston
If you would like to support members of the Naval Special Warfare community through charity, please donate to the Navy SEAL Foundation.