Mike Durant

I mean, there's nothing you can do other than remember them.

You know, I like the philosophy, and I'm sure you've heard it, is a soldier dies two deaths, one when he stops breathing and the second time the last name is ever said.

And we got to make sure that second time never happens.

Hell yeah.

Stephanie Shugart's letter to me says it better than anyone ever could.

And I can't quote it, but it's in my book.

And if you read it and you don't get choked up, you're made of something different because it's pretty freaking heartfelt.

And that's what I've tried to do.

My wife's a gold star wife.

Lisa is.

Her husband...

I told her that I'd do pretty well until I get to this part because it's her.

She was pregnant, and her husband was in the unit.

I didn't really know him.

We had met, but I didn't really know him.

And he was flying on a Chinook MH-47.

He was in the jump seat because the guy in the front was doing an assessment for the unit.

And there was a material failure.

We call it in the aviation world.

Water intrusion in the Chinook caused the aircraft to completely go out of control.