Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Seale

25, US Army

August 6 marks the anniversary of the passing of Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Seale, US Army, 25, of Martinsburg WV. We honor and remember him, his mother Roxanne Ruppenthal, his daughter, and his family.

Stephen was born September 11th 1980 in Winchester, Virginia. He was a graduate of Martinsburg High School, Class of 1999 where he was a member of the football team. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army in September of 1999.

SSG Seale was assigned to 2nd Brigade Troop Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. He was killed Aug. 6, 2006, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee while conducting combat operations in Baghdad as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Below are just 2 of the many comments on his memorial page from fellow soldiers in his unit:

"Seale, you were without a doubt one of my best friends during my time in the army. The first man I introduced my soon to be wife to. A brother I could talk about anything to. I think about the good and bad times we had almost daily. The clowning we did, the times we had to be dead serious. You were one of the best soldiers I had the honor to serve with. I'll never forget the day you found out your daughter was born, and we all cheered like we'd just won the World Series in that crappy Iraqi city. I truly loved you like the brother I never had." Ryan Mount of Crooksville, Ohio.

"SSG Seale was a person who would talk to me in the chow hall like a regular person. I wasn't a go along with the group kinda guy if I thought it was a bad idea. This guy was a regular guy, had a small daughter, going through a breakup, working IEDs, and you would never know it by talking to him. All gave some (me) SSG Seale gave all." William Kalal of Siera Vista AZ.

He is survived by a daughter, his parents, and several siblings.

Let us always remember him, his family, and…

Say His Name

#SayTheirNames

#neverforget

#rememberthefallen

#army

#GoldStar

#GoldStarMothers

#goldstarbridgeride

#goldstarfamilies

#military

#veterans

EODTC Nicholas Heath Null

30, US Navy

Nicholas Heath Null

August 6 marks the anniversary of the passing of EODTC Nicholas Heath Null, 30. US Navy. We honor and remember him, his mother Tracey L. (Null) Litman, and his wife and children.

Nick Null was born on March 30, 1981, in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 20, 2000, and completed basic training at NTC Great Lakes, Illinois, in November 2000. Null next attended Gunner's Mate A School at Great Lakes from December 2000 to May 2001, and then served with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 6 at Panama City, Florida, from May 2001 to September 2003. During this time he participated in combat operations in Iraq during the opening phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. Petty Officer Null next attended Explosive Ordnance Disposal training from September 2003 to September 2004, followed by service with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 2 at Virginia Beach, Virginia, from September 2004 to January 2009. During this time he again deployed to Iraq from January to May 2006, January to July 2007, and August to December 2008. He also deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from February to July 2005, and January to June 2006, concurrently with one of his deployments to Iraq. His final assignment was with Naval Special Warfare Development Group at Dam Neck, Virginia, from January 2009 until he was killed in the crash of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter "Extortion 17" in Afghanistan on August 6, 2011.

On August 6, 2011, Null and thirty other American soldiers were responding as a Quick Reaction Force to assist a group of Army Rangers who were involved in a firefight with Taliban fighters. The call sign for their helicopter was Extortion 17 and the operation was set to take place in the Wardak Province of Afghanistan. While responding to the area, a group of Taliban fighters were able to launch several rocket propelled grenades at the Chinook Helicopter the service members were on. One of those grenades struck one of the helicopter's blades killing everyone on board. The incident was repeatedly discussed in the media because of the overwhelming loss of American life and the fact that many of the men on the Extortion 17 mission were part of the Navy Seal Team who had recently killed Osama Bin Laden.

Chief Null received 2 Bronze Star Medals w/Valor Citations.

Nick Null was buried at Sunset Memory Gardens in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Tanya M. Null; sons, Hunter T. Null, Brett N. Null and Chase W. Null.