A Hero's Unfathomable Loss: R.I.P. Sweet Dasy

I heard this interview on satellite radio while driving back on Monday to New Orleans from Little Rock after a delightful weekend of many celebrations. It broke my heart to learn that this hero -- a man who risked his everything to preserve my freedoms and the hopes of Afghanis -- inexcusably lost his best friend yet again.

Marcus Luttrell wrote a New York Times best seller entitled Lone Survivor chronicling "Operation Redwing" in Afghanistan in which all the members of Seal Team 10 were killed, except Luttrell. His rehabilitation has been long and hard, but he was helped by the company and affection of Dasy, a sweet yellow labrador whose name is an acronym of some of the Seal Team 10 buddies' nicknames. Until last week.

In the wee hours of April 1st, Luttrell heard a gunshot on his mother's farm and discovered 4 punks who were riding around west Texas shooting dogs for a lark. And he discovered his precious Dasy in a ditch, lifeless.

Fortunately, the punks were stupid punks and didn't realize that Luttrell would chase them across 3 counties at high speed, on the line with 911 the entire time. The authorities set up a road block and stopped the evil, soul-less men; two are charged with cruelty to animals. I'd like to have a few minutes with them and a dull butter knife. Here's a newspaper account in the Houston Chronicle.


My sympathy and rage are with Marcus Luttrell. Pray for him and the soul of his precious pup.