Godspeed Nate Hardy and Mike Koch

[RescueKujo 130]

From another board I belong to.....

Chief Petty Officers Nathan H. Hardy and Michael E. Koch.

In the early hours on Monday morning, February 4th, an American Task Force took down a

terrorist compound in Iraq. In the ensuing fight, two US Navy SEALs were

killed by small arms fire while clearing one of the buildings - Chief Petty

Officers Nathan H. Hardy and Michael E. Koch.

Nate Hardy, 29, enlisted in the US Navy in 1997 and is survived by his wife

- Mindy, 7 month old son - Parker, parents and brother.

Mike Koch, also 29, enlisted in 1998 and had a fiancée, parents, brother and

sister.

Both Koch and Hardy families have a tradition of service. The Kochs are

vets and contractors (in Iraq and Afghanistan) and Hardy's grandfather

served with John F. Kennedy on PT-109 during WWII. Mike's brother escorted

the bodies of the two SEALs back to the states.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Koch, Hardy and SEAL families.

Below is message from an Army Special Forces Soldier "Green Beret" serving

in Iraq:

Last Sunday while most of America was enjoying the Superbowl several members

of our Task Force were commencing an assault on a terrorist stronghold in

Iraq. During the assault two of our brothers from the Navy were shot and

killed while clearing a building that was occupied by terrorist insurgents.

Ultimately, the building was reduced (precision bombed by aircraft) and all

of the terrorists in it were destroyed by the assault force. Remember these

names, Mike and Nate. They were good men doing honorable work in the name of

freedom. The terrorists they sought to destroy were responsible for

unspeakable acts of evil including the construction of improvised explosive

devices and explosives to equip homicide bombers. For those of you who may

not understand the enemy we face out here let me remind you that the

previous week this group of terrorists took two innocent and unwitting women

who had Downs Syndrome, rigged them with explosive vests and detonated them

20 minutes apart in a crowded market causing several deaths and hundreds of

injuries. These terrorists used innocent people as unwitting vehicles to

destroy more innocent lives. There is good and there is evil in this world.

The enemy we face is evil. Mike and Nate were fighting on the side of good

to prevent further acts of evil that would result in the loss of more

innocent lives. The next time you pray I ask you to thank God for giving

Mike and Nate the talent and skill that made them great warriors and thank

God that he gave them the heart to apply those God given talents to destroy

evil and further the cause of freedom in a land far from their home. Thank

God for men like Mike and Nate. Their work is done here now, but there are

many of us who will honor their sacrifice by continuing the fight against

evil terrorists. They will be remembered through our actions.

For any of you out there who are doubting the validity of this war and the

evil that resides in our enemy I ask you to study your history again. Over

the last 20+ years dating back to the bombing of the Marine Corps Barracks

in Lebanon, various factions of radical Islamic Terrorists have been

committing heinous acts of terrorism against the free world. We are fighting

the same enemy here. The brethren of an evil ideology that spawned the

terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001 claiming almost 3,000 innocent

lives. Take time to reflect on the type of evil that would put explosive

vests on innocent women with Downs Syndrome and use them to kill and maim

other innocent people. While the American media strives everyday to rewrite

the history of the most generous nation in the free world and cast disparity

over all that we do as a Nation men like Mike and Nate are giving their

lives to make sure the real history doesn't repeat itself. While the

American media strives daily to erase the memory of the terrorist attacks of

September 11, 2001 and paint this war as an unjust occupation of a sovereign

nation men like Mike and Nate are out here hunting down and destroying the

enemies of the very freedom that allows our media to try and discredit us.

Terrorism is real, evil is real, this war is real and real men and women are

in this fight because righteousness and freedom are worth fighting for.

If you don't support this war I'm calling you out. I've had enough of people

sitting in their living rooms watching the lying media and jumping on the

bandwagon against this war. Don't ever say to me, "I support the troops, but

not the war." You might as well be telling me that I'm committing a crime.

You are in effect saying that my cause is unjust and everything I believe in

is a lie. I have held my tongue in the past, but I will never allow you to

have it both ways again. You cannot support me if you do not support this

war. I am this war. It embodies everything that I believe in. If you believe

that what we are doing here is wrong then you are in effect supporting the

evil we seek to destroy. If you believe I'm wrong for trying to stop evil

people from taking more innocent lives then I fear there is no hope for you.

If you choose to dishonor my service and the sacrifice of my fallen brothers

by taking a position against this war you are free to make that choice

thanks to guys like Mike and Nate, but don't expect me to sit idly by and

bite my tongue while you do it. Do it in my presence and be prepared to try

and support your feeble position while I enlighten everyone else on the

reality of this war and the nature of the enemy we face. I will ensure that

you look like the fool that you are.

The stuff I'm seeing out here you won't see on Oprah Winfrey. I'm seeing

really evil people doing really evil things and I'm doing everything in my

power to stop them. There's nothing wrong or unjust about that.

Sincerely,

_________ the Angry American

Remember Nate and Mike...

________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________

Thank God for Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen like Nate and Mike. May they Rest In Peace. Thoughts and prayers to their families, friends and fellow Special Warfare Operators.

[tdc202 0]

I couldn't say it any better Rescue... May God bless them and there Families

[Guest]

Amen! Rest in peace Nate and Mike.

[Goose 188]

Amen. I couldn't agree more with what this Green Beret has to say. God bless Nate, Mike and, Mike Murphy, all of those who have fallen while defending us before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and all those who continue to serve in harms way so that we may enjoy the fruits of freedom and liberty.

I think more people need to really listen to and embrace what this Green Beret has to say.

[shac 7313 0]

may they rip i kind of know what there family is going though back in 1991 i was there in irag and may be going back ??.

[Scottyk107 9]

Don't ever say to me, "I support the troops, but

not the war." You might as well be telling me that I'm committing a crime.

You are in effect saying that my cause is unjust and everything I believe in

is a lie. I have held my tongue in the past, but I will never allow you to

have it both ways again. You cannot support me if you do not support this

war. I am this war. It embodies everything that I believe in. If you believe

that what we are doing here is wrong then you are in effect supporting the

evil we seek to destroy.

That is a very powerful statement, put into perfect words.

May they rest in peace. And thanks to all of our armed forces for their sacrifices.

[ENG47INE 17]

RIP Nate and Mike and thanks for making the Supreme Sacrafice.

[x134 46]

Thank you for serving so we can enjoy the American way of life. You gave your lives for our freedom. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Rest easy.

[rfdu39 89]

Rest in peace Nate and Mike.

[CPAGE 2]

Thank you for your service. Rest in peace you job is done. May god watch over your families and see them in this time,

[DOC22 1]

Rest in Peace, Nate and Mike

[jack10562 414]

I salute you, Nathan H. Hardy and Michael E. Koch.

Your ultimate sacrifice for our country humbles us.

". . . It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

-- Abraham Lincoln The Gettysburg Address November 19, 1863 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

[x134 46]

Does anyone know what number SEAL TEAM these men were from? I have a friend that was a gunners mate on seal team #8.