Lankan-born Suresh dies in Afghan war
On Thursday, August 30, an American hero and patriot was laid to rest at Forest Lawn in Cathedral City, California. A Military Honours service was held immediately after the funeral at the Desert Memorial Park in Palm Springs. It was a sad day indeed for all who knew “Ba” which is short for “Baby”, as Suresh Krause was fondly referred to.
On Thursday, August 30, an American hero and patriot was laid to rest at Forest Lawn in Cathedral City, California. A Military Honours service was held immediately after the funeral at the Desert Memorial Park in Palm Springs. It was a sad day indeed for all who knew “Ba” which is short for “Baby”, as Suresh Krause was fondly referred to.
aA smiling Suresh piloting a similar Black Hawk helicopter, in an undated photo, over the Kandahar mountains in Afghanistan
Suresh’s body is taken off the U.S. Army plane to be transferred to Cathedral City, California
“They brought me inside and told me what I already knew,” Brian said. Suresh was killed in action on August 16 while piloting a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in the Shah Wali Kot District of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Suresh, along with three other soldiers, two Navy SEALs, a Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician, three Afghan security personnel and one Afghan interpreter, a total of 11, died in the crash.
The Taliban has taken credit for shooting down the Black Hawk, though U.S. officials said initial reports indicate it was not shot down. According to an Associated Press story on Monday, the crash, which is still under investigation, happened during a firefight with insurgents. It is considered one of this war’s deadliest air disasters. The helicopter crashed into the barren Kandahar mountains.
Suresh’s grief-stricken parents, Suzie and Brian show a photo of their beloved son
A local newspaper, The Desert Sun, quoted Brian as saying: “Suresh was born to fly and he was born to serve.” While the Schmidts and the Abayasekeras mourn the death of their beloved son, they do realisethat Suresh loved what he was doing, flying for his country, serving his country and now,making the ultimate sacrifice of dying for his country.
Government and private flags in the Riverside County which includes all the beautiful desert resort cities were ordered to be lowered to half-mast for one week in Suresh’s honour.
Category: Documentary
0 comments