Yearning to fly

Image courtesy: Silk family

As Independence Day weekend kicks off in Maine, American flags are flying at half-staff. While Gov. John Baldacci lowered flags in honor of a remarkable soldier from Orono, Staff Sgt. Brandon Silk is being remembered as a young man who was always flying high.

"In Maine, we're all an extended family," the governor said. "At times like these, we have to reach out and take care of one another. Sgt. Silk was a hero, and we will honor his life and his sacrifice."

When the blockbuster film "Top Gun" was released on May 16, 1986, it hadn't even been two years since Silk was born at Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force Base. Yet according to his family, the future soldier grew up loving the action movie and yearning to fly. After spending most of his youth in Maine, where he loved camping on Green Lake, playing football, and rooting for the New England Patriots, the high school graduate enlisted in the U.S. Army.

While an obituary said Staff Sgt. Silk was nicknamed "Silky Smooth" by classmates, his persona as a Black Hawk crew chief was tough as nails. He was so fiercely dedicated to his fellow soldiers that he even turned down a promotion to avoid abandoning his helicopter unit during its deployment to Afghanistan.

"He chose to go because the people he was with were the ones he trained and he just felt that it was his responsibility that if he trained them and they're in this situation, that he needed to be there with them," Orono High School athletic director Mike Archer told NECN. "I just think that just speaks volumes about loyalty."

According to the Pentagon, Silk was killed on June 21, when the helicopter he was flying in made a hard landing in Afghanistan. The 25-year-old, who is survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers, was buried this morning in Old Town, Maine.

"Brandon died while serving his country - honorably and with respect," the Silk family wrote. "When duty called, he answered that call without hesitation. We miss him and we love him."

At Kentucky's Fort Campbell, where the legendary 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is based, many troops and military families are joined together in mourning. 15 soldiers from the division, which currently has three brigades deployed, were killed in June, including another Screaming Eagle from Maine. Staff Sgt. Eric Shaw, a 31-year-old father of three with roots in Exeter, was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday. While grieving June's tragic toll, Maj. Jesse Wentworth told me this week that Fort Campbell prepared its deployed troops with first-rate training, plenty of time, and realistic expectations.

"There was no confusion on the fact that it's going to be a tough fight," the 101st Sustainment Brigade supply and services officer said.

These 15 families, along with all other relatives who lost loved ones in the deadliest month for coalition troops in Afghanistan, will have a particularly difficult Fourth of July weekend. While our hearts ache for them, we can also be inspired by their patriotism and continuing service. Next year, Staff Sgt. Brandon Silk's younger brothers will follow in his footsteps and deploy overseas. Like their big brother, who served four tours of duty in three countries, Blaine and David Silk are aiming high.

Note: Memorial contributions in memory of Staff Sgt. Brandon Silk may be made to House in the Woods, 2819 Lee Road, Lee, ME 04455