Tears fall during memorial service held for fallen Marine

Courtesy Photo | An attendee bows her head in order to show her respect for Gunnery Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick who was killed in action Sept. 8 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan.  

UNITED STATES

10.01.2009

Courtesy Story

U.S. Central Command Public Affairs           

Tears rolled down the faces of attendees as civilian and service members alike mourned over the loss of a Marine assigned to Combat Assault Company, 3rd Marine Division during a Memorial Service held at the MacDill Air Force Base chapel, Oct. 1.

Gunnery Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick, who served as the administration chief at U.S. Central Command from 2004 to 2007, was killed in action during combat operations in eastern Afghanistan on Sept. 8, following an ambush that also killed three other Marines and a Navy corpsman.

Kenefick, a 12-year Marine from Western N.Y., was assigned to an embedded training team with the Combined Security Transition Command, which trains and equips Afghan security forces, in the Sarkani District of Kunar province when the incident happened.

As Kenefick's sisters and girlfriend gathered the strength to speak on his behalf at the chapel podium, the heartbroken sobs of attendants broke through the silence.

"He was a good strong man and was my hero," said Kerry Crosby, Gunnery Sgt. Kenefick's girlfriend. "I always called him my superman and will miss him greatly."
Nick Romanak, a former Marine who knew him for nine years described Kenefick as a person who was Motivated, Dedicated to the Marine Corps, his family, and his friends.

"Gunny Kenefick was my best friend, and was the kind of friend that you would always want by your side, someone who would always be there for you," said the Bloomingdale, Mich. native. "We met each other when we both were stationed in Germany. He was at SOCEUR and I was at EUCOM."

Romanak added he considered Kenefick a hero, who always went above and beyond.

"He always took the difficult less traveled route that others wouldn't necessarily take and was as always out front, always leading," explained Romanak. "He was a warrior who volunteered to go to Afghanistan to be a team leader for the infantrymen when he was an admin chief and could have just hung out in the rear all day, but he chose to go to the frontlines, to be the trigger puller, to be part of something special."

Their deaths marked the largest number of U.S. service members assigned as Afghan National Army trainers killed in a single incident since the ware to uproot terrorists and oust the Taliban began in 2001.

As the service ended, attendees made there way to the stage, which was filled with flowers and photo collages, in order to pay their condolences.

With a knot in his throat, Romanak added, "He was a great man, a great Marine, he's someone who is irreplaceable and the loss of him has left all of us that were close to him with a piece missing that will never be replaced. If he was going to die he wanted to do it like a man and he did. He went guns blazing, and with dignity and respect."

• Date Taken: 10.01.2009
• Date Posted: 10.02.2009 14:08
• Story ID: 39591
• Location: US