Mourners honor elite fallen soldiers

Soldier with local ties, friend honored in Kentucky military ceremony

BY KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press Writer   

 FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Two Green Berets killed during a raid in Iraq were remembered Thursday, 18 Sept. 2003 as honorable men who volunteered to take on the most dangerous missions for their country.
   Master Sgt. Kevin N. Morehead, 33, of Little Rock, Ark., and Sgt. 1st Class William M. Bennett, 35, of Seymour, Tenn., were "friends, leaders, mentors, peers, trusted professionals:' said Lt. Col. Tim Williams.
   "May God bless them, their families, their battalion, and this our great nation," said Williams, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Special Forces Group, of which the men were members.
   There were loud cries inside Memorial Chapel after there was no answer when the names of Morehead and Bennett were each called three times during a customary roll call. An overflow crowd with some people standing watched the service on screens in a nearby gymnasium. Family members of both men attended the service.
   The two -- both Arabic speakers and veterans of the war on terrorism in Afghanistan -- were killed Friday at dusk on a villa outside the town of Ar Ramadi. Seven others from the unit were wounded, said Maj. Jim Whatley.
   Few details have been released about their deaths. The 5th Group discretely deploys around the world, conducting covert operations that often involve living and working with locals. Its motto is "To liberate the oppressed."
   'that we've got right now is that they were conducting a raid:' Whatley said. "They had received some intel that there were some bad guys in there and they were acting on that."
   Pictures of the men were displayed within the chapel along with shined black boots, dog tags, rifles and berets.
   Morehead,. a medic, was described as a devout Christian, who strove to be the best at what he did, whether it was in combat or while hunting and fishing. He is survived by his wife, Theresa.
   Retired Master Sgt. John Bolduc said he had an adversarial relationship with Morehead when they first met, but they eventually became close like brothers. He said in Afghanistan, the two chose scripture from Psalm 23 to be read during a ceremony in which a section of the fallen World Trade Center towers was buried.
   "We would have given our lives for each other," Bolduc said. "That was how we trained, and how we felt."
   Bennett -- who had deployed to Panama and the 1991 Persian Gulf War -- was described as a non-drinker, able to find a place anywhere to work out, who enjoyed cigars. He is survived by his wife, Allison; and his son, Seth.
   Master Sgt. Jeff Mason said when he first men Bennett, he thought he was cocky, but he said he soon learned, "Bill not only talked the talk, he walked the walk."
   Bennett spoke his mind and questioned authority, but was loyal to a decision, Mason said.
   "Bill honored God, his country, Special Forces, his teammates, his family by always setting an esteemed example in all aspects of his life;' said Sgt. lst Class Steve Ferrell.
   Both men have been recommended for Silver Star honors for their actions the night they were killed, Whatley said.
   "Silver Stars are reserved for extreme acts of bravery;' Whatley said.
   The battalion has been deployed since January and the remainder of the soldiers in Iraq are scheduled to return in a couple weeks, Williams said.
   Morehead and Bennett are the first men from 5th Group to die fighting in "Operation Iraqi Freedom."