Families of the six U.S. soldiers who reportedly died while trying to save Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl are angry, demanding answers and asking: Was it worth it?
Sgt. Bergdahl’s swap and return has brewed up “very raw emotions,” said the mother of 2nd Lt. Darryn Andrews, who died while searching for the soldier, the Army Times reported. “It gets really hurtful when I think, this guy was worth my son’s life? My son who was patriotic? Who was a true soldier? Who defended his country with his life? That guy was worth that? I don’t think so.”
Robert Andrews, his father, said similarly, to Reuters: “Basically, my son died unnecessarily, hunting for a guy that we shouldn’t even have been hunting for.”
Another family member of a soldier who died during the search — Kenneth Luccioni, the stepfather of the deceased Pfc. Matthew Martinek — said the swap of Sgt. Bergdahl for five Taliban militants was a slap in the face to those who served honorably.
“This opens up the wounds again,” he said, Newsmax reported. “There were a lot of people who risked their lives for this young man, and we want the truth.”
And one more comment, from the father of Sgt. Kurt Curtiss, who also died during the search-and-rescue operation: “It’s just disgraceful that Obama would trade five high-level Taliban officers for this guy who basically defected,” said Bob Curtiss, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
“Leave him there,” Mr. Curtiss added. “That was his choice, his decision.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.