WASHINGTON — A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier born in Houlton has succumbed to wounds from an improvised explosive device suffered Sunday while he was on patrol in Afghanistan, U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud said in a statement issued Tuesday morning.
Sgt. 1st Class Aaron A. Henderson, 33, a member of A Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, leaves behind family in Maine.
“He was on patrol and flown to base” after he was injured and died Monday, Capt. Chris Elgee, spokesman for the Maine Army National Guard, said Tuesday.
Henderson died at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
“This is heartbreaking news, and my thoughts and prayers are with SFC Henderson’s family,” Michaud said in a statement. “This tragedy reminds us of the dangerous conditions so many deployed Americans continue to operate under overseas. I know the greater Houlton community and the entire state of Maine will come together to offer support to SFC Henderson’s family during this incredibly difficult time.”
He was active duty member of the elite Green Berets, Gilman said. His death was not yet listed on the Department of Defense casualties list.
“He was part of a Special Forces Group that has a long history of defending our nation, and his brave service on behalf of us all will never be forgotten,” Michaud said.
Another hero pays the ultimate price by giving his life…..my prayers and condolences to Sgt. Henderson’s family, friends and fellow soldiers….may peace be found in time of tragedy….
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John
McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
In
Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between
the crosses row on row,
That
mark our place; and in the sky
The
larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce
heard amid the guns below.
We
are the Dead. Short days ago
We
lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved
and were loved, and now we lie
In
Flanders fields.
Take
up our quarrel with the foe:
To
you from failing hands we throw
The
torch; be yours to hold it high.
If
ye break faith with us who die
We
shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In
Flanders fields. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm
R.I.P. Soldier. Thank you for your service and the ultimate sacrifice you paid. Condolences to Sgt. Henderson’s family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
A TRUE HERO!!!!!!!!
Our deepest sympathy on your loss. Your son made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.
What is there to patrol for…goat? I saw an article where a soldier wrote his congressman because the higher ups were sending them on patrols thru grape vineyards twice a day. They were averaging 1 amputee a day from these nonsense patrols. At the end of the article the soldier who wrote his concerns died from a patrol in the vineyards from an IED. It make you wonder what leadership mentality do we have on the ground over there.
I agree , why are we still there? I recall that WW2 was ended with just 2 bombs . Our soldiers returned and our economy grew at a staggering rate. Why must we fight in a war that we seem to have no intention of winning !
The economy grew because of the war and because the majority of our global economic competition was blown the pieces after. Pretty easy to finish in first when there is no-one else left in the race. War is big business. Why do you think we are still there?
Don’t forget to mention the acceptance of the US Dollar as a reserve currency by the majority of world powers follwoing WWII
The ONLY reason we did so well, was because of the petro dollar, and it is precisely what we are over there fighting to preserve right now.
Iraq, Libya, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. etc. have all at one time or another threatened to move away from the petro dollar and use another currency, such as gold for their oil transactions. The ones who stuck to their guns and would not back down have been invaded and overthrown. This is what happened in Iraq, it’s what happened in Libya, and it’s exactly what is happening right now with Iran.
why are we still in afghanistan? or iraq?
are we going to continue these foolish wars forever? send more of our men over to be killed?
isn’t bin laden dead?
why are we still there.
Because the politically correct police won’t let the armed forces do what needs to be done in the Middle East.
the only thing that needs to be done in the middle east is for us to get out of there.
When the Middle East comes knocking on America’s door again, what then?
Send Obama to get the door, and listen to his apologies, eh?
you’re delusional if you think that they could in any way gain access to this country without using our own means to do it.
they have no organized military, no weapon delivery systems, no transportation systems. they only way they made it here in the first place was on jets that were made here!
liberals don’t like racial profiling, but then complain when the lack of doing so causes trouble at home.
Just get out of the middle east. Bring our troops home!
seal the borders from the middle easterners, increase security at the airports and borders.
that’s more than enough to “defend america”
nothing but brainwashed paranoia……the Rs and Ds are attaining their desired effect, the more you fear, the more power you give them…..time to put your big boy pants on and grow up
The Middle East hasn’t seen peace since the Dark Ages. If its not Religion, it is Oil. It will never end. We made a huge mistake going over after the non-existent WMD’s. They already hated American’s because of how pompous and full of ourselves we are as a country. Think their opinions have improved at all in the last decade?
“pompous and full of ourselves”
Speak for yourself…
speak for yourself pal, that’s is EXACTLY how the rest of the world views us, you’re just too insulated from the sentiments by the MSM to even have a clue
Thanks for nothing on your commentary on this topic…perhaps you missed the point or misinterpreted the article. It was about the fact that a family has lost a loved one in the service of his country. That’s what this news was about. It was not about giving you the opportunity to express your views of what the rest of the world thinks of us…WGAF what you, or what you think the REST of the world thinks.
Thanks for the life-changing insight on the BDN website. You’ve seriously changed the way I view the world by providing me with a new viewpoint that hasn’t been presented a million times already. Furthermore, you’ve done so in the most appropriate forum – a local paper reporting the death of a local soldier. How does it feel to be such an intellectual in the midst of an internet full of simpletons?
I don’t know about Jack, but I feel great.
…grats?
We are “pompous and full of ourselves?” I guarantee we would all pitch in enough money to buy you a one way ticket the hell out of here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Poppy.The US government is a huge player in the heroin trade.
Because there’s this belief among Politicians that someday there will be peace in the Middle East and when that happens we’ll have more allies, etc…Hussein is Dead, Bin Laden is Dead now it’s down once again to the Sunni and Shiite. They have been at War with each other for thousands of years and it won’t ever end until that region is wiped off the face of the Earth. Get our troops out of there and let them have at it. Why spend billions of dollars sticking our nose in their War?
BRING THEM HOME. PERIOD.
DITTO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You will be missed Aaron! I heard the news this morning while out shopping and could have been knocked over with a feather. Seems like just yesterday we were starting High School… I will always remember that great smile! Prayers for strength during this difficult time for your Mom and Sam, and his family.
Sad story.Thoughts and prayers go out to this fine young mans family and loved ones.God bless.
My condolences to Sgt. Henderson’s family, and friends.
Aaron ,
Thank you for for dedicated service , bravery, and ultimate sacrifice . It has been many years since we spoke , but the recent news has just brought back many memories . Iwish there could have been more . My thoughts and prayers are with your family in this time of sorrow.
thank you, Soldier.
Rest in Peace Brother, Job Well Done, Respectfully, Ssgt, Thomas Cooke 3/7th Special Forces Group Retired, Lubec
Rest in Peace Brother, Respectfully, S/Sgt. Thomas Cooke 3/7 Special Forces Retired, Lubec
Rest in Peace Brother, Respectfully, S/Sgt. Thomas Cooke 3/7 Special Forces Retired, Lubec
Another son gone too soon.
End this madness! Bring our troops home now. Stop playing politics with their lives.
History has painted a bloody lesson regarding Afghanistan and it is unacceptable that our government has not taken the time to learn it. Control of all their oil and other mineral resources can never repay the debt to the American people whose loved ones have come home broken, maimed or not at all; nor the cost of thousands upon thousands of innocent Afghanis who have died by our hand.
*Salute*
Ballad of the Green Beret by Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler and Robin Moore, copyright 1966
Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America’s best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live off nature’s land Trained in combat, hand-to-hand Men who fight by night and day Courage peak from the Green Berets
Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America’s best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has met his fate He has died for those oppressed Leaving her his last request
Put silver wings on my son’s chest Make him one of America’s best He’ll be a man they’ll test one day Have him win the Green Beret.
RIP SFC Henderson
Can we all just one day put aside all this political trash talk and rememember that a young man gave his life for us. Lets focus on him and all the others that gave the ultimate sacrifice for us so some of you can sit at your computers and make it all about politics. Show so respect today.
RIP Aaron. You were an awesome person
Well said justicelives.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom will I send? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me!”
– Isaiah 6:8
RIP, SFC Henderson. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends for the loss of this courageous man.
I would advise to please ignore the other BS being written on this site by all the people that don’t have a clue and will never understand the real reasons why SFC Henderson was there in the first place. I suspect those of you that should know, do know. Still, sorry for your loss.
De oppresso liber
ALG, Jonesport, US Army (ret)
Another sad unnecessary death of a young American in the line of his duty.
A duty this soldier had to do without exception and he did it.
A duty exploited by George W. Bush and his Administration of neoconservative liars.
Every American death and disability happening in these two unpaid for wars waged based upon packs of lies told by packs of liars can be laid at the feet of those Neocon creeps who, if there was any justice in this world, would be doing hard time in prison for life.
…Just be sure to be honest enough with yourself to accept that the current administration is Bush III, taking the neocon agenda to new heights and putting it on steroids. Doing things that Rumsfeld and Cheney could not envision possible.
Aaron, I never knew you, but THANK YOU for your service to this country and for your greatest sacrifice. I will say prayers for your family and your friends. I know you are now safe in the arms of God and that you will be watching over your family, friends and community as they face the difficult task of saying good-bye to you, for now.
My condolences to Aaron’s family. Thank you for such a brave and courageous young man. While this is heartbreaking, know that there are many of us praying for him and for you, and that we are are and will be eternally grateful for his service, his sacrifice and yours.
Henderson will be missed. Went to school with him for a very short period of time. Rest in peace
I know there are many who don’t support the war in the Middle East, just as there were many years ago who did support the conflict in VietNam. You are, of course, entitled to your opinions.
But I would urge each of you to support the men and women who are serving there as members of our Armed Forces. Many have been deployed not by choice, but serve their country, and defend our freedom, anyway. These men and women are the brave who chose to enter into service for this country and all it stands for. To each and every one of you, I say thank-you for your service. Let us support every man and woman in uniform, past and present.
EDIT: I had a brother who died after serving in VietNam. I have a son who will be enlisting in the Marines soon. I am very proud of both.
I agree Heather, we never know the sadness until it hits close to home. My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to his family. Chris and siblings you’re in my thoughts in the days ahead. Love, Barb
This man devoted his life to his country. He embarked on a course of training so intense and difficult that few of us can even conceive the depth of it. And he succeeded where very few do.
We, the taxpayers, paid upwards of a million dollars to train this soldier, teach him a foreign language, give him superlative skills, not just in warfare but also in diplomacy, and to make him one of the very best representatives of our country around the world, in wartime or peacetime.
His sacrifice for our country began long before he was killed, through secret sweat and toil, through endless training, through a thorough and voluntary removal from the sort of lifestyle that we all take for granted.
Henderson knew his career would lead him around the world, not just fighting for American interests but fighting for the oppressed everywhere. Teaching them, helping them, and organizing them. A proverbial Peace Corps with firearms. Such is the nature of the Green Berets. They accept it, and it is a very noble cause. But every country we have fought in lately seems to have the uncanny misfortune to end up more destabilized, more oppressed, and more overthrown once we are done.
It was the American political establishment who broke the faith with
this soldier. They are the ones to whom his life had no value. They are the ones who made the calculated decision to
march him around in circles until his luck eventually ran out, the same
way they did to SSG Matthew Sitton and his platoon in the 82nd
Airborne, which averaged an amputation a day in this pointless
charade due to IEDs. An amputation A DAY, in a single 30-man platoon, in order to make twice-daily patrols through a minefield simply because there is no better plan.
Is guarding a bunch of opium fields worthy of this soldier’s life? Is the purpose of our endless war strategy merely to destroy a generation of young American men, as in Vietnam? Isn’t there a better way to not only preserve our invaluable young men but also provide for our security?
Feed another one into the meat grinder.
To Henderson Family so sorry for your lost our deepest thought go to all the family. from Howland,Maine