Friends together forever

Lt. Travis Manion and Lt. Brendan Looney were roommates at the US Naval Academy for three years whose friendship extended past graduation. Manion became a Marine and Looney a SEAL. Their friendship ended, however, when Manion was killed in an ambush in Iraq while Looney was completing SEAL training. While he wasn’t able to attend the funeral, Looney dedicated his training to Manion’s memory and graduated first in his SEAL class.

Tragically, Looney died in a helicopter crash on September 21st and was scheduled for burial at Arlington, miles from Manion’s resting place near his family in Pennsylvania. (CNN link)

“Brendan had told his brother that he would want to be buried next to Travis,” Manion-Borek said.

When Looney’s wife Amy first heard the news, “the first thing that came out of her mouth was, ‘well then he has to be buried next to Travis,’ ” Manion-Borek said.

The Manion family immediately set to work with Arlington National Cemetery to try to transfer Travis’ body.

His body was exhumed and transported to Arlington, where it was laid to rest Friday during a ceremony attended by both families. Looney’s body will join him on Monday.

Category: Real Soldiers