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danger in the vicinity of
Asadabad, Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Operating in the middle of an enemy-controlled area, in extremely rugged terrain, his Special Reconnaissance element was tasked with locating a high-level Anti-Coalition Militia leader, in support of a follow-on direct action mission to disrupt enemy activity. On 28 June 2005, the element was spotted by Anti-Coalition Militia sympathizers, who immediately revealed their position to the militia fighters. As a result, the element directly encountered the enemy. Demonstrating exceptional resolve and fully understanding the gravity of the situation and his responsibility to his teammates, Petty Officer Dietz fought valiantly against the numerically superior and positionally advantaged enemy force. Remaining behind in a hailstorm of enemy fire, Petty Officer Dietz was wounded by enemy fire. Despite his injuries, he bravely fought on, valiantly defending his teammates and himself in a harrowing gunfight, until he was mortally wounded. By his undaunted courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and absolute devotion to his teammates, Petty Officer Dietz will long be remembered for the role he played in the Global War on Terrorism. Petty Officer Dietz's courageous and selfless heroism, exceptional professional skill, and utmost devotion to duty reflected great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for the cause of freedom.
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This led to him losing the ability to walk, and as a result, Luttrell carried him on his way up the mountain, while Dietz responded to him. A bullet penetrated the back of his head and killed him instantly, Dietz's dead weight came as a surprise to
Luttrell and as a result, he fell over the edge of
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and reported them to the
Taliban after the SEALs let them go free. An intense firefight ensued after the SEALs were ambushed by Taliban insurgents who outnumbered them twenty-five to one. Murphy went into an open clearing to get reception and call for support, he managed to reach the base, giving
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For extraordinary heroism in actions against the enemy while serving in a four-man
Special Reconnaissance element with SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE, Naval Special Warfare Task unit, Afghanistan from 27 to 28 June 2005. Petty Officer Dietz demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of grave
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358:, on November 8, 2001, he was assigned to Task Unit Bravo as the secondary SDV pilot and the Ordnance and Engineering Department head. In April 2005, Dietz deployed with his Special Reconnaissance component to Afghanistan to support
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SEAL Marcus
Luttrell was the sole survivor of SEAL Team TEN. He was aided by an Afghan villager who sheltered him and was rescued by Army Rangers six days later. Danny Dietz, Matthew Axelson and Michael Murphy were declared
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posthumously. Murphy then returned to his team to continue the battle. Low on ammunitions, Murphy, Axelson and Danny Dietz were killed while
Luttrell was knocked unconscious by an RPG.
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was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade that ignited the fuel tanks just as the soldiers were about to fast rope. Among the dead aboard the helicopter were
Lieutenant Commander
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On August 18, 2009, the span of South Santa Fe Drive between
Interstate 25 and Colorado State Highway 470 was named Navy SEAL Danny Dietz Memorial Highway in his honor.
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them the SEALs location as well as the number of enemies. Exposed to enemy fire, he was shot in the back while making the call, it was this act that awarded Murphy the
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erected a bronze lifesize statue of Dietz holding his rifle in a 'parade-rest' position on one knee. It contained the same statement on the Navy Cross citation.
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A picture of Dietz's statue unveiled in 2007 with his family viewing it; his wife is on the corner right followed by his sister, mother, brother and father.
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Dietz was known to show appreciation toward the outdoors and he enjoyed fishing and rock climbing. He had a black belt in
Taekwondo from the
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during a search and rescue operation, on 4 July 2005, and returned to the United States. Dietz was buried with full military honors at
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supporting the role of snipers, while 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz and team leader Navy
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Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
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training and graduated with Class 232 in 2001. Dietz attended the Basic Airborne Course at
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Dietz is survived by his mother Cindy, Father Dan Sr., sister Tiffany and brother Eric.
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was a counter-insurgency operation by the United States Armed Forces to kill or capture
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A picture of Dietz's uniform on display with his brother and sister viewing it, 2006.
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1069:"11 SEALs, 8 Army Night Stalkers killed 15 years ago today in Operation Red Wings"
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event held the weekend of Memorial Day at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds in
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Starting in 2010, the Danny Dietz Memorial Day Classic is a fundraiser /
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Dietz was mortally wounded after taking the brunt of the initial attack.
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American military personnel killed in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
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Dietz enlisted in the Navy on August 31, 1999. After graduating from
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United States Navy personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
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1407:"Movie 'Lone Survivor' Features Story Of Littleton's Danny Dietz"
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The mission was compromised after goat herders stumbled upon the
980:"Lone Survivor: What Really Happened During Operation Red Wings"
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The support dispatched was a team of eight Navy SEALs and eight
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who was awarded the U.S. Navy's second-highest decoration, the
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1295:"South Santa Fe span dedicated to honor slain Littleton SEAL"
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Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of May 24, 2011
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On September 13, 2006, Dietz was posthumously awarded the
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the mountain with Dietz's body and was seriously injured.
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US Navy SEAL and recipient of the Navy Cross (1980–2005)
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Team TEN; the four-man team was made up of 2nd Class
1375:"Danny Dietz Memorial Day Classic honors the fallen"
1088:"Navy Seal's body found after failed Afghan mission"
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Dietz's body was found by a group of U.S. Air Force
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Upon checking in at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2 in
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303:to parents Cindy and Danny P. Dietz Sr. He was of
1490:Native American United States military personnel
1208:"Two SEALs Receive Posthumous Navy Cross Awards"
1023:. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 7784
1239:. Danny Dietz Foundation. 2006. Archived from
347:, followed by SEAL Qualification Training and
1325:. Littleton Independent. 2009. Archived from
1152:"Navy believes video shows SEAL's ID, weapon"
723:A close-up image of Dietz's statue on display
441:after their bodies were recovered on 4 July.
8:
1485:United States Navy non-commissioned officers
1455:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
634:Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
1323:"Highway signs unveiled in honor of Dietz"
703:Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia
263: 2003–2005)
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339:'A' School there. He then transferred to
275:(January 26, 1980 – June 28, 2005) was a
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541:Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
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1480:Burials at Fort Logan National Cemetery
1179:"Ultimate sacrifice won't be forgotten"
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830:List of people from Littleton, Colorado
555:Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
299:Dietz was born on January 26, 1980, in
648:Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
7:
1237:"Danny P. Dietz Navy Cross Citation"
978:Kessler, Morris (February 4, 2014).
335:on November 27, 1999, he completed
1450:United States Navy SEALs personnel
1150:Starr, Barbara (August 11, 2005).
662:Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
14:
1098:Guardian News & Media Limited
1465:Military personnel from Colorado
1263:"Danny Dietz Memorial Sculpture"
1067:Widener, Laura (June 28, 2020).
1017:United States. Congress (2011).
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1086:Wilson, Jamie (July 12, 2005).
913:Cordell, Kasey (July 4, 2015).
800:, Dietz was portrayed by actor
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796:, which covered the events of
689:Naval Special Warfare insignia
594:National Defense Service Medal
1:
1212:American Forces Press Service
853:. Little, Brown and Company.
769:On July 4, 2007, the town of
675:U.S. badges, patches and tabs
287:, for his actions during the
1460:People from Aurora, Colorado
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462:Fort Logan National Cemetery
307:ancestry. He graduated from
93:Fort Logan National Cemetery
481:Korean Academy of Taekwondo
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1043:"LT MICHAEL P. MURPHY USN"
959:. Travis Manion Foundation
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620:Afghanistan Campaign Medal
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1268:City of Littleton website
957:"Danny P. Dietz's Career"
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596:with bronze service star
499:U.S. military decorations
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333:Naval Station Great Lakes
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887:United States Navy SEALs
356:Virginia Beach, Virginia
329:Recruit Training Command
295:Early life and education
117:United States of America
364:Global War on Terrorism
273:Danny Phillip Dietz Jr.
46:Danny Phillip Dietz Jr.
1383:. 2017. Archived from
1271:. 2007. Archived from
1206:Garamone, Jim (2006).
1073:American Military News
890:. 2008. Archived from
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487:Awards and decorations
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311:in Littleton in 1999.
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360:Naval Special Warfare
349:SEAL Delivery Vehicle
345:Fort Benning, Georgia
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143:Years of service
1243:on February 19, 2020
569:Combat Action Ribbon
362:Squadron TEN in the
309:Heritage High School
37:Dietz in Afghanistan
1329:on October 31, 2021
915:"A Warrior's Creed"
894:on October 27, 2018
798:Operation Red Wings
771:Littleton, Colorado
423:Army night stalkers
381:Operation Red Wings
376:Operation Red Wings
370:Operation Red Wings
201:Operation Red Wings
1223:United States Navy
1047:United States Navy
790:For the 2013 film
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731:by Navy Secretary
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431:Erik S. Kristensen
393:Matthew G. Axelson
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289:War in Afghanistan
196:War in Afghanistan
137:United States Navy
1415:. January 5, 2014
1387:on April 10, 2019
1275:on April 10, 2019
1210:(Press release).
860:978-0-316-06759-1
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1417:. Retrieved
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1093:The Guardian
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896:. Retrieved
892:the original
885:
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802:Emile Hirsch
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527:Purple Heart
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285:Purple Heart
272:
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239:Purple Heart
206:
192:Battles/wars
164:Second class
76:(2005-06-28)
18:
1445:2005 deaths
1440:1980 births
1412:CBS4 Denver
1163:November 8,
1027:November 9,
995:November 8,
930:December 9,
25:Danny Dietz
1434:Categories
1124:60 Minutes
1119:"Survivor"
869:References
729:Navy Cross
715:Navy Cross
513:Navy Cross
420:160th SOAR
385:Ahmad Shah
281:Navy Cross
229:Navy Cross
184:SDV Team 2
105:Allegiance
57:1980-01-26
43:Birth name
1419:April 15,
1391:April 11,
1359:April 11,
1333:April 11,
1307:April 10,
1279:April 10,
1247:April 10,
1217:April 11,
1191:April 11,
1135:April 10,
1052:April 10,
963:April 10,
389:Navy SEAL
277:Navy SEAL
248:Spouse(s)
146:1999–2005
1353:Fox News
1129:CBS News
898:April 9,
845:(2007).
808:See also
739:Citation
123:Service/
1103:June 2,
990:Esquire
985:Esquire
265:
257:
207:†
1355:. 2017
1303:. 2009
1187:. 2005
1131:. 2013
857:
757:Legacy
315:Career
305:Apache
217:Awards
203:
134:
125:branch
114:
99:, U.S.
88:Buried
781:rodeo
445:Death
408:SEALs
259:(
255:
1421:2019
1393:2019
1361:2019
1335:2019
1309:2019
1281:2019
1249:2019
1219:2019
1193:2019
1165:2020
1137:2019
1105:2019
1054:2019
1029:2020
997:2020
965:2019
932:2020
925:5280
920:5280
900:2019
855:ISBN
170:Unit
151:Rank
71:Died
66:U.S.
51:Born
1157:CNN
464:in
331:at
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