Even though he fought side by side with one of America’s most elite and aggressive counter-terrorism Units, Michael Strange wasn’t some Terminator-dude chiseled from Mount Rushmore who loved the smell of napalm in the morning. According to those who knew him best, he was a funny guy, and above all else, a loyal and dependable guy.
Michael Strange deployed with SEAL Team 6 and underwent the training and learned his skills out of a simple sense of duty. Not everyone can be a cryptographer. Not everyone can be strong enough and fast enough and smart enough to go on direct action missions with a Tier 1 Unit. But Michael Strange was, and he knew it. And so he went.
He performed his extremely complex responsibilities flawlessly on dozens of missions around the world, tracking terrorist communications in-close with the assaulters and snipers of SEAL Team 6. on August 6, 2011 Michael went on his last mission with those legendary fighters.
Around midnight, the call came in. A Ranger mission had put the enemy on the run- SEAL Team 6, along with Michael and his spy gear, were tasked with hunting them down. Michael would be needed to intercept and track the enemies communications as they attempted to escape and coordinate a counter-attack. This was real Mission:Impossible stuff, and it required the ability to utilize complex communications and encryption technology in the middle of intense firefights and other high-risk combat operations.
Tragically, as they flew through the night to support the Rangers, an enemy rocket shot down their chopper and Michael and 37 other U.S. servicemen made the ultimate sacrifice. No one is saying Michael Strange was a Saint, but he is surely by St. Michael’s side now.
For his incredibly valuable contribution to our nation’s defense Cryptologic Technician (Collection) First Class Michael Strange was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Purple Heart Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, and other campaign and unit decorations.
For more information on this extraordinary young man and his legacy, check out these websites:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Hero-Michael-Strange/213091625406268
and for more inspiring stories of the Spirit of Michael in action:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spirit-of-Michael/319058918294735
and for more inspiring stories of the Spirit of Michael in action:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spirit-of-Michael/319058918294735
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