Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Matthew G. Kantor

Age: 
22
Gillette, N.J.,

Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Matthew G. Kantor died November 1, 2012 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom, assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va.; died Nov. 1 of a gunshot wound while supporting stability operations in Zabul, Afghanistan.

Navy SEAL last words

8Aug2012

Monday, August 6 marks the first anniversary of the Afghan crash of a U.S. military CH-47 Chinook helicopter that killed 30 Americans, including 17 Navy SEALS. It was the worst single loss-of-life day for the U.S. in the war in Afghanistan. It was also the worst in the history of Naval Special Warfare.

Just six weeks before the crash, I spent several days meeting with members of the Navy’s elite SEAL Team SIX, talking to them about the loss of one of their teammates, Adam Brown, who had been killed in action during an especially complex raid on a compound in Afghanistan.