MSG Stephen W. Booth

[Snaquebite]

This is tragic. Rest in Peace........

PRESS RELEASE: 3rd SFG Soldier killed during motorcycle accident
U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) Public Affairs Office

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, April 27, 2009) — A Soldier assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and his spouse, Dawn Booth, were killed during a vehicle accident on Saturday morning in Spring Lake, N.C. ............................

He is a veteran of five combat tours participating in operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is survived by his sons Rhyan and Garrett, of Sanford, N.C. and mother, Cynthia Booth, of Carrollton, Ga.


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Full Article

http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20Archive/2009/April/090427-01.html

[Saoirse]

May peace with you both, MSG Booth and wife, Dawn! Thank you for your service, Warrior.
My heartfelt prayers to family and friends and to the two dear little one's, Rhyan and Garrett, left behind by this tragedy.

[The Reaper]

RIP, hermano.

Prayers out.

TR

[Ambush Master]

Rest in Peace Brother.

Thoughts and Prayers out for the whole Family!!

Martin

[Richard]

Life is what it is...but sometimes it just sucks. RIP. :(

Richard's $.02 :munchin

[Peregrino]

RIP MSG Booth. I didn't know him; those who did cannot say enough good about him. The Regiment has lost another irreplaceable asset. Prayers for their children.

[azmg]

RIP MSG, thank you for your service and thoughts out to the family.

[greenberetTFS]

RIP, Warrior and your loved one........................:(

GB TFS

[Stras]

My prayers go out to the Booth family. I hope that the youngsters are able to cope with this tragedy and are supported by the grandparents or other close family members. There was extended family in town for a birthday party. One of the kids had a birthday on Sat, the day they lost mom and dad.

I hope that he doesn't have problems later in life due to this heavy loss.

[JJ_BPK]

RIP, MSG & Mrs Booth, Vaya con Dios..

[glebo]

RIP MSG and wife. Prayers and well wishes for the children.

[SF_BHT]

Rest in Peace Brother....

[Rogue]

Rest in Peace

[ZonieDiver]

Rest in peace.

[swpa19]

R.I.P MSG Booth and Dawn. May heavens angels watch over your little angels.

[Red Flag 1]

Rest In Peace MSG and Mrs. Booth!

Thank you for your service MSG!

Prayers out !

[Enigma0122]

RIP MSG. Booth and wife Dawn. God, watch over the children.

[Gypsy]

RIP MSG and Mrs Booth. My heart goes out to the children, this is so very tragic. :(

[Viking]

True professional. It did not get better than Walker. Prayers out.

[HQ6]

MSG Booth was a terrific guy and from what the better half says an outstanding SF soldier. His wife was a wonderfully nice lady. I still can't believe it.

My prayers are with the kids. I am so sorry for their loss of two terrific parents in one incident.

[jdl141]

RIP. Our prayers are with you and your family.

[Stras]

From the Assistant State Captain for the Georgia Patriot Guard Riders:

The beginning of the week started normally and then changed rapidly. We were notified by the former North Carolina SC that we had a Special Forces soldier from Georgia had been killed in a motorcycle accident. This was not just an accident that took one of our hero's it also killed his wife and high school sweetheart. This is something we had never had to deal with in Georgia. A double funeral of a highly decorated soldier and his wife. We also learned that they left behind two boys 9 and 7 years old. This family has a great support structure from both sides of the family. A total representation of strength which obviously runs in this family.


MSG. Booth was a third generation Green Beret and highly respected in his unit. He had just returned from his 5th combat tour and was enjoying the day with his wife. When the accident happened is was in full daylight. On the accident scene was one of MSG. Booth's unit brothers who along with another medic from Fort Bragg. His fellow soldiers stayed with MSG. Booth until he passed. Passing in the arms of his brothers, he was not alone.

Once we were contacted the work began in organizing this short notice mission. we had to work through our contacts and Fort Bragg 3rd Special forces. The Captain provided me with every detail of what the family needed and wanted and also what the SF unit was preparing for. We prepared for a Friday visitation that was scheduled for two visitations. We had one early visitation and one evening visitation to accommodate the large numbers for this hometown hero. You could tell this soldier and his wife were highly respected and loved by family, friends and there military family. Visitors streamed in and out of visitation visibly shaken at the loss. The SF soldiers in attendance were the best and most humble soldiers. Their professionalism was beyond exceptional. What an honor is was to meet and talk to many of MSG. Booth's personal friends to learn an inside look at the life of this soldier. MSG. Booth in addition to being a Green Beret he was also a biker. He rode all the time and built custom bikes with another close SF friend. He truly loved motorcycles and was doing what he enjoyed when his life was ended.

We learned that MSG. Booth was one of the best snipes in his unit. His Colonel and commanding officer had nothing but high praise for MSG. Booth. He also highly praised his wife Dawn for here strength in support of MSG. Booth. the Colonel said that without the strength and support she exhibited he feels that MSG. Booth would not have been what he had become. Her strength allowed him the freedom to pursue and do great things. Thank you Dawn for supporting your husband and hero. He is why we live free.

We arrived at the early visitation and our PGR members were already there getting setup. Thanks to Soretoe and Keeper of Peace for being there and providing flags and support for the members and picking up the slack when the RC's were delayed in morning traffic. There were a large number of visitors already there and paying their respects. Cricket was the RC for the Friday visitation since I could not be there the whole time and could not be back in time to start the second visitation. She did a great job which gave me the time to work with the SF unit in organizing the next days services. The SF unit was very inclusive with the PGR and wanted us involved in every aspect of this honor. The SF soldier were so gracious and humble yet professional. True American hero's. What an honor to work with them. Captain McLain invited us to the church after the first visitation to go through with them how we as a group would work to honor MSG. Booth. We traveled over to the church to rehearse what all would be doing so the service would be flawless. The SF team integrated the PGR into every aspect of this service. We had decided how we would line up upon arrival at the church and the placement of our flag line and the placement of the SF unit. In discussion on after service proceeding the SF along with the PGR decided to do a walking escort to the grave site. we all though this to be the best tribute. We proceeded up to the grave site taking the route to be walked and went through the proceedings at grave side. Once we had all the details decided we thanked and left the SF unit at grave side.

Saturday arrives and barely any sleep for me. The anxious feeling of getting there rolling on my mind. I check the weather and did not like what I saw. I hoped the rain would hold off until we were done with honoring this hero and his wife. I arrived at staging with members already there and organizing the arrival of our members. We have such a great group of people willing to take charge when needed. I checked with everyone there and briefed those there what to expect and what we had coming. I gathered a bike escort to go to the funeral home to escort our hero and family to the church. We would also have the assistance of the Iron Order Motorcycle Club in the escort from the funeral home. They would be there when we arrived with the PGR bikes. I had Cricket RC the church setup and flag line since I would be at the funeral home. I took 6 bikes to escort the hearse's from the funeral home. We arrived at the funeral home to find more than 25 Iron Order bikes and members. What a great sight to pull in and see the lot full for an escort. We parked and briefed the road captain for the IOMC and he briefed us what he had. We worked together and everything was set. I told all the riders what an honor it was to have them ride in this escort.

The time came to roll and all mounted up as we rolled. The LEO did a great job as we left the funeral home on our way to the church with out hero and his wife. The rumble announced our arrival to the church before we cold be seen. The flag line members told me the heard us long before we arrived. We entered the church lot as we rolled past the flag line and parked as the hearse's positioned. All the escort riders joined the flag line as the honor guard remove our hero and his wife to go into the church. The service lasted about an hour and we were called back to the flag line. We lined up as the honor guard brought our hero and wife out for the final ride. Family and friends proceeded up to the grave site ahead of our hero. The flag line positioned on both sides of the hearse's and SF unit family doing the walking escort. The escort began as we moved slow to the grave site. Six bikes slowly rolled and peeled off as the walking escort proceeded up the hill and to the grave. What a beautiful site with the flag line members protecting and flying the flag for our hero and his SF unit. We arrived at the grave site and the heavens opened up with rain. The rain continued through the whole grave side service which to me was fitting for this tragic loss. As the service concluded the rain diminished as if it was on cue. This in my eyes proves that this was one of the greatest tragedies for all to see.

As we have done in the past so many times we mounted up and rode off with our minds still trying to comprehend what we were just a part of. This is a type of mission I hope to never see again.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time out of their Saturday to honor this family and their hero. The flag line members did a great job with the escort. Thank you to the Iron Order MC for your participation in honoring this family with the PGR.

--
v/r
Asst SC GA

[greenberetTFS]

I don't know how many SF 3rd generation families there are,but i was at Bragg in the late 90's just to see how much had changed since I was last there to visit in 1976. While I was in the SF area, I stopped an SF soldier for some instructions (don't remember his name,or rank at the time) but after a few comments back and forth he did tell me he was a 3rd generation family. I don't know how many families there are like that,but I wonder if I was possibly speaking to MSG Booth...................:)

GB TFS

[HMass18Z]

Rest in Peace