Delta Force Legend Joshua Wheeler (KIA) Honored By Teammates
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2024
- Former Army Ranger Mike Burke and former Delta Force member Jeff Teigs speak with David Hookstead about their former teammate and Delta Force operator Joshua Wheeler (KIA). Josh was killed on a legendary hostage rescue mission against ISIS in 2015. Wheeler and Burke served together in the Army Rangers prior to Josh joining The Unit. Tiegs and Wheeler served together in Delta Force.
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Yes, Josh was in 1-24 Infantry Recon Platoon in 1997 and went to Ranger School from 25th ID. He was in my Recon Team. I had just come from Corps LRSC, F Co 52nd Inf, after it was deactivated.
Wheeler was in Ranger School if I recall, when we went down to Panama to do OPFOR for 2-75, which was such a fun deploymemt.
We got back and he either had just gotten back, or came back around the same time. We did some OPFOR against POG units on Ft. Lewis before he got orders to go to RIP. He was a good dude, very hard-charger, positive attitude, very Southern drawl. "Raw searnt!" I never saw him down.
They should rename the airfield Joshua Wheeler airfield instead of the Sheldon H. Wheeler.
@@user-eu3xv6kr6f Which airfield? The one on Lewis?
@@LRRPFco52 Across from Schofield, since he use to be a part of the 25ID
@@user-eu3xv6kr6f We weren't at Hawaii. 2nd and 3rd Bde were there. 1st Bde was at Fort Lewis, WA. 1st Bde had 3 Infantry Battalions, each with their own Recon Platoon. Ours was 1-24 Infantry. All in 25th ID.
@@LRRPFco52 I think 1BDE is now Alaska. When did they move from FT Lewis? A lot has change lol
Do you know why Josh was as good as he was? It was his internal strength and resilience. The military didn't make him that way. THAT IS WHO HE WAS.
I also come from Oklahoma. I know *exactly* where Josh lived and am familiar with the area he grew up in. He and I were born not too far apart in months. The time we grew up in, the circumstances he faced as a young man, and his family situation made him grow up quickly. He didn't have much of a proper childhood per se, but he WAS happy that he could take care of his family and provide. He would've told you he wasn't the smartest, but he would work the HARDEST. If you knew Josh even for a little bit, you know he was a family man, loved his family, and loved what he was doing in the military. You'd have to run him so hard his heart would explode before he'd ever think about slowing down. That drive, that hunger, that comes from a place few men will ever know and fewer still use it to drive them to a level of excellence so high it stands out in a group of people that are ALL known to be outstanding warriors. It is what drove him to always be moving, and never be satisfied with the "status quo"; he'd say, "Good enough, isn't..". You've heard these people and more speak of Josh if you are truly interested in his life and service record. NOBODY, not one person I am aware of (and I have met a few myself) had ANYTHING but praise for the man. His character, humility, intensity, and leadership are why his teammates always loved and trusted him. It's also why when he did get killed that they were so profoundly hurt, because he's the kind of person you're lucky to meet once in a lifetime. Saying that even though he was in the unit, is saying something, because to a man those operators are all fucking awesome.
I flew Josh (and of course Delta operators) around a few times in the 160th. That was my job. Help these guys get in and get out safely, anywhere, +/- 30 seconds. That is our promise, that is our commitment to our "customers" I didn't "know" him personally, but his reputation was known to all, and his big ass grin and his unique, intense presence were some of the first things you would see when you spoke to him. Even though I outranked him, he had the leadership and experience that made everyone myself included) just shut up and try to learn from the man when he spoke. He had the type of personality that just drew people to him, and he DEMANDED excellence in everything that was done. If you dared provide less than your best, he would call you on it. He pointed out things in our briefings at times that was not common at his level. My aircrews and peers were impressed by his intellect, reasoning, and ability to see the big picture quickly and use this to always keep the focus on the safety of his team while still providing the best possible position for the air and ground units to be in to accomplish the mission. I wish I could've known him personally. Sorry for my blabbering, but I just felt compelled to share my brief contacts with him and how he made such an impression in those moments. He didn't need a long time with somoeone to enable him to convey competence, true caring, and just a moral bedrock that informed and reflected in his decisions and even just the way he presented himself. At the level Josh was at, there are still AWESOME guys, and I know *I* sleep better, truly, seeing these men at their best providing the security for the United States and her allies.
RIP Josh, you are sorely missed but your example lives on. The love you gave to your team, the unit, and this country, will never be forgotten.
NSDQ!!
Josh Tried to smoke me my first day in B Co. ..too bad I was reporting in to be his new Squad Leader...
Haha that's awkward
What Rank was he at the time?
He was a E-5 and I was a E-6. I smoked him in A SQD when he showed up. A fter he was killed I gave the last word of his wake at O' Donnells. Still think about him everyday. He was a great comrade.
@@BryanWiedeman In 1997-1998, he was in my Recon TM in 1-24 Inf in 25th ID before he went to RIP as an import. I think he left in early '98, never saw him again. Always had a positive attitude to the point that the leadership were always telling him to get down and start knocking them out just to try to chip away at him, but I think he enjoyed it.
After he got back from Ranger school, we were tasked with OPFOR against all these units in a large FTX in the Ft. Lewis training areas. We were strung-out hitting unit after unit with minimal resupply just going around as a 3-man team harassing POGs in their silly TOCs and shoddy positions.
We came up to this East-West hardball road one day, took a knee to assess crossing a Linear Danger Area, and without any discussion, I see him just bolt across the road right as some MPs in a HMMWV crested over the road about 200m to our right. We had to follow him since we were so small an element, and it left us out in the breeze.
I ran up and said "follow me", bolted down this dirt road that was on the other side, dog-legged to the left into some thick veg, then dog-legged left, then left again into a hasty ambush pointed at the road we came in on, tucked into some really thick bushes.
The MPs rolled in with the HMMWV, dismounted, but didn't want to bust any brush, so they looked around a bit, then drove off.
I had a little talk with him about TM internal hand and arm signals for crossing linear danger areas, basically "WTF Ranger??". He was ashamed about it saying, "I know, I know." obviously a bit embarrassed, then we Charlie Miked to go hit another unit that night.
I had no clue he was supporting his siblings and family back in OK. He was just a great dude really. When I saw his face on the TV in 2015, I was shocked, shaken, and couldn't sleep that night. I wish guys like him were still around. What a great human being he was.
So sorry you lost your Friend 😢
Didn’t know Josh myself, but several men I respected highly went on to serve with him after their time in Battalion (we were 1A 2/75). His passing was a major blow to those guys, and it was clear he was a phenomenal Ranger and Operator. RLTW
(Side bar: Bernie is one of my mentors as well, great Ranger also.)
Hello. I'm glad you're alive. Greetings to the family.
Is there a mike burke episode? Sounds like a great dude, want to hear more about him
Rest easy brother!! I'll see you at final manifest! "RLTW"
I truly wanna thank all of you men. Not because of what you did for our country then. More what your going to have to do for this country NOW!
Nice
My response is the parable of the vineyard owner... What do you think the vineyard owner will do?
SUA SPONTE
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY