When the formalities were concluded, forty SEALs from SEAL Team III stood up from their seats and divided into two groups, with twenty men lining up in front of Lieutenant Commander Brighton’s casket, and twenty lining up in front of Petty Officer Santiago’s casket. Each SEAL removed the trident pin from his uniform as he filed past the respective casket, pausing to slap the trident down hard into the lacquered wood surface of the lid, being careful to keep the pins evenly spaced and perfectly straight. The slaps were audible at a distance, and when the SEALs completed the ceremonial display of respect for their fallen comrades, each of the two caskets looked as though it had been adorned with a single strip of solid gold inlay.
Gil turned to Alpha, speaking quietly into his ear. Then the two of them rose from their chairs, removing the tridents from their own uniforms, and walked up the center row toward the caskets. To everyone’s surprise, they filed past the caskets of Brighton and Santiago, Gil stopping at the casket of Ensign Joseph Fivecoat, and Alpha stopping at the casket of Chief Petty Officer Adam Samir. Each man rose his hand above his head. Then Gil gave a nod, and they slapped down their tridents into the caskets at the same time.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Scott McEwen is the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of American Sniper. He is a trial attorney in San Diego, California, and has taught at Thomas Jefferson School of Law. He grew up in the mountains of eastern Oregon, where he became an Eagle Scout, hiking, fishing, and hunting at every opportunity. He obtained his undergraduate degree at Oregon State University and thereafter studied and worked extensively in London. Scott works with and provides support for several military charitable organizations, including The Navy SEAL Foundation.
Thomas Koloniar is the author of the post-apocalyptic novel Cannibal Reign and the coauthor of the national bestseller Sniper Elite: One-Way Trip. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Akron. A retired police officer from Akron, Ohio, he currently lives in Mexico.