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| CAPT Taj "Cabbie" Sareen of VMFA-232 "Red Devils" from MCAS Miramar stands next to his F/A-18 C Hornet at the 2015 NAF El Centro Airshow. (Source) |
I'll let ABC News out in San Francisco (where Taj was from) give you the details.
I met Taj once upon a time, everything said about him in that video rings true. When he entered a room, you noticed him. His smile, his sense of humor, he seemed larger than life. He and my son-in-law Big Time were good friends.
The WSO sent me a message late last night indicating that she knew the pilot who's jet had gone down in the U.K., I don't know many Marine aviators, Taj was one. In fact the only one I knew personally. When she told me it was Taj who went in, stunned described my emotions pretty well.
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| Capt. Taj Sareen, a Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 F/A-18 pilot, shows Jared Hyams the model fighter jets pilots use during briefs. The Make-A-Wish foundation granted Hyams his wish to attend the 2009 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show Oct. 1st. (02 Oct 09, Source) |
He was one of our finest. Mourn him yes, but also thank God we had him for a time. He was special, he was loved.
Fair winds and following seas Taj.
We'll see you on the other side.
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| Taj Sareen, USMC Son - Father - Friend Marine Aviator (Source) |
Rest in Peace, Marine.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteRest in peace, Brother!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome guy that will be missed. Naval Aviation is dangerous, but it's more apparent when it's someone you knew.
ReplyDeleteDamned shame, indeed. Prayers for the family. But it sounds like his last act--the one that cost him his life--was a successful attempt to keep his plane from coming down on top of other people on the ground below. The world is always poorer for the loss of men like that, especially as they are so rare these days.
ReplyDelete"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
ReplyDeleteAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds -
and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of -
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind along
and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
"Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
where never lark, or even eagle, flew;
and, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
the high untrespassed sanctity of space,
put out my hand and touched the face of God."
RIP Marine, RIP...
I almost had an M.I. when I viewed those pics of the sadly now departed Major! He was an almost dead-ringer for my cousin-in-law (A.J. Hughes, WP '43, Col, USA, ret, [arty]) who was General Talbott's roommate at WP and who married his sister. Al " Sug" Hughes was a native of Okla and half Indian. He had the same dark complexion as Sareen, same overall facial physiognomy, same hair color and even same style of haircut! Not an exact match, of course, but close enough to meet the criterion for the old saying that "everyone has a double." I'm sure he will be sadly missed. Damn shame...like to see the accident report...keep track Sarge..
ReplyDeleteRoger that Virgil. Having met the man I want to know what happened.
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