Medical Facility in Afghanistan named in honor of fallen Navy SEAL

By: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob L. Dillon, Naval Special Warfare Group TWO Public Affairs (Forward)



FOB LAGMAN - The Surgical Team at Forward Operating Base Lagman in Afghanistan held a building dedication ceremony Nov 13 in honor of Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) 3rd Class Denis C. Miranda. Miranda was one of nine service members who perished in a helicopter crash in South Eastern Afghanistan, Sept 21, 2010. In early September 2010, Miranda was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. On Sept. 21, while conducting combat operations in the Ayatalah village within the Zabul province of Afghanistan, Miranda and his teammates were inserting via a UH-60 helicopter when their aircraft crashed on final approach, resulting in his death. The forward surgical team chose to name the trauma center after Miranda for several reasons, according to Lt. Cmdr. Craig Knott, the medical officer for the Naval Special Warfare task unit. “After the helo crash, it just seemed to make sense that the facility be named after Denis,” said Knott. “The fact that he was a member of a SEAL Team that operated close to this trauma center and he was a prior hospital corpsman, it seemed like the right thing to do to name this facility in his honor.” The ceremony allowed the chance for teammates and colleagues to speak about Miranda’s traits as a person and as a talented special operator. “Denis was always a guy you could go to for advice,” one of his teammates said. “He would always give you a straight answer even if it is not what you wanted to hear. He was also humble enough to take advice himself. He often spoke to me during his medical training; I think it is fitting that a medical clinic bears his name. I know he would appreciate the gesture, just as his family and loved ones do, just as we do.” Naval Special Warfare leadership in attendance echoed the words of Miranda’s teammates. “In the special warfare community, Denis will be a battle scar on our legacy that we will wear very proudly,” said Navy Capt. Timothy Szymanski, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group TWO. “Those who knew Denis know he lived by our sacred oath. This is a very fitting tribute that I am very very proud of.” Cmdr. Ted Edson, the officer in charge of the forward trauma center, also spoke about the honor he feels in naming the facility after a fallen hero. “It’s an honor and a privilege to name a navy facility after a member of naval service, particularly a former hospital corpsman,” said Edson. The dedication not only honored the sacrifice of Miranda; it also allowed the opportunity to recognize the service and dedication of all service members operating in Afghanistan. “We are all standing side by side with our Coalition partners, we are all standing side by side with Afghan National Security Forces trying to make a difference for the people of this country,” Szymanski said. “That’s what Denis was doing here in Afghanistan and that’s how we’ll remember him.” USN