Navy Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator John W. Marcum

Died September 12, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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34, of Flushing, Mich.; assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group, Dam Neck, Va.; died Sept. 12 from injuries sustained Sept. 11 while conducting combat operations in Bagram, Afghanistan. Also killed was Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (Select) Jason Richard Freiwald.

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2 SEALs killed in Afghanistan fighting

The Associated Press

Two Navy SEALs from southeastern Michigan have been killed in combat Afghanistan, the Pentagon said.

Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator John Wayne Marcum, 34, of Flushing, and Chief Special Warfare Operator (Select) Jason Richard Freiwald, 30, of Armada, both died Friday from injuries suffered during a battle with heavily armed militants, the Defense Department said Sunday in a statement.

Marcum and Freiwald were temporarily forward deployed from their assignments at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group in Virginia Beach, Va.

Marcum was a graduate of Flushing Senior High School who enlisted in the Navy in 1991 and joined the SEALs after completing basic training, the Defense Department said. He transferred to the Special Warfare Development Group in 2000 and won numerous combat awards, including four Bronze Stars.

Marcum’s survivors include his wife Cynthia and a daughter, Madison, of Virginia Beach; and his parents, Wayne and Luellen Marcum of Flushing.

Family members have declined to be interviewed, the Defense Department said.

Freiwald was born in Utica and graduated from Armada Senior High School. He enlisted in the Navy in 1996 and underwent SEAL training at Coronado, Calif. He served multiple combat deployments in Iraq before joining the Special Warfare Development Group in 2005. His combat awards included a Bronze Star.

Freiwald is survived by his wife Stacey, a daughter, Jasmine, and his parents, Terri and Richard Freiwald.

“The deaths of SOCS Marcum and SOC Freiwald are tremendous losses for Naval Special Warfare and the United States,” Capt. Scott Moore, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Development Group, said in a statement. “These men were true warriors, dedicated to their country, their fellow SEALs, and the cause for which they were fighting.”

Marcum and Freiwald are at least the sixth and seventh members of the U.S. military with ties to Michigan to die in Afghanistan so far this year.

Flushing is in Genesee County, 75 miles north-northwest of Detroit, and Armada is in Macomb County, 45 miles north-northeast of Detroit.

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Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer John Wayne Marcum remembered

The Associated Press

John Wayne Marcum was destined to go into the military, according to one of his high school administrators. The two had many conversations about his chosen career path.

“He wanted to have some active role in some branch of the military,” said Archie Bailey. “I believe it offered something that met his needs. He was a patriot.”

Marcum, 34, of Flushing, Mich., died Sept. 12 after being shot in battle. He was temporarily forward deployed from his assignment at Naval Special Warfare Development Group.

Marcum was “the kind of kid that could light up your day,” said Bailey, now Genesee County commissioner. “What a loss. He was a wonderful, wonderful kid.”

His military career included multiple combat deployments in support of joint U.S. Army and NATO operations, according to a statement from the military. His long list of awards includes four Bronze Stars with combat “V.”

Family friend Martha Wellisley said she knew Marcum all his life. “Everybody’s just heartbroken,” she said. “He had a real good personality.”

Marcum’s survivors include his wife Cynthia and a daughter, Madison.