Lone Survivor_ The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 ( PDFDrive )

recognized our C in C as “a real dude.”
President Bush seemed to know what I was thinking. And he slapped me on
the shoulder and said, “Thank you, Marcus. I’m proud of you, son.”
I have no words to describe what that meant to me, how much it all mattered.
I came to attention, and Lieutenant Drexler read out my citation. And the
president once more came toward me. In his hand he carried the fabled Navy
Cross, with its dark blue ribbon that’s slashed down the center by a white stripe,
signifying selflessness.
The cross itself features a navy ship surrounded by a wreath. The president
pinned it directly below my Trident. And he said again, “Marcus, I’m very proud
of you. And I really like the SEALs.”
Again I thanked him. And then he saw me glance at his desk, and on it was
the battle patch I’d asked Admiral Mullin to present to him. The president
grinned and said, “Remember this?”
“Yessir.” Did I ever remember it. I’d hidden that baby in my Afghan trousers,
just to make sure those Taliban bastards didn’t get it. And now here it was again,
right on the desk of the president of the United States, the Lone Star of Texas,
battle worn but still there.
We talked privately for a few minutes, and it was clear to me, President Bush
knew all about the firefight on Murphy’s Ridge. And indeed how I had managed
to get out of there.
At the end of our chat, I reached over and picked up the patch, just for old
times’ sake. And the president suddenly said, in that rich Texan accent, “Now
you put that down, boy! That doesn’t belong to you anymore.”
We both laughed, and he told me my former battle patch was going to his
future museum. As I left the Oval Office he told me, “Anything you need,
Marcus. That’s anything. You call me right here, on that phone, understand?”
“Yessir.” And it still felt to me like two Texans meeting for the first time.
One of ’em kinda paternal, understanding. The other absolutely awestruck in the
presence of a very great United States president, and my commander in chief.