Jason Howerton @ The Blaze:
Chris Kyle is a legend among U.S. Navy SEALs, where he earned the reputation as the most deadly sniper in all of American history. The true legacy of Chris Kyle, however, is less well known because it was shaped off the battlefield, outside of the public eye.
This is the legacy of a man who made it his life’s mission to help others, giving selflessly to live up to his own personal creed of service to his fellow man. Tragically, Kyle and fellow veteran Chad Littlefield lost their lives in service to that high ideal, shot by a troubled war veteran they were trying to help.
“Chris lived by a professional motto: ‘It is our duty to serve those who serve us.’ And he and Chad died honoring this creed,” Kyle’s brother, Jeff Kyle, said from TheBlaze’s Dallas studio on Monday.
Recipient of two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars With Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals and one Navy and Marine Corps commendation, Kyle served four tours of duty in Iraq where he earned the nickname “the Devil of Ramadi” from insurgents for his deadly accuracy.
He returned home an American hero, and he died a hero. Kyle, 38, and Littlefield, 35, were killed on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, by a troubled veteran they were reportedly trying to help cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He wasn’t trying to “treat” the troubled vet, he was simply trying to be a brother to a fellow serviceman who was having a hard time. Kyle proudly talked about regularly taking soldiers suffering from physical or emotional issues on hunting trips and other outdoor activities to provide comradery, friendship and support.
Littlefield, also a proud veteran, died selflessly trying to help a struggling veteran and serving alongside his close friend Kyle.
