# Petty Officer 1st Class Luis Souffront,



## varsity (Feb 11, 2008)

He had traveled from Guam to Iraq, trained to be a salvage diver and to defuse and dispose of explosives for the U.S. Navy. He survived at least one wound received in combat.
But on Thursday, a roadside bomb killed the highly trained Navy sailor from South Florida as he worked with a Virginia-based SEAL team in Iraq.
Petty Officer 1st Class Luis Souffront, 25, of Miami, died from injuries suffered in an explosion that also wounded six Navy SEALs, the U.S. Department of Defense announced. The department declined to release additional details about his death or say whether he was trying to defuse the improvised explosive device when it exploded.
Though not a member of the SEALs, the Navy’s elite special forces unit, Souffront faced the same day-to-day dangers, said Lt. David Luckett, a Naval Special Warfare spokesman based in Virginia.
“They train side by side with their SEAL counterparts in preparation for deployments and are brothers-in-arms on the battlefield,” Luckett said.
A statement was released by Souffront’s commanding officer, praising the sailor for his skill and courage. The Department of Defense did not release the name of the officer, citing a policy of not identifying U.S. military personnel in the special forces.
“His [Souffront’s] service to our country represented the highest ideals of our community and his loss affects us all,” the commanding officer was quoted as saying.
Souffront, who was raised in Miami, graduated from Barbara Goldman Senior High School and enlisted in the Navy in 2000, said Sandy Mata, 28, a childhood friend from Miami. His training took him from Florida to Illinois, California and Guam.
He went on to earn numerous military decorations, including the Purple Heart, two Navy Achievement Medals and one National Defense Service Medal. Luckett said he did not know the circumstances behind Souffront’s Purple Heart, other than he had been wounded in combat.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_military/2008/02/florida-sailor.html

Prayers to his family.


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## x SF med (Feb 11, 2008)

RIP, PO1 Souffront.


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## AWP (Feb 11, 2008)

Blue Skies.


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## car (Feb 11, 2008)

Fair winds and followiwng seas.

RIP


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## RackMaster (Feb 11, 2008)

RIP.


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## Chopstick (Feb 11, 2008)

RIP


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## Laxmom723 (Feb 11, 2008)

Chopstick said:


> RIP



Yes RIP... 

and prayers to his buddies, friends and family. 

And prayers for those 6 SEALs injured, their friends and families and Team mates.


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## Gypsy (Feb 11, 2008)

RIP, and prayers out for our injured Warriors.


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## Ravage (Feb 11, 2008)

RIP Sailor....


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## 0699 (Feb 11, 2008)

RIP Warrior.

Thank you.


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## eodjw (Mar 30, 2008)

RIP Luis. To all, this was not a roadside as reported. It was a HBIED.


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## LibraryLady (Mar 30, 2008)

RIP Sailor

Prayers out to your family, the injured and all those in harm's way

LL


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## 8'Duece (Mar 31, 2008)

Rest easy Sailor. Forever red skies at night. 

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice to our great Nation of the United States. 

*"No words of mine can begin to assuage the bereavment you must be feeling" Presidet Abraham Lincoln*


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## tova (Mar 31, 2008)

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....


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## k9kaboom (Mar 7, 2009)

Rest in Peace brother. You are missed


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## Trip_Wire (Mar 7, 2009)

RIP Warrior


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## Rabid Badger (Mar 12, 2009)

Rest in Peace brother...

Fair winds and following seas...


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## 08steeda (Mar 12, 2009)

RIP - Sailor!!! Prayers inbound to friends, families and wounded! Heal well Seals!


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## Viper1 (Mar 12, 2009)

Rest in peace PO1 Souffront


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## Trip_Wire (Mar 12, 2009)

RIP Sailor


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