Marine Sgt. Sean T. Callahan

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Sgt. Sean T. Callahan, 23, of Warrenton, Va.

Sgt Callahan was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 23, 2011 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations. Also killed was Lance Cpl. Dominic J. Ciaramitaro.


He was my Hero’
By Donald Del Rosso
Times Democrat Staff Writer

Especially in time of war, Sean T. Callahan decided to join the Marines worried his family. His family, brother and two sisters feared for his well- being feared the worst but it soon became clear to the Callahan’s, who moved to Warrenton about six years ago, that Sean considered the Corps a calling.

“I can’t for the life of me imagine him doing anything else” said his sister, Heather, a 34 years old operations analyst and administrator for a software development company.

“It’s absolutely what he wanted to do”, said his brother, Daniel, a 26 year old Marine corporal. “He had a very strong sense of duty to his country and his family and friends. There absolutely isn’t another place he wanted to be.”

Daniel added, “He was willing to make the absolute sacrifice. He was 100% willing.” For Sean, a 23 year old sergeant, that moment came during a combat mission in the Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

“It was an IED [Improvised Explosive Device] blast” that killed Sean and another Marine, said Daniel, his voice trembling. “We don’t know anything else.” Sean was an antitank missleman assigned to the Second Division at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

In telephone interviews, Heather & Daniel spoke on behalf of the family. Immediate survivors also included Sean’s parents Patrick Callahan, a 58 year old software developer and Janet Callahan, a 56 year old motorcycle mechanic, and a sister Melodie, 29.

The family moved to Fauquier from Prince William County after Sean graduated from Brentsville District High School in 2005, Heather said. Neither of his parents served in the military, although grandfathers on both sides were in the Army, she said.

But a good friend of Sean’s talked enthusiastically with him about this experience. Heather said.

“He was very gung-ho and Sean was like “I need to do this” she recalled. “It matched his personality. We were concerned, but we agreed it was his decision to join, and we were being supportive as a family.” Sean enlisted in March 2008 and was promoted to sergeant in March 2011, according to the Corps.

In August 2009 he deployed to Iraq, where he served for three months, and then to Afghanistan in December 2010. Sean intended to re-enlist in 2012 because he planned on making the Marines his career, his brother said.

He wanted more training and experience and to return to the battlefield, Daniel said. His brother eventually hoped to join the Corps’ Special Forces unit. “He wanted to do it all”, Daniel said. In the past week, people have told me that Sean’s an American Hero”, he said “more than, he was my hero. He was absolutely the best brother. He was my best friend.

“I absolutely could not put my family through this again," Daniel said of the pain that his family has endured as a result of Sean’s death. “It’s bad enough losing one son. To lose two sons would be absolutely terrible for them.”

Daniel also a missleman served seven months in the Helmand province. Sean received the Good Conduct Medal, National Service Defense Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Marine Sgt. Sean T. Callahan was killed in action on 4/23/11.