Mt. Soledad Memorial welcomed a record number of guests Monday afternoon for its Memorial Day Celebration to remember and honor local Navy SEALS Glen Doherty and Ty Woods, both killed during a terrorist attack in Benghazi in Sept. 2012. Approximately 1,500 guests attended the ceremony, which featured a T-3 flyover and 21 gun salute, to honored the fallen SEALS.
Doherty, 42, of Encinitas, and Woods, 41, of Imperial Beach, were working security at the U.S. Diplomatic compound and CIA annex in Benghazi during the terrorist attack on the anniversary of September 11 last year. Both died in duty.
“Ty and Glen were a lot alike,” said Navy Captain Jason Ehret and SEAL. “… Neither had any interest in being what they termed as common or average men. They wanted to feel alive and adrenaline was a sure way to scratch that itch, so they pursued a selfless live of service.”
Ehret said SEALs wanted to be in Ty’s platoon and “would politic and jockey for the position in and amongst themselves and within command master chief to get assigned.”
“He was fiercely dedicated to the teams, his family and the community,” said Ehret.
Ehret also spoke about his close professional and personal friendship with Doherty.
“Glen was always ready for the mission. He loved the brotherhood and the community of the teams,” said Ehret, who called Doherty is best friend.
Doherty’s brother, Greg Doherty, and sister, Kate Quigley, and Woods’ wife, Dorothy Narvaez-Woods attended the ceremony.
“American lives were saved and their lives were lost… It is our moral responsibility to honor their sacrifice by speaking up for them, protecting them and caring for their loved ones left behind,” said Dorothy, who touched on comments made during heated Benghazi hearings in Washington, D.C.
“A few months ago, we were asked the cruel question ‘what difference does it make,’” said Dorothy. “Ty, Glen, their brother Mike Monsoor and the many great men and women memorialized on the walls around me have in effect answered that question with a far more important one—asking ‘how can I make a difference now.’”
Quigley said her brother loved living in San Diego County.
“Between his SEAL teammates, the beachgoers, the CrossFitters, the pub crawlers, he surrounded himself with a ton of people that loved him back and could somehow keep up with him. It is for those that he loved that he was always ready to give his life,” she said. “Thank you for challenging him to be great, for filling his life with love and for being worth his sacrifice.
The plaques of both men can be found at Mt. Soledad Memorial, which is open 365 days a year.
U.S. Air Force Col. Bruce Bailey (Ret.) said the plaques on the walls at Mt. Soledad honor veterans and their family members.
“They serve as memories of those that made this ceremony possible,” said Bailey, who serves as the CEO and president of the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association.
