Chris Kyle: “The Death of an American Hero”

I recently read the  book "American Sniper."  It is the story of Chris Kyle.

Kyle has been called the "deadliest sniper in U.S. military history."  After four years serving our country in Iraq, Kyle was credited with  160 "kills."  That is far more than ever documented in our military's history.  One man, one steel-nerved eagle eye young man from Odessa, Texas took out 160 of the baddest of the bad.

He once killed a woman approaching from a mile away with two grenades in her hands.  Another time he killed an insurgent getting ready to fire a rocket launcher at a U.S. Army convoy.  He fired a shot from 1.2 miles away and killed the enemy.  It is the longest recorded sniper kill ever.

The enemy, which dubbed Kyle "The Devil of Ramahdi," had an $80,000 reward posted on him, dead or alive.

His book is riveting.

He has spent his time (post combat) working tirelessly on behalf of wounded warriors all across America.

I must say, I almost fell out of my chair today when I heard the news that Chris Kyle had been murdered.  He and a buddy apparently went to an event at a shooting range to raise money for veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Distress Syndrome.  Eddie Ray Routh, 26, a victim of the syndrome and a participant at this event, allegedly grabbed a rifle and for no apparent reason shot Klein and his buddy in the back, killing both of them.

Routh fled in Kyle's Ford F350 truck truck but was apprehended when the truck crashed into a police cruiser..  He is being held in Lancaster, Texas on $3,000,000 bond.

It is a bizarre and horrific end to the life of a true American hero.

Kyle was just 38 years old, and leaves a wife and two small children.