Seth Stone
{{Short description|United States Navy SEAL (born 1976)}}
{{Infobox military person
| image = File:Seth Stone.png
| image_size = 200px
| birth_date = September 17, 1976
| birth_place = Winter Park, Florida, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|2017|9|30|1976|9|17}}
| death_place = Perris, California, U.S.
| death_cause = Parachuting Accident
| nickname = Stoner
| allegiance = United States
| branch = United States Navy
| rank = Commander
| battles = Iraq War
| awards = {{UBL| Silver Star (x2) with Gold Star awards| Bronze Star with Valor device| Army Commendation Medal with Valor device| Navy Commendation Medal| Navy Achievement Medal| Meritorious Unit Commendation}}
}}
Seth Stone (September 17, 1976 - September 30, 2017) was a former United States Navy SEAL and two time Silver Star recipient.{{Cite web |last=Faram |first=Mark |date=2020-08-31 |title=Decorated SEAL dies in skydiving accident |url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2017/10/03/decorated-navy-seal-dies-in-off-duty-skydiving-accident/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Navy Times |language=en}}
Early life and education
Stone was born September 17, 1976, in Houston, Texas.{{Cite web |last=Garvin |first=Keith |date=2017-10-05 |title=Local Navy SEAL killed in skydiving crash |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2017/10/05/local-navy-seal-killed-in-skydiving-crash/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=KPRC |language=en}} His passion for serving his country led him to pursue a career in the military.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-13 |title=Seth Anthony Stone |url=https://www.thechiefnews.com/obituaries/seth-anthony-stone/article_86c6b38a-b067-11e7-ad73-ff1bed1b281c.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief |language=en}}
Military career
CDR. Stone attended the US Naval Academy and graduated 1999 with the service selection as a SWO (Surface Warfare Officer). After about two years, he was able to go to transfer and successfully completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training. He demonstrated exceptional skills in various tactical operations, including marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and mission planning.{{Cite web |last=Ries • • |first=Jamie |date=2017-10-27 |title=Autopsy: Navy Seal's Parachute, Thousands of Feet in the Air, Didn't Deploy |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/autopsy-navy-seals-parachute-thousands-of-feet-in-the-air-didnt-deploy/27361/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=NBC 7 San Diego |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=del Barco |first=Mandalit |date=April 7, 2008 |title=Navy SEAL Killed in Iraq Receives Medal of Honor |website=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89424939}} Stone graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1999. His past assignments include Naval Special Warfare Command and the {{USS|Gettysburg|CG-64}}. Stone's military training included Navy Freefall Parachutist, Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE), Airborne, Special Operations Survival Training, Tomahawk Watch Officer, Basic Aegis Officer Console Operator, Surface Warfare Gunnery and Harpoon Officer.
Throughout his career, Stone was deployed to numerous conflict zones. His service included multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, including the Battle of Ramadi in 2006.{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Joshua |date=2017-10-03 |title=Off-duty Navy SEAL dies in Perris skydiving accident |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-navy-seal-skydiving-death-20171003-story.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Stone died September 30, 2017, after his parachute failed to deploy thousands of feet in the air. Stone was 41.{{Cite web |title=A Farewell to a Hero |url=https://www.houstoniamag.com/editors-note/2017/12/editors-note-seth-stone-navy-seal-commander |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Houstonia Magazine |language=en-US}} At the time of the incident, Commander Stone, who was assigned to Special Operations Command Pacific, was on leave. The coroner's investigation, detailed in the autopsy report, indicates that Stone had jumped from a hot-air balloon at approximately 4,000 feet altitude.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-04 |title=Decorated Navy SEAL identified as man who died in skydiving accident in Perris |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/03/decorated-navy-seal-identified-as-man-who-died-in-skydiving-accident-in-perris/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}
Awards and decorations<ref name=":1" />
| style="margin: 1em auto; text-align: center;" |
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|200px |
| colspan="6"|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Silver Star ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=|type=award-star|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px21px |
| File:Army_Commendation_Medal_ribbon.svg
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=0|ribbon=Navy_and_Marine_Corps_Achievement_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}} | {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=0|ribbon=Combat_Action_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star |ribbon=Valorous_Unit_Award_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S._Navy_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg|width=106}} | {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Navy_Meritorious_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National_Defense_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Afghanistan Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106}} | {{Ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg{{!}}border |width=106}}
| {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Global_War_on_Terrorism_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} | {{Ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106px}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=NATO_Medal_ribbon_(Non-Article_5).svg{{!}}border |width=106}}
| {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=United States Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} | {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=United States Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg|width=106}} |
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|200px |
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|200px |
| style="margin: 1em auto; text-align: center;" class="wikitable" |
| scope=row |Badge
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Special Warfare insignia |
|---|
| scope=row |1st Row
|colspan="3"|Silver Star with 1 Gold 5/16 inch star |colspan="3"|Bronze Star with "V" device and 1 Gold 5/16 inch star |
| scope=row |2nd Row
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Army Commendation Ribbon | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Combat Action Ribbon |
| scope=row |3rd Row
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Valorous Unit Award | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Navy Unit Commendation | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation |
| scope=row |4th Row
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze 3/16 inch service star | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 bronze 3/16 inch stars | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Iraq Campaign Medal with 3 bronze 3/16 inch stars |
| scope=row |5th Row
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 4 bronze 3/16 inch stars |
| scope=row |6th Row
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|NATO Medal | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Navy Rifle Marksmanship Medal with expert device | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Navy Pistol Marksmanship Medal with expert device |
| scope=row |Badge
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Surface Warfare Officer Insignia |
| scope=row |Badge
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia |
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stone, Seth}}
Category:20th-century American naval officers
Category:21st-century American naval officers
Category:United States Navy personnel of the Iraq War
Category:United States Navy SEALs personnel
Category:Recipients of the Silver Star
Category:Accidental deaths in California
Category:Military personnel from Houston
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
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