Number 96

Kentucky's 96th casualty of the endless clusterfucks in Iraq and Afghanistan is a decorated Navy SEAL from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky.

Chief Special Warfare Operator Collin Trent Thomas, 33, was shot while deployed with a SEAL team based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. As is customary in operations involving the elite commando units, the Navy released no other details about the circumstances of his death.

A native of Morehead, Ky., Thomas was a 13-year Navy veteran who had been awarded a Purple Heart medal, two Bronze Stars and a host of personal, unit and campaign decorations.

He graduated from Rowan County (Ky.) High School, attended Morehead State University and enlisted in the Navy on Feb. 20, 1997.

Since February 2000, he had been assigned to various East Coast-based SEAL teams and was involved in numerous combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Navy said.

SNIP

Thomas is survived by his parents, Clayton and Paula Thomas of Hertford, N.C., his sister, Meghan Edwards of Morehead, and his fiancée, Sarah Saunders of Virginia Beach.

The Courier interviews Thomas' friends in Morehead.