They Are Why We Serve - Gold Star Families at Black Hawk Down 30th Anniversary

"Super 61 is going Down", "Super 64 is down" - words that had real meaning on October 3rd to Task Force Ranger. And, the words meant something very different to those left behind - the families at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Join us on the 19th of October to learn their side of the story. You will meet Sharri Briley, Gold Star Spouse of Donovan Briley who flew Super 61, and Willi Frank, Gold Star Spouse of Ray Frank who flew Super 64. We talk about heroics that day but meet Sharri and Willi and hear about heroics of a lifetime.

They are why we Serve....

Sharri Briley

"Our family is now at the 30-year mark of honoring Donovan, missing Donovan, and sharing Donovan's legacy. My daughter and I are always proud and honored to speak his name, share his stories, and show his face!! I wish I could tell you ALL about Donovan and the hair-raising moments he and his brothers put their poor parents through... Donovan was a warrior and lived life to the fullest!! It is sometimes very difficult to express how I feel about losing Donovan, but I do know that there are two moments that I will never forget... the moment I met Donovan and what became our last 'take it easy' or 'I'll see ya later'"

Sharri is the widow of CW3 Donovan Lee Briley who was KIA in Mogadishu, Somalia on 3 October 1993. Donovan was the co-pilot of Super-61 which was the first Black Hawk helicopter shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade. He and pilot CWO3 Cliff Wolcott were killed on impact - the crew members survived the crash.

The Academy Award winning film BLACK HAWK DOWN depicts the story of this tragic 18-hour battle where 19 elite soldiers were killed in action and 73 were wounded. The initial mission known as Gothic Serpent started as a humanitarian effort to stop the threat of famine to the Black Sea Region.

Sharri and Donovan were married nearly 10 years. Their daughter Jordan was 5 years old at the time of Donovan's death. Jordan is now a beautiful wife to Jacob and mother to Sharri's grandsons, Isaiah, Elijah, and Canaan.

Sharri is a proud spokesperson for Gold Star Families of Arkansas. She worked closely with the Marine Corps League and the committee members of the Hershel "Woody" Williams Gold Star Families Memorial Monument project. Arkansas was the first state to commit to building a monument on the state capitol grounds.

Sharri became a member of Gold Star Wives of America, Inc in 2006. She served as a chapter president in Little Rock and as a committee chairman on the organization's National Board. She currently serves as the South-Central Region president which is comprised of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Willi Frank

Wilma Frank, more commonly known as Willi Frank, is the surviving spouse of CW4 Raymond Alex Frank, KIA October 3, 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Willi was born in Newport News, Virginia, in 1948. She grew up working in her parents neighborhood grocery store and caring for her sister and brothers. After graduating high school, she went to work for the Department of the Navy, beginning a 32-year career as a civil servant.

Ms. Frank retired in May 2005, as an Administrative and Special Projects Officer with the Executive Offices for United States Attorneys in Washington, DC. Upon her retirement, Ms. Frank returned to Clarksville as it was the "place that felt most like home."

She worked with the 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment assisting with family programs and working to create a support organization for the families of our fallen Night Stalkers. Ms. Frank spent several years as the President of Families of Fallen Night Stalkers and continues to provide support to the families and the Unit today.

Night Stalkers Don't Quit!

Bill Golden
Chairman, Night Stalker Foundation