Hero Paralyzed in Search for Coward Bergdahl Dies of His Injuries at 46
A soldier wounded in the search for Bowe Bergdahl has died 10 years after a sniper’s bullet changed his life forever.
Army Master Sgt. Mark Allen was shot in the head in 2009 while searching for the deserter Bergdahl in Afghanistan. The injury left him paralyzed until his death.
An online obituary for Allen reveals that the selfless hero died from complications of his injury on Saturday at age 46. A Facebook post by the U.S. Veterans’ Network reveals the community’s admiration and respect for Allen.
Allen’s wounds came as a result of the soldier’s hunt for Bergdahl after the coward walked away from a U.S. base in Afghanistan. Bergdahl was captured and eventually spent five years in the Taliban’s hands.
Former President Barack Obama traded Bergdahl for several Taliban prisoners, all of whom went on to hold political jobs for the Taliban after their release. This exchange didn’t seem right to many Americans.
Bergdahl’s trial would eventually end with a virtual slap on the wrist considering what his betrayal had cost his fellow soldiers.
The disgraced private was hit with a reduction in rank, a financial penalty and a dishonorable discharge. Bergdahl didn’t spend any time in prison for his actions.
President Donald Trump railed against this decision, calling it “a complete and total disgrace to our country and to our military.”
The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2017
Although Bergdahl seems to have escaped justice, the pain he caused was constant for those impacted by his decision.
According to Task & Purpose, Allen’s wife testified at Bergdahl’s trial about the couple’s routine after the ill-fated search mission for the deserting soldier.
Allen was unable to eat and had to be fed via a tube that would send food directly to his stomach.
He couldn’t wash or clothe himself, and a system of pulleys helped his wife to dress and clean him.
His injuries cost him a relationship with his daughter, who was only nine months old when her father was shot.
Mark Allen, a retired Army master sergeant who was shot in the head while searching for Army Pvt. Bowe Bergdahl in 2009, has died. https://t.co/rwO8BQnsun
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) October 14, 2019
Allen was limited to a few basic emotions and could not even speak after damage to his brain left him with only a few basic functions. The hero’s memory was also likely seriously affected, according to doctors.
Allen is a hero who exemplifies everything that makes our military great.
With his death, our country loses a great deal more than just a soldier.
A service for Allen will be held in Loganville, Georgia, on Thursday.
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