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Nashville, TN
CNN
—
Growing up, Richard Casper always knew he wanted to serve others. When he was a junior in high school, the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened, and he realized how he would fulfill that calling.
“I had this urge inside of me,” he said. “I joined the Marine Corps infantry. … I wanted to be the first person going overseas and fighting.”
During basic training, he was selected for a special duty of guarding then-President George W. Bush at Camp David. Once he received clearance and completed that 14-month assignment, he was still determined to deploy.
“When I touched down in Iraq, I was prepared to die,” Casper said. “I was just ready to do my job.”
Within the first four months, his Humvee was hit by IEDs four separate times. During one mission, his good friend and gunner, Luke Yepsen, was shot by a sniper and died beside him.
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