Lieutenant Brendan John Looney was born on February 24, 1981, the oldest of six children of Kevin and Maureen Looney, and grew up in Owings, Maryland. He graduated from DeMatha Catholic High School. As the eldest he led his siblings naturally by example. He was fiercely protective of his brothers on the lacrosse field and made sure to phone his younger sisters before each school dance.
At the U.S. Naval Academy Brendan played football for two years before switching to lacrosse in the spring of his sophomore year, and he went on to become an All-American. In his senior season he took the field alongside his brothers Stephen and Billy, something he called a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and helped lead Navy to the 2004 NCAA national championship game, played on Memorial Day before nearly 50,000 fans in Baltimore. As a midshipman he wrote a mantra in his Reef Points and repeated it daily: “If you make the most of what you are doing, there is NO way to regret what you are doing.” His Academy roommate and close friend was Travis Manion.
Brendan graduated and was commissioned in May 2004 and began his career as an intelligence officer with Commander Naval Forces Korea, Detachment Chinhae, later deploying to Iraq. Wanting a more direct role in the fight, he requested a transfer to Naval Special Warfare, which was approved in late 2006. He began BUD/S in March 2007 and, through toughness, tenacity and leadership, was named Honorman of Class 265, the top graduate, upon completing SEAL Qualification Training on June 22, 2008. A BUD/S roommate later wrote that few could match his strength and endurance and fewer still his determination.
On July 12, 2008, Brendan married Amy Hastings, his girlfriend of five years. Within days of the wedding he deployed to Iraq with SEAL Team THREE. After a demanding workup cycle he deployed to Afghanistan on March 9, 2010, his wife’s birthday, as assistant officer in charge of Alpha Platoon. He and his teammates completed 59 missions in less than seven months.
On September 21, 2010, ten days before he was expected home, Brendan was killed with eight other service members when the UH-60 Black Hawk carrying them crashed during combat operations in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. He was 29. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Combat “V”, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon with gold star.
On October 4, 2010, Brendan was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery beside Travis Manion, who had been killed in Iraq in 2007. His family asked that gifts in his memory go to the Travis Manion Foundation and to DeMatha. Teammates described a warrior who led by example; one fellow SEAL wrote that being a SEAL never defined Brendan, but that Brendan defined what every SEAL should be. “He was a hero who inspired more people than he will ever know,” said his wife, Amy.
He is survived by his wife, Amy; his parents, Kevin and Maureen; his brothers, Stephen and Billy; and his sisters, Bridget, Erin and Kelly.
If given the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance. Brendan lived with unmatched heart as a Naval Academy athlete, SEAL Honorman and true brother.
Family of LT (SEAL) Brendan Looney
Sources
- Naval Academy Athletics: Remembering Brendan Looney
- NBC4 Washington: Best friends buried side-by-side in Arlington National Cemetery
- The Washington Post: Lt. Brendan Looney (1981-2010)
- Family-provided records on file with MVF: Brendan Looney bio, 2024 stage bio and honoree website bio sheet
