Ranger’s sacrifice helped save lives . Sergeant Thomas R. MacPherson made a rational decision in the most irrational of situations, sacrificing his life to save his brothers in 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. . During a nighttime firefight in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan on Oct. 12, MacPherson was leading an assault against an enemy position when he was shot in the chest. To keep his comrades from coming to him and getting caught in the crossfire, he radioed that he had been hit in the leg — still a serious injury, but one that by combat standards wouldn’t have required immediate attention. . That is the story his wife of three years, Claudia MacPherson, told mourners through tear-filled eyes at a memorial service for her husband at 2-75 Rngr. headquarters on Joint Base Lewis McChord last week. The couple has a 19-month-old, Brayden. . Describing the immense love and support she has felt from MacPherson’s unit and other military spouses, she spoke directly to her husband. . “I know that if you were here today, just like me, you would find it hard to put into words how to let everyone of them know how much they mean to us,” she said. “It may appear that our Family of three is now a Family of two, but sweet Tommy, our Family has never been bigger than it is today. In no way have you left us alone.” . Known fondly as “Sergeant Mac,” MacPherson, 26, was on his fifth combat deployment — his fourth to Afghanistan. According to Sgt. 1st Class Steven Galvez, MacPherson was at the front of the unit patrol on the night of the firefight that left him mortally wounded. . “To be up front, that’s something big,” Galvez said. “That’s saying something when we know you’re going to take us there and back.” . Sergeant Jonah Herd served with MacPherson for five years but within the last 18 months, developed a close friendship with him. Herd received the initial call from MacPherson that he had been injured and described MacPherson as calm and relaxed. . “If he had told me he had been hit in the chest, I would have moved (to him),” Herd said. #TommyMac #RLTW https://www.instagram.com/p/CjoyEA_sb2c/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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