Friends, family recall Lowcountry soldierBy Brian Hicks (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, October 2, 2008
PROVIDED Capt. Richie Cliff with his newborn son, Richie, in North Carolina. A week after his son was born, Cliff shipped out for Afghanistan, where he was killed on Monday. To helpFriends have set up an account for people who want to make donations for Richie Cliff's wife and son at Yadkin Valley Bank in North Carolina. To donate, send a check payable to: Stacy W. Cliff for benefit of Richard Sanders Cliff. The address is: Yadkin Valley Bank, PO BOX 1865, West Jefferson, NC 28694 Previous storyAnother local soldier killed, published 10/01/08 Staff Sgt. Matthew TaylorAlso killed last month in the line of duty was Summerville native Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Joseph Taylor. Contributions to the Matthew Joseph Taylor Family Fund can be made at any NBSC branch or by mail in c/o Benefitfocus.com Inc., 100 Benefitfocus Way, Charleston, SC 29492. On the Web: A patriot's story, published 9/25/08 Richie Cliff had it all. Great family, wonderful wife, new house, and a promising military career in which he had just earned a Green Beret. The only thing possibly missing arrived Sept. 4, when Richie's son was born. His family remembers standing around the hospital that day and thinking, in one of those moments, that Richie was living the All-American dream. "He was about as happy as I'd ever seen him," Eddie Cliff, Richie's younger brother, recalls. "He was a very proud father." On Sunday, while on patrol in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, Capt. Richard G. Cliff Jr. was killed in action. His family and a large community of friends say that Richie Cliff was the model of a nice guy, a kind and conscientious young man, a born leader who never said a bad word about anyone. He was driven to do the right thing; he was disciplined, admired, loved. He was a hero. This is Richie's life: Born in Charleston in 1979, he grew up in love with the Lowcountry. He spent as much time in the water as a dolphin, swimming and surfing off Folly Beach with his brother. The two boys, born only 16 months apart, had a special bond. "It was just him and me," Eddie recalled Wednesday. "He was my big brother, and I looked up to him." In high school, he joined the Wando wrestling team and took to it like the natural athlete he was. Every time he was on the mat, his family was in the stands, and by his senior year, he was the team captain. It would not be the last time he held that title. After high school, the wrestling program at Appalachian State University drew him to North Carolina. Almost on a lark, he took an ROTC class. His father was a West Point man, and Richie thought he'd get a taste of the military life. It was a perfect fit, so much so that he was given a four-year scholarship. So much so that it changed the course of his life. "I remember he called me and said I don't think I can do this, go to class and wrestle," his father, Rich Cliff, recalled Wednesday. Richie was worried that he might disappoint all the wrestling fans in his family. "I said, 'For gosh sakes, you've done everything you can do in wrestling,' " Cliff said. And that was that. When he graduated in June 2002, Richie was commissioned in the Army and crossed the country to train in Washington state. Eddie went out to see his brother a few times, giving them the chance to sneak off and indulge in Richie's newest passion: snowboarding. It was kind of like the wake-boarding he enjoyed so much at the beach. In those days, Richie was getting accustomed to new terrains. When the war began, Richie was in the first brigade sent to Iraq. Rich Cliff remembers a mad scramble before his son was deployed. They had to plan a wedding. Richie and his girlfriend, Stacy Wagoner, wanted to get married before he left. It was something they felt they had to do. It went off "beautifully," Cliff said of the Aug. 31, 2003, wedding. The next few years were a blur: two tours in Iraq that honed his skills as a soldier and caught the attention of his superior officers. There were four Army Commendation Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and several others. He was a perfect soldier. Richie and his brother kept in touch through e-mail, and Eddie recalls how seeing the Middle East affected his brother. "It opened his eyes," Eddie recalled. "He talked about how different it was there, how it made him appreciate how much he had here. He was proud to be fighting for those people, and wanted them to have all that he had." Before his 2006 deployment ended, Richie was called home and invited to take the Special Forces Qualification Course. Rich Cliff says his son was proud; it was what he had wanted. "He was delighted," Cliff said. Richie was so serious about his duty that he spent his time in Charleston at the family's house on Folly, running up and down the beach with a 70-pound rucksack on to get ready for his training. He'd always been serious about his health, competing in the Cooper River Bridge Run with his father. He completed his Special Forces training this past summer, and he earned the Green Beret in July. Stacy was expecting, and Richie expected to soon be called to Afghanistan. The Army allowed him to stay behind when his unit left, long enough to see his son born. Richie spent a week with Stacy and little Richie after his birth, his mind never far from his duty, his men fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom. It was, his family says, perhaps the best week of his life. "It hurt him a lot to leave that baby, but he knew it was his duty, and he was proud of it," Cliff said. He shipped out on 9/11. Over the weekend, Rich and Julie Cliff talked to their son by phone for nearly 45 minutes. He was excited, said he was working with a great group of guys. The next day, Richie's unit, the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, was on combat reconnaissance patrol near Yakhchal, in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Richie and two other soldiers were killed. In his will, Richie asked that he be buried in Charleston. He wanted to come home, and the family is now awaiting his return. Rich Cliff says "there are some hard days ahead," but he and his wife are comforted by the fact that Richie knew what he was doing, understood the stakes and chose his own path. "It was important to him," Eddie said. "He was a true American and a hero." Reach Brian Hicks at 937-5561 or bhicks@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 27 comment(s)
Posted by billyjoejimbob on October 2, 2008 at 3:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
RIP Richie Cliff. Thank you for your service to this wonderful country of ours.
Posted by moonpie on October 2, 2008 at 6:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Man what a story. So sorry for the familes loss.
Posted by vtsusa on October 2, 2008 at 6:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rest in peace! My heart and prayers go out to your family. Thank you and all who serve for what you do.
Posted by DanniD on October 2, 2008 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish nothing but the best for your family!
Posted by gococks1985 on October 2, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your selfless acts to defend and protect us.
Posted by shoelaces on October 2, 2008 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the article says it all.
What a life, what a story, and what a sad ending for the whole family.
Posted by happyface4u on October 2, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. Thank you Richie, for your service to protect our country and may you rest in peace. My heart goes out to your family and community that knew the true hero you were. God Bless America!
Posted by flowergirl on October 2, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you Captain Cliff for the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. May you forever watch over your wife and son. Rest in peace.
Posted by MattsMom on October 2, 2008 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To the Cliff family -- our hearts ache for you. We have far too much in common. We know our Matt was there to greet your Richie on the other side. Wishing you strength for these next difficult days and the many yet to come. Much love from Don and Kim Taylor and family
Posted by RTC on October 2, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you. My heart breaks for this family.
Posted by boplaw on October 2, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Godspeed Capt. Cliff.
Posted by 3olivesmike on October 2, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The worst of men must fight, and the best of men must die.
My prayers are for Capt Cliff's family for strength to bear this terrible sacrifice.
Time to remember all military families.
Posted by lngreenaka on October 2, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you, Capt. Richie Cliff, for your sacrifice. My heart goes out to your family and they will be in my prayers. God bless.
Posted by tygers1231 on October 2, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That Makes 3 Active Duty Soldiers from SC to die in less than a week! May God Bless all their families. They all are leaving behind children.
Posted by proudmomma on October 2, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you Richie and family~may God Bless You all.
Posted by dogdoc12 on October 2, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you Brian Hicks for doing such a wonderful article on Richie.
Posted by Tammie on October 2, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My condolences and prayers to the family of the deceased. Thanks for your service!!!
Posted by luvmydogs59 on October 2, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
R.I.P. Capt. Richie Cliff....you are a hero to your family and to us!!
Posted by Girleygirl on October 2, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My condolences to the family of the deceased.
Posted by medudley on October 2, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To a pledge brother, fraternity brother, but most of all, a friend... Richie will be missed very much. My condolences to the Cliff family.
Posted by prosperous_hb on October 2, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is truly sad. My heart hurts evenmore when I think about the kids that's going to grow up without a father or mother due to the war. However, they will have hear of the great storied and memories of how their mom or dad fought for their country.
Thanks Richie!
Posted by LR on October 2, 2008 at 6 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mrs. Cliff,
I was a student of yours at Wando and I was so saddened to hear of your loss. Your son was a TRUE hero!
I too have felt the loss of a son---I will keep you in my prayers.
Posted by southerngirl45 on October 2, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When will our young men stop dying? Two brave young soldiers with their lives ahead of them.Both leaving behind beautiful families.Capt.Richie Cliff,thank you for your bravery and courage and may you rest in peace until you can be reunited with your friends and family one day.Some how we must get word out to the brave soldiers who are living in terrible conditions and thank them for what they do for us whom they have never met to keep us safe.My condolences to the Cliff family and little Richie "someday you will be proud of your father because he was and still is a hero!
Southergirl
Posted by brookstratton on October 2, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Richie was a good man! Mr. Hicks, thank you for allowing the Post and Courier readers to see how important he was/is to so many people. He will always be in our hearts. I send my prayers and regards to his family, Stacy, and new baby! What an inspiring article! Thank you!
Posted by tater_salad on October 2, 2008 at 11:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr, Hicks, thank you for your wonderful story on CPT Cliff.
In this day and age it's so great to read a well written story on a true hero.
I'd like to add a couple of things about this Lowcountry Hero.
CPT. Richard G. Cliff, Jr was a highly decorated Infantry officer. He was on his third deployment in support of the Global War on Terror and first deployment to Afghanistan.
He was a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha Team Commander.
After a variety of Infantry positions in the Army he began the Special Forces Qualification Course June 2007 and he earned the coveted “Green Beret” in July 2008.
CPT Cliff's military education includes:
Maneuver Captains Career Course
Infantry Officer Basic Course, (IOBC)
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course (SERE)
Basic Airborne Course
Ranger Course
Special Forces Qualification Course (Q)
His awards and decorations:
Four Army Commendation Medals (one for valor)
ArmyAchievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)
Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB)
Parachutist Badge
Ranger Tab
Special Forces Tab
I know his Family, Friends, and Brothers in Arms will sorely miss him, and the world is less of a place without him.
We will not forget his Service or Sacrifice.
De Oppresso Liber!
Posted by meesta_challie on October 3, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
With apologies to the family of Captain Cliff...
Two boys are born about 29 years ago.
A boy named Brian Smalls, later to be known as
"The Defendant", chooses an easy, self-gratifying path
for his life.
Another boy, named Richard Cliff, later to be known as
"The Captain", chooses another, much more difficult path.
These two men could easily have been equals, but choices
and decisions sent them on opposite life paths.
You will be forever missed, Captain Cliff.
Mister Smalls, I hope you someday learn what it is
to be a real man.
Posted by rwenner on October 6, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Although I did not have the pleasure of serving directly with CPT Richie Cliff, we definitely chewed on some of the same dirt. He is a fellow Mountaineer and Special Forces Brother. His memory will live on in the community and all should be proud and touched for having known this true warrior and hero... You will not be forgotten!
Isaiah 6:1-13
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”
De Oppresso Liber!
Randall D. Wenner
MAJ, SF
Class of 97'