Virginia Airman Slain By Terrorist Memorialized in Charlottesville

Islamic extremism brought the Global War on Terrorism to the Commonwealth on the morning of September 11, 2001 when five al-Qaeda terrorists crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, killing almost 190 individuals. One week ago, an incident of terrorism again affected Virginia, this time after a radical Muslim from Kosovo took the life of two American servicemen in a German airport. One of the fallen was from the Commonwealth:

Family members have confirmed one of the two U.S. servicemen killed in a suspected terrorist act in Germany late Wednesday night was from Greene County.

U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Zachary Ryan Cuddeback, who graduated from William Monroe High School in 2008, was one of two servicemen killed when a man fired on a busload of U.S. Air Force troops at the Frankfurt International Airport.

We know that the our military personnel put themselves in danger on a daily basis to defend our liberties, but rarely do we think of Germany as being one of those danger zones. Although liberty is one of those inalienable rights granted to us by our Creator, we would not be able to enjoy them without the sacrifice of countless men and women, like Airman Cuddeback. We live in a dangerous world and for more than two centuries we have been blessed to have the U.S. military standing between us and those who wish to do us harm.

Yet, to think of Zac Cuddeback as simply an Airman in the U.S. Air Force is to miss a very important element to his story: Zac Cuddeback was a son, a brother, a friend and a teammate.

“Zac always had a smile on his face for everyone, but had no closer friend than his brother, Tim,” said the family statement, released through the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

Family friend Erin Jones described Cuddeback as “outgoing” and “friendly.” The two have known each other since they were in middle school.

“[Zac] always had a personality that could more than put a smile on your face,” Jones said.

…Cuddeback spent a year at Old Dominion University before he joined the military and played for the school’s ice hockey team.

ODU Coach Rich Appleby on Thursday said Cuddeback was just the kind of person a coach wanted on his team.

“Zac was one of those guys that is always fun to have on a team,” Appleby said. “He might not have been the most skilled player on the team, but he contributed so much to it by just his attitude alone.”

ODU team leaders discussed Thursday ways to remember Cuddeback and plan to have a patch sewn onto team jerseys before the next season begins.

“Zac was proud of his jersey,” Appleby said. “He was one of those kids you knew came from a good, solid background and he loved being on the team.”

Cuddeback is survived by his mother, De Loyet; his father, Bob Cuddback and his brother, Tim Cuddeback.

A memorial service for Airman Cuddeback was conducted today in Charlottesville. Meanwhile, Gov. Bob McDonnell ordered the state flags over the Capitol to be lowered to half-staff in his memory and patriots lined U.S.-29 to pay their respects yesterday as the motorcade took Airman Cuddeback’s body to Charlottesville for the memorial service today . His funeral will be conducted tomorrow in Illinois.

When we lose a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine, we lose more than an automaton; we lose an individual, a unique being formed in the image of the Creator. This is the true price of freedom. May God bless those who loved Airman Cuddeback and may God bless the men and women who continue to stand between us and the forces of radical Islam.

For anyone interested in making a memorial donation, information can be found here.

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About the author

Jason Johnson

A lifelong political junkie, Jason caught the political bug as a fifth grader after meeting George Allen in 1993. Since then he has studied political science at both the undergraduate and graduate level. When not perusing the blogs or volunteering for conservative Republicans, Jason enjoys cheering on his beloved Virginia Tech Hokies and spending time at his Bedford County home.