Navy SEAL Daniel Cnossen to receive Bronze Star for Valor

Mom hopeful for SEAL son

By Mike Hall
Created September 11, 2009 at 11:59am

Updated September 12, 2009 at 1:29am
The message of 9/11 was made more personal Friday for students at Shawnee Heights High School as they learned a graduate of the school had been seriously injured in Afghanistan this week.

Even before receiving the news that Navy SEAL Daniel Cnossen, a 1998 SHHS graduate, had been injured, the mood of the 1,200 students was somber and respectful at a memorial ceremony in the school gym for 9/11 victims.

Students filed quietly into the darkened gym, illuminated only by three spotlights at floor level and a projector screen that was to display an audio-visual presentation created by Matthew Rinehart, a senior at the school and a lieutenant commander in the school's Navy Junior ROTC program.

The message of the ceremony, repeated frequently, was "We will not forget."

Cnossen, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, was expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., about 8 p.m. Friday to continue his treatment and rehabilitation for his injuries.

His mother, Alice Landers, was reached by telephone Friday morning en route to Washington to see Cnossen when he arrived at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"He's progressing wonderfully," she said. "We get more positive reports every day. We're very hopeful."

Information pieced together by The Capital-Journal Friday indicates Cnossen, a platoon leader, was injured by a land mine and has had both legs amputated at the knees. He also suffered other internal injuries.

Because of his bravery in the situation, he will be presented a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with V (for valor) from the Secretary of the Navy on Tuesday.
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