SEA ISLE CITY – A street dedication ceremony was held in honor of fallen United States Navy SEAL David M. Tapper June 11. The ceremony took place at the intersection of 89th Street and Landis Avenue, not far from the family vacation home where Petty Officer Tapper spent the summers of his youth.
Among those in attendance were David Tapper’s mother, Judi Tapper, and other members of the Gold-Star Tapper family, as well as veterans advocate Joe Griffies, veterans and Auxiliary members from VFW Post 1963, representatives from Rolling Thunder Chapter 4 of New Jersey, elected officials, religious leaders and members of the public. All came to pay tribute to the fallen member of SEAL Team 6, who died at the age of 32 in 2003 following injuries he received in battle while serving in Afghanistan.
“If I could have one wish today, it would be that David Tapper was here with us as a living veteran, so we could shake his hand, pat him on the back – and maybe even buy him a beer – as ways to say ‘thank you for your service,’” said Mayor Leonard Desiderio.
“From this day forward, as countless people pass through this intersection, they will know that this is a special place, because it is where an American hero once lived and loved,” the Mayor continued.
Before he died, David Tapper was a member of the special operations team that rescued U.S. prisoner of war Jessica Lynch from her captors in Iraq. He then helped recover the bodies of American soldiers who were buried near the hospital where Private Lynch was being held.
Petty Officer Tapper received numerous awards and decorations for his service to our Country. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, but his name and spirit live on in Sea Isle City.
