Page 16 - The Edge - Fall 2018

survivor tells His Harrowing tale People ask him, somewhat hesitatingly, what is it like to kill
someone. His response: “You get to the point where it’s either
Continued from page 14 you or them.”
His advice to AASBO members: “Never give up. Always
The attackers were firing high-powered weapons that were have some kind of hope. Sometimes you can make a friend
snapping two-by-fours in pieces. “We tried to get the State for yourself by picking someone else up. No matter how bad
Department guy out,” Paronto said. “We were taking fire.” something seems, you can find humor in anything. Faith will
Explosions lit up the night sky for some 35 to 40 minutes. increase your luck. Whatever you try to accomplish, never
The ambassador was in a building that was on fire. “We had give up.”
to suck it up and go in there,” Paronto said. “We signed up for Immediately after his presentation, AASBO members lined
this. But the ambassador was dead.” up for more than an hour to purchase his book, “13 Hours in
One of the team members was in shock. “He never gave Benghazi,” and have him autograph it.
up, but he was scarred for life,” Paronto said. “I kept thinking,
‘How blessed am I to be with these guys.’ That’s what I’m Kris Paronto can be reached at: https://www.facebook.com/
thinking.” KrisParonto13/
Paronto vividly described the battle, sometimes in a hushed
tone. There were moments when he didn’t know if someone
was a friend or foe. His attitude at the time: “If I go down, I’m
taking someone with me.” “Never give up. Always have some kind of
“There was an explosion,” he said. “Boom, it knocks me
down.” hope. Sometimes you can make a friend for
When a rescue team arrived the next day, Paronto said he yourself by picking someone else up. No
wondered: “Where were you guys at 9:30 last night?”
Paronto was one of three Americans who got out of matter how bad something seems, you can
Benghazi unscathed. The next day they were in Germany.
“Leaders make decisions,” Paronto told his AASBO find humor in anything. Faith will increase
audience. “The worst thing for a leader is to make no decision. your luck. Whatever you try to accomplish,
Whether it’s right or wrong, make a decision.”
He recalled a decision that was made to leave a fallen never give up.”
comrade behind – a decision that still haunts him. Kris “Tanto” Paronto

According to Wikipedia, the 2012 Benghazi At around 4 a.m. on September 12, the
attack was a coordinated attack against two United group launched a mortar attack against a CIA
States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, by annex approximately one-mile away, killing CIA
members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al- contractors Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty
Sharia. and wounding ten others. At the behest of the CIA,
At 9:40 p.m., September 11, members of top U.S. officials initially described the attacks as
Ansar al-Sharia attacked the American diplomatic the results of a spontaneous protest triggered by a

compound in Benghazi resulting in the deaths of recently released anti-Muslim video, “Innocence of
U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens Muslims.” Subsequent investigations showed that
and U.S. Foreign Service Information Management the attack was premeditated – although rioters and
Officer Sean Smith. Stevens was the first U.S. looters not originally part of the group may have
ambassador killed in the line of duty since 1979.[8] joined in after the attacks began.

16 THE EDGE | FALL 2018