Mourners gather for wake of former Navy SEAL who died in Libya attack

E-mail | Print | Comments () 09/18/2012 5:41 PM

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

Friends and family consoled each other while standing in line for the wake of Glen Doherty today at the Church of St. Eulalia in Winchester.

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By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff

More than 200 mourners were lined up under gloomy skies outside the Church of Saint Eulalia in Winchester at about 4:30 p.m. today, waiting to pay their respects to Glen Doherty, the former Navy SEAL who was killed last week in the attack on the American consulate in Libya.

A green pickup truck was parked in front of the church with a large American flag waving atop the bed.

Retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Anthony O’Brien told reporters outside the church that many former SEALs and other military personnel came to the wake, even if, like him, they did not know Doherty.

“It’s a brotherhood,” said O’Brien, a Pembroke resident.

He said he heard from other mourners that another SEAL gave his pin that is awarded to all members of the elite unit to Doherty’s mother when he passed through the receiving line.

“From all accounts that I’ve heard ... [he was] just a super-duper guy across the board and a great patriot,” O’Brien said.

Others paying their respects included Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. Both left without commenting to the media.