Heroes gone

Two members of the world’s greatest fire department serving in New York’s national guard were among seven service members killed when their military helicopter hit a power line and crashed in Iraq. As the nation mourns the loss, an awful reminder of the ever-present risk in battlegrounds oft forgotten, the city weeps with men who proved to be among the bravest far beyond our borders.

Lt. Joseph Raguso, 39, served the city with distinction. In his free time, he volunteered to protect his Long Island hometown of Commack.

And in his other free time, he served his country on foreign soil. Such is the mettle of our firefighters. Christopher “Tripp” Zanetis, 37, was an exemplar of a new generation of soldier-scholars.

Born and raised in Indiana, he was an undergraduate at NYU when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He saw the heroism of the FDNY on brilliant display and pursued his lifelong passion to join the department. For 13 years, he served, at home and abroad. He was one of a team of four FDNY firefighters who deployed in Afghanistan in 2012.

The smoke-eaters of the 101st Rescue Squadron responded to combat zone emergencies in less than eight minutes on average — less than half the Air Force’s average. They were credited with saving 100 lives in more than 50 missions.

Then it was onto Stanford for his law degree, where Zanetis became a student in international human rights.

Flags will fly at half-mast. The city and nation have been diminished. We must also be inspired.