Friend: North Carolina soldier's death not in vain

LOS ANGELES — Six soldiers were killed searching for Sgt.Bowe Bergdahl. One of them, Morris Walker, is from North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

One of Walker's good friends said he does not blame Bergdahl for Walker's death.

Some say Bergdahl deserted the Army, and that Walker's life was among the unnecessary casualties. He died tried to save Bergdahl in 2009.

"He was rising in the ranks really quickly. He was asked to go on a mission, he went on it," said friend Michael Chasin.

In an interview from Los Angeles via Skype, one of Walker's best friends and UNC classmates said neither he nor the family want to undermine Bergdahl's service trying to better understand Walker's death.

"He's still an American who was brought back after being in harm's way for a while, so we're still happy about that," Chasin said.

Instead, he wants people to know Walker was an incredible person.

"The reason I did this was to honor his memory," Chasin said.

Chasin smiled as he recalled his fraternity brother's dynamic personality. The tone changed, however, when he recalled the care package that never reached Walker before he was killed by a roadside bomb.

"One of the biggest regrets I have in life is letting that care package sit on my desk for a week before I sent it," said Chasin.

Chasin is sure of one thing, that Walker was proud of his decision to join the Army. He said Walker was raised by his grandmother in Fayetteville. He graduated from Fayetteville Academy in 2004 and studied at UNC before enlisting in the Army.

WSOC