Seattle-area Reaction From Families Touched by 9/11 and Death of Osama bin Laden

The death of Osama bin Laden -- following a nearly 10-year global manhunt -- came close to home for many families in Western Washington.

Many have served in the U.S. military and have been stationed in Afghanistan. Or they might have lost loved ones during military conflict in the hunt for the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

Patch.com editors in the Puget Sound region spent Monday talking with family members, members of the U.S. military and retirees about their thoughts following the U.S. commando raid on bin Laden at his compound in Pakistan.

Patch.com editors turned in dispatches from Bellevue, Kirkland, Edmonds, University Place and Lakewood - places that either have a large military community or where U.S. military members who have died once called home.

Kirkland Patch Editor Greg Johnston offered up some personal insight as well - his son is serving in the U.S. military in Afghanistan. 

The White House also released photographs of President Obama and his senior advisers in the Situation Room on Sunday, May 1, 2011. They watched, in real time, the mission unfold.