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Meet Brian Chontosh - SOMETHING ELSE THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE NEWS
Focus on Freedom ^
Posted on 05/08/2004 10:11:26 AM PDT by steplock
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 SOMETHING ELSE THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE NEWS
Maybe you’d like to hear about something other than idiot Reservists and naked Iraqis.
Maybe you’d like to hear about a real American, somebody who honored the uniform he wears.
Meet Brian Chontosh. A genuine hero.
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. May 6, 2004
Marine Corps News
Marine Capt. Brian R. Chontosh received the Navy Cross Medal from the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, during an awards ceremony Thursday at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Training Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Three other Marines received medals for valor at the same ceremony.
Chontosh, 29, from Rochester, N.Y. , received the naval service's second highest award for extraordinary heroism while serving as Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom March 25, 2003. The Medal of Honor is the highest military award.
While leading his platoon north on Highway 1 toward Ad Diwaniyah, Chontosh's platoon moved into a coordinated ambush of mortars, rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire. With coalitions tanks blocking the road ahead, he realized his platoon was caught in a kill zone.
He had his driver move the vehicle through a breach along his flank, where he was immediately taken under fire from an entrenched machine gun. Without hesitation, Chontosh ordered the driver to advanced directly at the enemy position enabling his .50 caliber machine gunner to silence the enemy.
He then directed his driver into the enemy trench, where he exited his vehicle and began to clear the trench with an M16A2 service rifle and 9 millimeter pistol. His ammunition depleted, Chontosh, with complete disregard for his safety, twice picked up discarded enemy rifles and continued his ferocious attack.
When a Marine following him found an enemy rocket propelled grenade launcher, Chontosh used it to destroy yet another group of enemy soldiers.
When his audacious attack ended, he had cleared over 200 meters of the enemy trench, killing more than 20 enemy soldiers and wounding several others.
"They are the reflection of the Marine Corps type who's service to the Marine Corps and country is held above their own safety and lives," said Gen. Hagee, commenting on the four Marines who received medals during the ceremony. "I'm proud to be here awarding the second highest and third highest awards for bravery to these great Marines."
"These four Marines are a reflection of every Marine and sailor in this great battalion," said Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. John L. Estrada.
"I was just doing my job, I did the same thing every other Marine would have done, it was just a passion and love for my Marines, the experience put a lot into perspective," said Chontosh.
In effect since April 1917, and established by an Act of Congress on Feb. 4, 1919, the Navy Cross may be awarded to any person who, while serving with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguishes himself/herself in action by extraordinary heroism not justifying an award of the Medal of Honor.
The action must take place under one of three circumstances: while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or, while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
To earn a Navy Cross the act to be commended must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk and must be performed in such a manner as to render the individual highly conspicuous among others of equal grade, rate, experience, or position of responsibility.
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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chontosh; hero; iraq; marines; navycross; usmc
1
posted on
05/08/2004 10:11:27 AM PDT
by
steplock
To: steplock
2
posted on
05/08/2004 10:15:52 AM PDT
by
oldngray
To: steplock
He'll go far in the 'Corps.
Semper Fi!
3
posted on
05/08/2004 10:19:09 AM PDT
by
The KG9 Kid
(Semper Fi)
To: steplock
WOW! Doesn't sound a bit like John Kerry's citation does it?
These men are truly war heroes. Now this makes me proud to be an American, unlike what the Rumsfield hearing may me feel like.
To: steplock
"They are the reflection of the Marine Corps type who's service to the Marine Corps and country is held above their own safety and lives," said Gen. Hagee We are grateful and proud.
Thanks for this post, "steplock"...thank you.
To: steplock
BUMP
6
posted on
05/08/2004 10:38:46 AM PDT
by
Dante3
To: oldngray
Thanx - unfortunately freerepublic does not have a decent search function.
7
posted on
05/08/2004 10:42:13 AM PDT
by
steplock
(http://www.gohotsprings.com)
To: steplock
Maybe John Kerry and Bill Clinton would like to meet a real hero. Maybe it would rub off. Nah.......
8
posted on
05/08/2004 11:31:35 AM PDT
by
freekitty
To: steplock
very bumpable
9
posted on
05/08/2004 11:32:56 AM PDT
by
breakem
To: steplock
Thanks for posting this. Someone else said it had already been posted, but I missed it the first time.
These are the people we should be hearing about. But Koppel, Brokaw, Jennings, and Rather would never waste their precious air time with this kind of thing. Even on a slow news day when they have hardly any negative stuff to say about Bush.
10
posted on
05/08/2004 11:38:17 AM PDT
by
Rocky
(To the 9/11 Commission: It was Al Qaeda, stupid!)
To: steplock
You know what really kills me is that there are hundreds of military people like this guy and the news people won't publish anything that may reflect what is good about the US, the military and especially the Republican party. Fox news need to get these awards and start a program just to celebrate the good in the US.
11
posted on
05/08/2004 11:38:51 AM PDT
by
wattsup
(wattsup)
To: wattsup
I am posting them to several newspaper websites - along with the slightly snide commentary that these stories have NOT been reported in the media.
At least we have ONE here in south-west-central Arkansas (Hot Springs area) that PROUDLY reprints them on his "Print Version" in addition to on-line.
http://www.mountainjournalnews.com (no, it's not me)
12
posted on
05/08/2004 11:46:19 AM PDT
by
steplock
(http://www.gohotsprings.com)
To: oldngray
13
posted on
05/08/2004 12:22:18 PM PDT
by
jigsaw
(God Bless Our Troops.)
To: jigsaw
BTTT
The American military has not been dishonored. The guilty have only dishonored themselves.
14
posted on
05/08/2004 1:25:54 PM PDT
by
malia
(BUSH/CHENEY '04 NEVER FORGET!)
To: steplock
until we respond to good news about our troops more enthusiastically, how can we criticise the media for not picking up the story? I agree it is the kind of story we need to hear more of these days; however the writers are looking for scoops, rating, selling of papers,etc.
Last night on "JAG" this was the subject of the show. How a soldier was killed in battle and all they wanted to know was the Mother and family incensed and demanding the war to stop? If she didn't want to say that there was to be no story. Of course it was worked out in the story she got to tell her story ( as the result of a bit of bribery of the editor, give him something he wanted like a ride in a F14 with all the thrills of no gravity and breaking the sound barrier and rolls,ETC).
Anyway the show was right on and presented very well the fact that the news is interested in making news they want to make and not much else.
To: steplock
Thank you for the post. I am far more interested in hearing about the young men and women who are honorably serving this country than anything else. They are the soul of this country and we cannot forget it.
To: steplock
Bumping for Captain Chontosh and American asskickers everywhere.
17
posted on
05/08/2004 3:08:16 PM PDT
by
jwalsh07
To: steplock
OOH RAH!!
FNC should definitely start a show (preferably with Col. Ollie North)to show these stories of our Honorable fighting men and women.
Semper Fi.
Way to go, Marine.
18
posted on
05/08/2004 3:10:20 PM PDT
by
jpp113
To: jpp113
19
posted on
05/08/2004 3:41:00 PM PDT
by
steplock
(http://www.gohotsprings.com)
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