Posted on 06/30/2004 7:41:58 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan, June 29, 2004 — To many of his fellow Marines in Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, Sgt. Anthony Viggiani is the ideal Marine.
In the eyes of subordinates and seniors alike, the native of Strongsville, Ohio embodies those qualities that make Marines special; dedicated, professional, strong, committed, moral, and brave. Now they have an additional quality to add to that list -- tough-as-nails.
During a recent firefight with anti-coalition militia in south-central Afghanistan, Viggiani's actions further elevated himself in the eyes of the rest of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).
When a pair of Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters spotted approximately 20 heavily-armed enemy fighters fleeing into the hills during a cordon and knock operation of a nearby village, Charlie Company immediately pursued on foot. Leading his squad over a steep, rock-strewn mountain, Viggiani was in the lead of the advance when they came under heavy enemy rifle fire.
"The rounds just started pouring in," he said later that day, "and we weren't really sure where they were coming from."
On the slope opposite the valley below him, approximately 100 meters away, Viggiani and his Marines watched as two Marines, Cpl. Randy Wood and Lance Cpl. James Gould were wounded by enemy rifle fire.
Aware that the fire was coming from the slope in front of him, Viggiani pressed forward cautiously when he and 1st Sgt. Ernest Hoopii came under concentrated fire themselves.
The 24-year-old Viggiani then found he was mere feet from the cave housing the enemy sniper still firing at Wood and Gould, who had since taken cover behind a too-small rock.
"I was able to look down a break in the rocks and saw a bit of cloth move so I got off three or four shots, and then dropped the frag (fragmentation grenade)," said Viggiani.
Combined with rifle and machine gun fire from Wood and Gould's squad, the grenade explosion silenced the enemy position which was later found to have housed three fighters.
Sometime during the fight, Viggiani was struck in the lower left leg by an enemy bullet. Seemingly unmindful of the wound, Viggiani continued to engage the enemy with rifle fire until the area was cleared and a total of four dead and one wounded enemy fighters were found.
Mere minutes after the fight, with typical Marine élan, Viggiani dismissed the wound that stained the front of his trouser leg a deep crimson.
"It stings a bit, but it's nothing," he said as he paused for a photograph in front of the cave he helped clear mere minutes after the fight.
Despite recommendations from his fellow Marines, Viggiani refused to leave his platoon and seek aid at the mobile command post. With a small dressing and a few aspirin, Viggiani shouldered his rifle and trudged further into the rugged mountains in pursuit of Taliban and enemy fighters.
Bump!
My kinda guy...God Bless the soldiers, ALL.
Thank God there wasn't a bone, nerve bundle or artery in the path of that bullet.
If his name were John F Kerry, he would have demanded to have his Purple Heart papers be turned in immediately.
I've yet to read the article but let me guess...he wasn't a New England elitist just looking to get his card punched with his eyes set on a political career.
Yes, if it doesn't fit the agenda.....
God bless our brave Marines and Soldiers.
Marines bump
Contrast that with Kerry's whining for a Purple Heart for a scratch on his arm (not even from combat).
Semper Fi bump.
I wonder if his Dad was a Marine?
Wait a second, this Marine makes our 'warhero' Kerry look bad. Here's a real man doing a dirty job without complaint. While Botoxboy, youdidknowhewasinVietnamdidn'tyou?, worked tirelessly to collect three Purple Hearts, wrote at least one up himself to get the paperwork going, and rushed home six months early to run for office. And chase stupid, rich women.
If this hero, Viggiani, accidentally saw Michael Moore at an airport during his leave, I'd almost feel sorry for........
.........the poor luggage carrying cart that Moore would probably have stuffed up his----
OK. I'll shut up now.
My favorite Chesty:
When surrounded by several Chinese Divisions, Chesty was ordered to move his Divison back to Inchon because the Army couldn't get to him. A reporter asked him how it felt to be retreating from the Chinese.
"Retreat? Hell! We're just advancing in the opposite direction!"
Semper Fi
Actually, he rushed hom 9 months early.
He was only in theater 3 months.
And one of his wounds was self-inflicted.
UUH_RAH!!
There's hope for us yet.
SEMPER FI, Sgt. Anthony Viggiani
Sounds like he his more qualified to be President than John F'n Kerry.
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