SILVER STAR MEDAL GOES TO 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION SOLDIER

kcentv.com, NBC-6, via CENTCOM ^ | August 16, 2004 | Cpl. Bill Putnam, 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

	NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

August 16, 2004
Release Number: 04-08-51

SILVER STAR MEDAL GOES TO 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION SOLDIER

BAGHDAD — 1st Cavalry Division’s first Silver Star Medal for valor in combat during this deployment was presented to Private 1st Class Christopher Fernandez Aug. 13.

Fernandez, a multiple launch rocket system crewman, was awarded the Silver Star for actions he had taken May 5, when his unit came under attack. Fernandez, a Tucson, Ariz. native, was on a patrol through the city’s Saidiyah neighborhood when insurgents ambushed his unit.

An improvised explosive device hit the patrol’s rear vehicle. Immediately following the explosion, the patrol was barraged with small-arms fire. The patrol’s crew-served weapons, an M-240B machine gun and a .50 caliber machine gun, immediately returned fire.

Two U.S. Soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in the IED explosion and their vehicle was inoperable.

Fernandez returned fire with his weapon, an M-249 squad automatic weapon. He reloaded his weapon at least once during the short engagement, said Capt. Thomas Pugsley, Battery A’s commander.

“There was a tremendous volume of fire coming at them,” Pugsley said.

In all the chaos, Fernandez saw the stricken vehicle’s M-240B machine gun was unused. Acting on instinct, Fernandez knew that another weapon would suppress the enemy’s fire long enough to evacuate the wounded and leave the area. He left his vehicle, ran to the disabled humvee and recovered the weapon and its ammunition.

Fernandez then opened fire on the enemy.

What made all of that spectacular was the recovered weapon’s condition, said Pugsley. The hand guards covering the machine-gun’s barrel, so the gunner’s hands won’t burn, were blown off in the explosion. That didn’t matter to Fernandez though; he kept firing even though his hands were burning.

Almost 10 minutes later, the wounded were loaded onto the Fernandez’s vehicle and the ambush site abandoned.

“Pfc. Christopher Fernandez is a hero,” Chiarelli said. “He represents the best of us. He embodies the Army Values and the Warrior Ethos.”

“It’s a great honor,” said Fernandez in Battery A, 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment. “I never thought it would happen.”

The Silver Star is the Army’s fifth highest medal for valor and the third highest during combat and is rarely given to enlisted Soldiers.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, congratulates Pfc. Christopher Fernandez for winning the Silver Star Medal. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Bill Putnam, 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Pfc. Christopher Fernandez listens to his commanding general, Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, 1st Cavalry Division, speak to a formation of the 5th Brigade Combat Team about the actions by the private which earned him the Army’s fifth highest medal for combat valor. Fernandez received the Silver Star Medal Aug. 13 at the brigade’s headquarters on Camp Ferrin-Huggins in Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Bill Putnam, 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

~*~

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

1st Cavalry Division’s first Silver Star Medal for valor in combat during this deployment was presented to Private 1st Class Christopher Fernandez Aug. 13.

 

May 5 - his unit came under attack...

 

Fernandez knew that another weapon would suppress the enemy’s fire long enough to evacuate the wounded and leave the area. He left his vehicle, ran to the disabled humvee and recovered the weapon and its ammunition.

Fernandez then opened fire on the enemy...

 

 ~*~

 

“He represents the best of us.." - Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli

              

[Cboldt]

*bump*

Wow. He looks like a kid, but he has the heart, guts and soul of a real man.

[X-FID]

Pfc. Christopher Fernandez is a hero,” Chiarelli said. “He represents the best of us. He embodies the Army Values and the Warrior Ethos.”

He most certainly does!

[VOA]

“Pfc. Christopher Fernandez is a hero,” Chiarelli said. “He represents the best of us.
He embodies the Army Values and the Warrior Ethos.”

I'll just give a grateful civilian thank-you.
For his courage.
And for the courage of all the good service-personnel who show the same right stuff
and never get recognized.

And the blessed assurance none of these real-deals will never bore us with
tales of a Christmas in Cambodia in whatever-the-h-ll-year-it-was.

[Bahbah]

The doggone blurry screen kicks in. Pfc, you are one heck of a man. We are so blessed.

[VOA]

Oh, and while I can't speak with metaphysical certitude, I suspect Pfc. Fernandez
has the hearty thanks of the Iraqi delegation to the Athens Olympics.

[VOA]

US Cavalry Hat in the news alert...(first photo with story)

OK, even if it ain't Seventh Cav...

[Arpege92]

"He looks like a kid,..."

I was thinking the same thing. I don't want to take anything away from this hero, but I did want to let folks know that another hero was laid to rest today at West Point. His name was Andy Houghton and he was seriously injured in Iraq last month. He died on Aug 9, 2004. He leaves a mother, father, and younger brother behind.

I didn't know Andy or his family. I learned of Andy through another FReeper.

[VOA]

The doggone blurry screen kicks in.

Not to mention the heck that biological-origin saline solution plays on
on an unsealed keyboard...

[VOA]

I did want to let folks know that another hero was laid to rest today at West Point.
His name was Andy Houghton

(consider it re-announced)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1187891/posts

[Viet-Boat-Rider]

Two U.S. Soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in the IED explosion and their vehicle was inoperable.

Fernandez returned fire with his weapon, an M-249 squad automatic weapon. He reloaded his weapon at least once during the short engagement, said Capt. Thomas Pugsley, Battery A’s commander. Two U.S. Soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in the IED explosion and their vehicle was inoperable.

Fernandez returned fire with his weapon, an M-249 squad automatic weapon. He reloaded his weapon at least once during the short engagement, said Capt. Thomas Pugsley, Battery A’s commander.

“There was a tremendous volume of fire coming at them,” Pugsley said.

In all the chaos, Fernandez saw the stricken vehicle’s M-240B machine gun was unused. Acting on instinct, Fernandez knew that another weapon would suppress the enemy’s fire long enough to evacuate the wounded and leave the area. He left his vehicle, ran to the disabled humvee and recovered the weapon and its ammunition.

Fernandez then opened fire on the enemy.

NOW LETS COMPAR THIS TO KETTY: A mine exploded on the #3 boat blowing people into the water. There is an argument over which boat Rassman was on, Kerry's or the #3 Boat, nonetheless, Kerry took of running to hide. The other boats came to the aid of the #3 Boat and the people in the water.

When Kerry saw that there was no enemy fire, he brought his boat back toward the group and ran across Rassman, and helped him out of the water. Another boat was 10 yards away on their way to get Rassman, but Kerry's boat happened to be there first. Kerry bumped his arm and got a bruise.

Kerry applied for the Silver Star saying that his boat was under heavy fire from both banks of the river, 3-plus miles long, and that by risking his life, while injured, Kerry saved Rassman's life by pulling him out of the water under heavy enemy fire.

No bullet holes were in ANY any of the boats and the only enemy fire was the mine that went off under the #3 boat. All people there say that Kerry's account is false.

[Arpege92]

Thanks....

[JoeSixPack1]

WOW!!

GARY OWEN

Semper Fidelis !

[MaryPickford]

With thanks to the almost 1,000 American soldiers dead,
.
the thousands of American soldiers wounded,
.
and to those who represent America in such difficult times as do you, Private 1st Class Christopher Fernandez.
.
Your sacrifices are great, and so are the sacrifices of your loved ones.

[Cboldt]

I don't want to take anything away from this hero, but I did want to let folks know that another hero was laid to rest today at West Point. His name was Andy Houghton ...

We come in all shapes, sizes and degrees of conviction, courage and smarts. And each of us takes a unique path through what is, at bottom, unfair life.

The volunteering of risk of one's life for the benefit of others is the embodiment of "Greater love than this no man hath than to lay down his life for his friends."

Andy Houghton's mother, father, and younger brother are in my prayers as I type this. May God lay his comforting hand on this grieving family.

[gogipper]

Garry Owen!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[windchime]

Private 1st Class Christopher Fernandez bump!

[blackie]

Big Hero ~ Bump!