www.esryle.comLOCAL NEWS ACROSS THE NATION
Posted on 07/26/2004 8:51:51 PM PDT by esryle
When Sandra Denby received an unexpected call from Fort Lewis, Wash., two weeks ago, she was understandably nervous.
For the military families who wake up each morning knowing a loved one is in harm's way, no news is normally good news. Denby's son, Spc. Brian Scott, 23, is an Army medic with the 401st Transportation Co. Based at Fort Lewis, Scott's unit has spent eight months in Iraq.
But this call was good news.
"The lady who called said she was calling to say my son was a hero," said Denby, who lives in Huntsville. "I told her, 'They're all heroes,' and she said, 'So you've already heard the story?' "
In fact, despite getting e-mails from her son almost daily, Denby hadn't heard any story. "He never told me nothing," she said. "I guess he doesn't want Mom to be worried."
But the story the family liaison from Fort Lewis told made her proud.
"She told me Brian had saved the life of another soldier," Denby said.
On July 5, Scott's unit was traveling in a convoy through the northern city of Mosul when it came under attack. Three soldiers were injured. One was Spc. Greg Davis, a gunner on top of a truck, who was hit just above the right elbow. The shrapnel wound tore apart his arm, opening an artery.
Scott was traveling two vehicles behind when the convoy was hit. Still under fire, he left his vehicle to get to Davis, then started an IV. He held the injured soldier's arm in a tourniquet and stabilized him with drugs until a Medevac arrived.
"Everyone knows he saved Davis' life," the woman from Fort Lewis told Denby. "He's a hero."
An hour later, Denby got another long-distance call, this time from Houtzdale, Pa. The caller was Patricia Davis, Greg Davis' mother.
"She said, 'Thank you for having your son. If it was not for your son, my son would not be here today,' " Denby said.
The mothers talked for a while, then swapped numbers. "I told her that I would keep in touch to see how her son was doing," Denby said. "We both hung up crying."
For Patricia Davis, the phone call was a chance to say thank you - and to keep a promise.
"We talked to Greg the next day" after the attack, she said in a phone interview last week. "He was still real groggy, but he said, 'Mom, you have to thank Brian Thomas Scott. He saved my life.' "
According to Joe Hitt, public affairs officer at Fort Lewis, Scott will receive an award for his actions, possibly the Army Commendation Medal, but he won't receive that award until the 401st Transportation Co. returns to Fort Lewis in November.
In the meantime, Scott is looking forward to 15 days; leave starting Friday, and a chance to see his mom, wife Krissa, and son Wesley.
Patricia Davis already has her son home, and despite his injuries, said he is doing well.
"We're just so very thankful," she said. "It's so nice to think that, even from different ends of the country, they're looking out for each other."
Bowing a humble head to another of our American heroes...
Army Commendation Medal?
What the hell is wrong with the Army. Sounds like Bronze Star material to me. Heck, the Army gives Captains a COM for successfully crossing the street these days.
Ya gotta read this one
Nice post
The Marines may guard the gates of Heaven, so they must wave at the Combat Medics as they go in.......
Gosh, man I hate these kind of stories. This old Corpsman still has tears in eyes. May God bless these young men and their families. Nam 69/70 1st Mar Div
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