Gunny Bob's Hall of Heroes
You have just entered a sacred place.
Here in this Hall of Heroes are the stories of just a handful of the heroes who have risked their lives under fire in the war on terror. In some cases, these men of steel and grit have made the ultimate sacrifice so that others might live.
In the case of those who survived their selfless act of heroism, none ever brag about their medals and the deeds that brought these bits of cloth and metal to their chests. They simply salute, reload, and press on with the mission. Those who fell look down upon us from Heaven.
THE CHOSIN FEW
Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham US Air Force, AfghanistanGunny says pararescuemen are to the US Air Force what Recon corpsmen are to the Marine Corps. Incredibly tough and with a sense of duty unsurpassed, they are among the bravest of the brave. Jason Cunningham was just one example of this fact. The Gunny just did 100 pushups for Jason because Jason was the man.
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, a pararescueman who lost his life in Afghanistan while saving 10 lives and making it possible for seven others who were killed to come home, was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross here Sept. 13.
The Air Force Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in action against an enemy of our nation. It is second only to the Medal of Honor.
"We gather to salute his bravery and to reward his heroism," said Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James Roche. "We gather to pay tribute to an airman who, on the field of battle, not only gave his life serving his nation, but also gave his life serving his fellow Americans."Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper presented the Air Force Cross to Cunningham's wife, Teresa. Cunningham's parents, Lawrence and Jackie Cunningham, also received medals from Jumper.
"In the frailty of our human existence we are ill equipped to express the extremes of our emotions," Jumper said. "For in the peak of our love or the depths of our sorrow, we have only feeble words that never truly capture the peaks and valleys of our feelings.
"I stand before you today in the humble attempt to assemble the words to honor a hero, knowing in advance that my attempt will fall short of the tribute that is his due."
Cunningham, a Carlsbad, N.M., native, joined the Air Force's elite combat rescue program and graduated pararescue technical training here in June 2001. He was deployed to Southwest Asia in February 2002.
On March 4, Cunningham was the primary Air Force combat search and rescue medic assigned to a quick reaction force in Afghanistan. The force was sent to rescue two American servicemen evading capture in austere terrain occupied by al-Qaida and Taliban forces.
Before landing, his MH-47E Chinook helicopter received rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire, disabling the aircraft and forcing it to crash-land. Crewmembers formed a hasty defense and immediately suffered three fatalities and five critical casualties.
The citation accompanying Cunningham's Air Force Cross reads, "Despite effective enemy fire, and at great risk to his own life, Airman Cunningham remained in the burning fuselage of the aircraft in order to treat the wounds. As he moved his patients to a more secure location, mortar rounds began to impact within 50 feet of his position.
"Disregarding this extreme danger, he continued the movement and exposed himself to enemy fire on seven separate occasions. When the second casualty collection point was also compromised, in a display of uncommon valor and gallantry, Airman Cunningham braved an intense small arms and rocket-propelled grenade attack while repositioning the critically wounded to a third collection point."
The citation continues, "Even after he was mortally wounded and quickly deteriorating, he continued to direct patient movement and transferred care to another medic. In the end, his distinct efforts led to the successful delivery of 10 gravely wounded Americans to life-saving medical treatment."In remarks that seemed to capture Cunningham's spirit, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald Murray, said, "The former Navy petty officer considered joining the SEALS, but became an Air Force PJ. His reasoning? While other special operators search and destroy, PJs search and save."
Cunningham was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on March 11.
--Air Force Materiel Command News Service
Staff Sergeant Raymond Bittinger, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Iraq
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq, July 20, 2004 — The 1st Infantry Division Commander, Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, awarded the Silver Star medal with Valor, one of the highest military decorations, to Staff Sgt. Raymond Bittinger, an infantryman from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment and attached to the 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, according to 1st Infantry Division officials.
About 200 soldiers attended the ceremony July 19, held on Forward Operating Base Gabe in Baqubah, Iraq. Bittinger, a 33-year-old Chicago native, earned the medal for valorous actions leading to the defeat of enemy forces and saving the lives of friendly forces on April 9, 2004, in Buhritz and Baqubah.
Lt. Col. Steven Bullimore, Task Force 1-6 commander presided over the ceremony. “As Americans, we love our heroes,” he said. “We wonder in our heart of hearts what it is that makes them. In the example of Staff Sgt. Ray Bittinger, two things stand out. First, he has always been good at what he does. Second is the simple selflessness of a true professional.”
Bittinger said he was humbled by the all of the attention and the remarks.
“I consider myself a soldier, not a hero,” said Bittinger after the ceremony. “I’m an infantryman. It’s my duty; it’s my job.”
--Department of Defense
Gunnery Sergeant Timothy P. Haney USMC, Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, Task Force Tarawa, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, IraqGunny Bob says Gunny Haney is a man among men.
The scars on his arms were reminders of the sacrifice he made to save his fellow Marines lives amiss combat in Iraq, earning him the Marine Corps' third highest award.
Gunnery Sgt. Timothy P. Haney, 39, a native of Clearfield, Pa., received the Silver Star Medal in a ceremony at the base theater August 6.
The medal, designated solely for heroism in combat, was awarded to Haney for his distinct bravery and fearlessness in action against enemy forces as platoon sergeant of the Combined Anti-Armor Platoon, Weapons Company, 2d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Task Force Tarawa, I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 20 to April 3, 2003. During this period his leadership, personal sacrifice and calming influence enabled his platoon to repeatedly engage and defeat enemy forces in close combat.From March 23 to 26, while conducting missions to destroy enemy tanks and other heavy armored vehicles, Haney's platoon participated in firefights with Iraqi Military and Paramilitary forces in An Nasariyah, Iraq, during which his personal example, while under fire, set the tone for the platoon's tactical success.
During one direct fire engagement against a heavy machine gun, he dismounted his vehicle to gain awareness of the enemy's positions, exposing himself to enemy fire and providing higher headquarters with vital situational awareness.On March 26, 2003, as the battalion's Main Command Operations Center came under attack from two directions, Haney raced through intense fire placing Marines in defensive positions and directing their fire. An explosion riddled Haney's body with 60 pieces of shrapnel as he began preparing wounded Marines for evacuation. Ignoring his wounds he continued transporting injured Marines to the Battalion Aid Station, refusing medical attention until everyone else had been treated.
"You just act sometimes. You simply remember the drills and muscle memory takes over your body," he said. "I did what every Marine in 2/8 would have done if they were in my position. They're all just as deserving of this medal as I am."Haney's wife Jackie and son Robert, 12, were on hand to watch their Marine receive the medal, which was originally established in 1918 as the Citation Star. In 1932, the Silver Star was redesigned as a medal with a retroactive provision allowing servicemembers as far back as the Spanish-American War (1898) to receive it for gallant actions.
"I'm very proud of my dad today, he's an American hero and he's my hero," said Robert.
Chief Warrant Officer Phillip Renfroe USMC, Afghanistan
Lieutenant Gen. James F. Amos presented Chief Warrant Officer Phillip Renfroe with a Bronze Star medal Jan. 12 for meritorious achievement while serving as the Chief Technical Operations Officer during operations in Afghanistan.
The ceremony took place in Amos' office while Phillip's wife, son and friends looked on.
"I'm proud of you," said Amos. "I know there is a ton of activity that goes on behind this award. It's a great thing you've done."
Renfroe was awarded the medal for engaging in high-risk intelligence collection against armed enemy forces from Nov. 20, 2001 to Feb. 18, 2002. He was a key member of the Human Intelligence Support Element, performing controlled intelligence collection operations during the war against Al-Qaida and the Taliban.
"The difference between Iraq and Afghanistan is so enormous," said Renfroe. "In Afghanistan, the people were ready for a change. The people were happy we were there making a difference."
While in Afghanistan, Renfroe discovered enemy weapons stockpiles, safe houses, smuggling routes, Taliban command facilites and plans and intentions of anti-Afghanistan Government forces.
"I've gotten to award a few Bronze Stars in my life, but this one is one the most important I've ever presented," said Amos.
The award came as a surprise to Renfroe, who never thought such an honor would be bestowed to him for just doing his job.
"This came as a total surprise," said he said. "We always hear that our command put in the package for the award, but I never thought I would get it."
During his time in Afghanistan, then Gunnery Sgt. Renfroe was forced to balance an extraordinary amount of operational and administrative responsibilities, all while exhibiting the courage, leadership and professionalism that is expected out of Marine leaders.
"Considering it's a combat award only given during periods of great threat to our nation, it is definitely a highlight of my job to be able to award this outstanding Marine," said Amos.
Sgt. Donald Walters, 507th Maintenance Company, V Corps, IraqSergeant Walters gave his life for his country and his fellow soldiers. Gunny hopes you will remember him in your thoughts and prayers.
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A year after he was buried, the Army honored Sgt. Donald Walters on Monday with the Silver Star for the actions in Iraq that cost him his life.
Walters, 33, formerly of Kansas City, Mo., received the commendation posthumously during a ceremony at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, where he is buried. Walters was a member of the 507th Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Texas, that was ambushed in southern Iraq on March 23, 2003.
Lt. Gen. William S. Wallace, who served in Iraq as the commanding general of the Army’s V Corps, presented the Silver Star to Walters’ widow, Stacie, and his mother, Arlene Walters, who has sought a better accounting of her son’s death to reflect his actions.In the ambush, which occurred just days after the start of the war, 11 soldiers were killed and six captured, including Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was initially credited with putting up a fierce fight during the battle. Lynch has said she did not fire a shot during the ambush. Lynch was later rescued from an Iraqi hospital.
“The exact events during the ambush in Nasariyah will never be completely known but to God and by those who perished in the struggle,” Wallace said.
Walters, of Salem, Ore., had initially been awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Autopsy reports indicate he died of gunshot and two stab wounds to the abdomen.Wallace said Walters displayed a courage that reflected his gallantry to serve his country and fellow soldiers caught in the ambush.
His mother and U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., have sought an Army investigation to correct earlier reports that credited Lynch with holding off Iraqi troops.
Walters, a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, is also survived by three daughters.
--Associated Press
Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith US Army, 11th Combat Engineer Battalion, Iraq.US Army Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously at a White House ceremony today. The award was accepted by SFC Smith's 11-year-old son, David. He is the first American fighting man to receive his nation's highest military honor since 1993 and only the third since the end of the Vietnam War. This is what the man did:
SFC Smith volunteered to create a holding pen inside a walled courtyard. Soon, Iraqi soldiers, numbering perhaps 100, opened fire on SFC Smith's position. SFC Smith was accompanied by 16 men.
Badly outnumbered, SFC Smith called for a Bradley, a tank-like vehicle with a rapid-fire cannon. It arrived and opened up on the Iraqis. The enemy could not advance so long as the Bradley was in position. But then, in a move that baffled and angered SFC Smith's men, the Bradley left.SFC Smith's men, some of whom were wounded, were suddenly vulnerable.
SFC Smith could have justifiably ordered his men to withdraw. SFC Smith apparently rejected that option, thinking that abandoning the courtyard would jeopardize about 100 GIs outside - including medics at an aid station.SFC Smith manned a 50-caliber machine gun atop an abandoned armored personnel carrier and fought off the Iraqis, going through several boxes of ammunition fed to him by 21-year-old Pvt. Michael Seaman. As the battle wound down, SFC Smith was hit in the head. He died before he could be evacuated from the scene. He was 33.
SFC Smith galllantly gave his life for his men, his country and the Iraqi citizens he fought to free. Greater love hath no man.
Corporal Marcos Martinez, 1st Fire Team Leader, 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, IraqGunny Bob says you need to know about Corporal Martinez, who made Marine Corps history one day in Iraq. Martinez, now a sergeant, is not a man to be trifled with.
Citation:
For extraordinary heroism while serving as 1st Fire Team Leader, 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 12 April 2003. Responding to a call to reinforce his Platoon that was ambushed, Corporal Martinez effectively deployed his team under fire in supporting positions for a squad assault. After his squad leader was wounded, he took control and led the assault through a tree line where the ambush originated. As his squad advanced to secure successive enemy positions, it received sustained small arms fire from a nearby building. Enduring intense enemy fire and without regard for his own personal safety, Corporal Martinez launched a captured enemy rocket propelled 
grenade into the building temporarily silencing the enemy and allowing a wounded Marine to be evacuated and receive medical treatment. After receiving additional fire, he single-handedly assaulted the building and killed four enemy soldiers with a grenade and his rifle. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Corporal Martinez reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
 Group Captain Brown is in the center. |
Group Captain Geoffrey C. Brown, Royal Australian Air Force, Southwest Asia Area of Operations Gunny wants you to know about this excellent Aussie. The Australians are fast friends of America and can always be counted on in a pinch. Citation: |
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 20, 1942, has awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Legionnaire) to Group Captain Geoffrey C. Brown, Royal Australian Air Force, for exceptionally meritorious service as Commander, Australian Air Element, Headquarters, Coalition Forces Air Component Command, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from February 2003 to April 2003.
Group Captain Brown led his nation's theater military effort, directing tactical airlift and fighter attack missions from two geographically separate locations.
He deftly balanced participation in coalition headquarters planning and utilization functions with his responsibilities as wartime commander to supervise, control and direct forces engaged in complex airspace campaigns.
He coordinated the use of three Australian C-130 aircraft to transport more than 1,000,000 pounds of cargo and 500 personnel prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
A key logistic component of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, his C-130s moved more than 2,270,000 pounds of cargo and 900 troops, including the first fixed-wing Aeromedical Evacuation flight out of Baghdad International Airport. Many of these flights were into forward locations still involved in ground combat operations.
Group Captain Brown oversaw the first Australian Fighter deployment into a war zone since the Korean War.
Under his command, Australian Airman flew 300 combat sorties and logged 1,500 combat flight hours.
His vision, stellar leadership, professionalism and precise application of airpower doctrine directly contributed to successful combat operations against the Iraqi regime.
Group Captain Brown's exceptional performance of duty reflects great credit on himself, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Government of Australia.
Master Sergeant Anthony S. Pryor, Alpha Company, 5th Special Forces Group, AfghanistanGunny says it is very bad judgment to mess around with a Green Beret, especially in close-quarters and hand-to-hand combat. Green Berets tend to become very angry when you hit them with heavy objects.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (Army News Service, June 16, 2003) -- A 5th Special Forces Group soldier received the Army's third-highest valor award during a ceremony June 12 for his actions in a January 2002 raid on a suspected al Qaeda stronghold in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Master Sgt. Anthony S. Pryor, a team sergeant with Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th SFG, received the Silver Star Medal for his gallantry in combat during the raid when he single-handedly eliminated four enemy soldiers, including one in unarmed combat, all while under intense automatic weapons fire and with a crippling injury."Receiving this award is overwhelming, but... this isn't a story about one guy," Pryor said of the events that led to his Silver Star. "It's a story about the whole company instead of an award on the chest. If the guys hadn't done what they were supposed to do, (the mission) would've been a huge failure."
"I just did what I had to do," he continued, recalling his hand-to-hand struggle against the suspected terrorists. "It wasn't a heroic act - it was second-nature. I won, and I moved forward."
During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Geoffrey C. Lambert, commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Forces Command, said that Pryor was a perfect example of the Special Forces mentality.
"About a year ago ... I said to Tony, 'what did you think when that fellow knocked your night-vision goggles off, pulled your arm out of its socket and was twisting it, all while you were fighting with your other hand?'" Lambert said. "And (Pryor) said, 'it's show time.' He must have meant what he said, because he earned that Silver Star. Think about a cold, black night; think about fighting four guys at the same time, and somebody jumps on your back and starts beating you with a board. Think about the problems you'd have to solve - and he did."
"This is the singular hand-to-hand combat story that I have heard from this war," Lambert added. "When it came time to play, he played, and he did it right."On Jan. 23, 2002, Pryor's company received an order from the U.S. Central Command to conduct their fourth combat mission of the war - a sensitive site exploitation of two compounds suspected of harboring Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Because of the presence of women and children within the compounds, Pryor said aerial bombardment was not considered an option. Once on the ground, the company was to search for key leadership, communications equipment, maps and other intelligence.
Sgt. 1st Class Scott Neil was one of the team members there with Pryor that night at the second compound. A Special Forces weapons sergeant, he fought on Pryor's team as a cell leader and found himself momentarily pinned down by the sudden hail of bullets after the team's position was compromised.
"After the initial burst of automatic weapons fire, we returned fire in the breezeway," Neil said. "It was a mental spur - after we heard the words 'let's go,' everything just kind of kicked in."
Moments later, though, the team became separated in the confusion, but with the situation desperate for the Special Forces soldiers against a determined and larger-than-expected enemy, Pryor and one of his teammates kept moving forward, room to room. They began to enter a room together, but another enemy soldier outside the room distracted the team member, so he stayed outside to return fire.
Pryor first encountered an enemy that was charging out of the room and assisted in eliminating him. Then, without hesitation, Pryor moved ahead into the room and found himself alone with three more enemy soldiers.According to Pryor, the next two enemies he saw were firing their weapons out of the back of the room at his men that were still outside the compound.
"I went in, and there were some windows that they were trying to get their guns out of to shoot at our guys that hadn't caught up yet," he said. "So I went from left to right, indexed down and shot those guys up. I realized that I was well into halfway through my magazine, so I started to change magazines. Then I felt something behind me, and thought it was (one of my teammates) - that's when things started going downhill."
Pryor said it was an enemy soldier, a larger-than-normal Afghan, who had snuck up on him.
"There was a guy back behind me, and he whopped me on the shoulder with something, and crumpled me down."
Pryor would later learn that he had sustained a broken clavicle and a dislocated shoulder during the attack.
"Then he jumped up on my back, broke my night-vision goggles off and starting getting his fingers in my eyeballs. I pulled him over, and when I hit down on the ground, it popped my shoulder back in."
Pryor said that after he stood up, he was face to face with his attacker. Pryor eliminated the man during their hand-to-hand struggle.
Pryor had now put down all four enemies, but the fight wasn't over yet.
"I was trying to feel around in the dark for my night-vision goggles, and that's when the guys I'd already killed decided that they weren't dead yet."
Pryor said that it was then a race to see who could get their weapons up first, and the enemy soldiers lost. He then left the room and rejoined the firefight outside. When the battle ended, 21 enemy soldiers had been killed. There were no American causalities, and Pryor had been the only soldier injured.
"Tony is getting a Silver Star because he entered a room by himself, and he engaged the enemy by himself," said Sgt. 1st Class James Hogg, a Special Forces medical sergeant on Pryor's team. "He elevated his pure soldier instinct and went to the next level, and that's what this award is recognizing. He didn't stop after his initial battle, and continued to lead."
Leading his soldiers, despite his injuries, is something Neil said that Pryor couldn't seem to stop doing.
"As soon as he left that room, he came running up to me and wanted to know if everybody was okay," Neil said, describing Pryor after he had emerged from his four-on-one fight. "He never mentioned anything about what went on ... and during the whole objective and as the firefight continued, he never stopped. He was always mission-first, and that's what his Silver Star is all about."
Pryor is the third Special Forces soldier to receive the Silver Star Medal for actions during Operation Enduring Freedom. The other two, Master Sgt. Jefferson Davis and Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Petithory, also of the 5th SFG (Abn.), received theirs posthumously.
Private Johnson Gideon Beharry, 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, Iraq
Gunny Bob notes this courageous British soldier just received his nation's equivalent of America's Medal of Honor. Here is his citation for the Victoria Cross:
"Private Beharry carried out two individual acts of great heroism by which he saved the lives of his comrades. Both were in direct face of the enemy, under intense fire, at great personal risk to himself (one leading to him sustaining very serious injuries). His valour is worthy of the highest recognition.
"In the early hours of the 1st May 2004 Beharry’s company was ordered to replenish an isolated Coalition Forces outpost located in the centre of the troubled city of Al Amarah. He was the driver of a platoon commander’s Warrior armoured fighting vehicle. His platoon was the company’s reserve force and was placed on immediate notice to move. As the main elements of his company were moving into the city to carry out the replenishment, they were re-tasked to fight through a series of enemy ambushes in order to extract a foot patrol that had become pinned down under sustained small arms and heavy machine gun fire and improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade attack.
"Beharry’s platoon was tasked over the radio to come to the assistance of the remainder of the company, who were attempting to extract the isolated foot patrol. As his platoon passed a roundabout, en route to the pinned-down patrol, they became aware that the road to the front was empty of all civilians and traffic – an indicator of a potential ambush ahead. The platoon commander ordered the vehicle to halt, so that he could assess the situation. The vehicle was then immediately hit by multiple rocket-propelled grenades. Eyewitnesses report that the vehicle was engulfed in a number of violent explosions, which physically rocked the 30-tonne Warrior.
"As a result of this ferocious initial volley of fire, both the platoon commander and the vehicle’s gunner were incapacitated by concussion and other wounds, and a number of the soldiers in the rear of the vehicle were also wounded. Due to damage sustained in the blast to the vehicle’s radio systems, Beharry had no means of communication with either his turret crew or any of the other Warrior vehicles deployed around him. He did not know if his commander or crewmen were still alive, or how serious their injuries may be. In this confusing and dangerous situation, on his own initiative, he closed his driver’s hatch and moved forward through the ambush position to try to establish some form of communications, halting just short of a barricade placed across the road.
"The vehicle was hit again by sustained rocket-propelled grenade attack from insurgent fighters in the alleyways and on rooftops around his vehicle. Further damage to the Warrior from these explosions caused it to catch fire and fill rapidly with thick, noxious smoke. Beharry opened up his armoured hatch cover to clear his view and orientate himself to the situation. He still had no radio communications and was now acting on his own initiative, as the lead vehicle of a six Warrior convoy in an enemy-controlled area of the city at night. He assessed that his best course of action to save the lives of his crew was to push through, out of the ambush. He drove his Warrior directly through the barricade, not knowing if there were mines or improvised explosive devices placed there to destroy his vehicle. By doing this he was able to lead the remaining five Warriors behind him towards safety.
"As the smoke in his driver’s tunnel cleared, he was just able to make out the shape of another rocket- propelled grenade in flight heading directly towards him. He pulled the heavy armoured hatch down with one hand, whilst still controlling his vehicle with the other. However, the overpressure from the explosion of the rocket wrenched the hatch out of his grip, and the flames and force of the blast passed directly over him, down the driver’s tunnel, further wounding the semi-conscious gunner in the turret. The impact of this rocket destroyed Beharry’s armoured periscope, so he was forced to drive the vehicle through the remainder of the ambushed route, some 1500 metres long, with his hatch opened up and his head exposed to enemy fire, all the time with no communications with any other vehicle. During this long surge through the ambushes the vehicle was again struck by rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. While his head remained out of the hatch, to enable him to see the route ahead, he was directly exposed to much of this fire, and was himself hit by a 7.62mm bullet, which penetrated his helmet and remained lodged on its inner surface.
"Despite this harrowing weight of incoming fire Beharry continued to push through the extended ambush, still leading his platoon until he broke clean. He then visually identified another Warrior from his company and followed it through the streets of Al Amarah to the outside of the Cimic House outpost, which was receiving small arms fire from the surrounding area. Once he had brought his vehicle to a halt outside, without thought for his own personal safety, he climbed onto the turret of the still-burning vehicle and, seemingly oblivious to the incoming enemy small arms fire, manhandled his wounded platoon commander out of the turret, off the vehicle and to the safety of a nearby Warrior. He then returned once again to his vehicle and again mounted the exposed turret to lift out the vehicle’s gunner and move him to a position of safety. Exposing himself yet again to enemy fire he returned to the rear of the burning vehicle to lead the disorientated and shocked dismounts and casualties to safety. Remounting his burning vehicle for the third time, he drove it through a complex chicane and into the security of the defended perimeter of the outpost, thus denying it to the enemy. Only at this stage did Beharry pull the fire extinguisher handles, immobilising the engine of the vehicle, dismounted and then moved himself into the relative safety of the back of another Warrior. Once inside Beharry collapsed from the sheer physical and mental exhaustion of his efforts and was subsequently himself evacuated.
"Having returned to duty following medical treatment, on the 11th June 2004 Beharry’s Warrior was part of a quick reaction force tasked to attempt to cut off a mortar team that had attacked a Coalition Force base in Al Amarah. As the lead vehicle of the platoon he was moving rapidly through the dark city streets towards the suspected firing point, when his vehicle was ambushed by the enemy from a series of rooftop positions. During this initial heavy weight of enemy fire, a rocket-propelled grenade detonated on the vehicle’s frontal armour, just six inches from Beharry’s head, resulting in a serious head injury. Other rockets struck the turret and sides of the vehicle, incapacitating his commander and injuring several of the crew.
"With the blood from his head injury obscuring his vision, Beharry managed to continue to control his vehicle, and forcefully reversed the Warrior out of the ambush area. The vehicle continued to move until it struck the wall of a nearby building and came to rest. Beharry then lost consciousness as a result of his wounds. By moving the vehicle out of the enemy’s chosen killing area he enabled other Warrior crews to be able to extract his crew from his vehicle, with a greatly reduced risk from incoming fire. Despite receiving a serious head injury, which later saw him being listed as very seriously injured and in a coma for some time, his level-headed actions in the face of heavy and accurate enemy fire at short range again almost certainly saved the lives of his crew and provided the conditions for their safe evacuation to medical treatment.
"Beharry displayed repeated extreme gallantry and unquestioned valour, despite intense direct attacks, personal injury and damage to his vehicle in the face of relentless enemy action."
Cpl. Jason Dunham USMC, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, IraqGunny Bob wants everyone to please say an extra prayer for Cpl. Jason Dunham, who gave his life to save his brother Marines. He has been recommended for the Medal of Honor. Tonight, the corporal is drinking beer with Chesty Puller in another clime and place.
SCIO, N.Y. — Mourners Saturday filled one of Cpl. Jason Dunham’s favorite places — his high school gym — for the funeral of the Marine, who died in Iraq after using his own body to shield his men from an attacker’s grenade.
The gym, packed with more than 1,500 people, is the largest gathering space in the upstate New York town of Scio, where Dunham grew up. His casket rested beneath a basketball hoop.Dunham, 22, died from wounds he sustained April 14 in Iraq.
A report from the Marine Corps said Dunham was commanding a check point near Karbala when a man got out of a car and tried to flee. Dunham tackled the man, who then pulled a pin from a hand grenade. Dunham dove onto the grenade before it exploded, the Marines reported. Two other Marines were injured.
Dunham, with K Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, was remembered in Iraq on Thursday at a service attended by more than 500 Marines, sailors and soldiers, the Marines reported.
Dunham “never judged anyone and he never judged the people over there,” friend Justin Lambert said at Saturday’s funeral. “He was just doing his job. He’s going to be missed.”As a long procession of cars and walkers accompanied the casket to the nearby cemetery, Scio residents sat on their porches and children lined the sidewalk. An American flag was draped above the highway.
Dunham’s parents, carrying the tri-folded flag that had draped their eldest son’s coffin, and their three younger children were escorted by the Marines to an awaiting car.
“The Marine Corps have really showed us how much this means to them,” said Cpl. Dunham’s father, Dan. “They’ve been very good to us.”
--Associated Press
Gunnery Sergeant William E. Bodette USMC, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, AfghanistanGunny Bob says you should know about Gunny Bodette, a crazy Marine who one day found himself in Afghanistan:
In a mountain range in the barren, poverty-stricken country of Afghanistan, automatic-weapons fire and grenade explosions fill the air with soot and rock debris. The high altitude and polluted air choke the Marines and local military forces as enemy tracer rounds whiz past, forcing them to hunker behind whatever cover they may find.
Amid all the chaos and destruction, one man returns fire, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Maintaining his composure and exhibiting poise under fire, he shouts out orders, directing his men to continue firing.
After almost 45 minutes of what seemed to him as a firefight that would never end, Marine Gunnery Sgt. William E. Bodette scans the terrain and sees that his troops have routed the hostile ambush.He pats himself down and looks all over his chest for signs of entry wounds, but feels none. Bodette reaches down into his cargo pocket and pulls out a worn-out laminated photograph of his wife and three children, thanking the Almighty that he is still alive.
This is the third time this deployment the enemy has ambushed his troops, and the third time he's walked away, miraculously unscathed.
"I could hear (the rounds) snapping off all around me, and I even felt the heat of a rocket-propelled grenade as it flew right over my head," stated the Company K, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment company gunnery sergeant. "All around me I saw the green and red lights of the tracers. I don't know how I didn't get hit. I thought I was going to die for sure many times."
Boldly leading his troops and remaining stalwart under fire, the 36-year-old Clearwater, Fla., native's command presented him with the Bronze Star Medal with combat "V" device Dec. 13 during a ceremony here.
The award was created in 1944 to recognize individuals distinguishing themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement, both of which Bodette displayed.
"His decisiveness and combat leadership enabled three different patrols to quickly overpower enemy forces, and he was also directly responsible for establishing landing zone security for evacuating wounded U.S. and Afghan Forces," the award citation states. Still, Bodette remains humble."I owe my life to a lot of people, to all the Marines who were with me and did what they were trained to do," Bodette said. "I did what I've been trained to do all the years that I've worn this uniform, and I didn't do anything special. Somebody just saw me and thought I had."
Bodette has much to be proud of, military awards aside. As a 16-year veteran of the Marine Corps and former Marine Corps Recruit Depot drill instructor, he has touched many lives. It is this that gives him the greatest sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment, he said.
"Not too long ago, I went to the (National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.) to award one of my former recruits (Cpl. Mark O'Brien, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment) his Purple Heart," Bodette said. "He was injured during a firefight in Ramadi, (Iraq,) and now he's missing his right arm and leg. He specifically asked for his senior drill instructor to pin on his medal.
"It was the greatest honor of my life," Bodette added. "No Bronze Star could ever take the place of what I did for that Marine, a Marine that I made. That's what's so special about the Marine Corps. It's not about the individual wars going on right now, or being able to say 'I did this, I did that,' but about the service you're doing for your country and your fellow Marine."
--Marine Cpl. Mike Escobar is a combat correspondent with 2nd Marine Division Public Affairs. He wrote this piece.
Capt. Chris Russell USAF, 335th Fighter Squadron, Operation Anaconda, AfghanistanThe Gunny loves it when the Air Force goes nuts on the bad guys:
A weapons systems officer here received a Silver Star Wednesday for his participation in the battle of Roberts Ridge during Operation Anaconda.
The award came exactly eight months to the day Capt. Chris Russell and three other men from the 335th Fighter Squadron came under intense enemy fire while providing close air support to Army and Air Force ground troops during the battle.Using air-to-ground methods not usually associated with F-15Es, Captain Russell and his pilot, Capt. Kirk Rieckhoff, employed tactics normally seen performed by A-10s.
Col. Rick Rosborg, 4th Fighter Wing commander, presented the medal to Captain Russell in a small ceremony at the squadron in front of the captain’s wife and squadron-mates.
“This is a huge, huge award,” the colonel said. “It speaks highly of [Russell]; about his performance with conspicuous gallantry.”
Captain Russell’s Silver Star comes as result of his efforts as part of a two-ship F-15E flight that saved the lives of American service members March 4. The two F-15Es were the first aircraft on the scene after a rescue attempt for Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts failed. Petty Officer Roberts was a Navy SEAL who fell from his helicopter amidst enemy ground fire during an insertion into the Shahi Kot Valley region of Afghanistan.
According to the citation, Captain Russell’s flight, call sign Twister 52, made contact with an American ground forward air controlling team that was taking fire from enemy troops 75 meters away. The ground team restricted Twister flight to strafe passes due to a “danger close” condition. This condition meant friendly troops were within minimal risk distances of injury or death from friendly weapons on enemy locations.
“I didn’t realize they had taken so many casualties,” Captain Russell said about his initial reaction to the situation.
Twister flight made six strafe passes while firing 20-mm rounds from an altitude of 1,500 feet over the target area. This was well within the threat zone of small arms fire and surface to air missiles. The ground team reported enemy fire was suppressed on each pass, but requested more passes to kill steadily increasing numbers of reinforced Taliban and al Qaeda forces.
Out of 20-mm ammunition, Twister 51, the aircraft manned by Maj. Chris Short and Lt. Col. Jim Fairchild, became the airborne forward air controller and targeted Captain Russell’s jet on four additional low-altitude strafe passes. Due to radio failure, Twister 51 then passed the tactical lead to Captain Russell’s aircraft. With the ground team’s concurrence, Twister flight began employing laser-guided bombs. The two aircrews attempted to guide each successive bomb closer to enemy forces without injuring American service members. The aircrews were able to drop bombs as close as 200 meters from friendly forces.
Captain Russell and his team remained on station for five hours, two hours beyond the scheduled coverage time, resulting in a combat sortie more than 12 hours long. By inflicting direct losses to enemy forces while subjecting himself to enemy fire, Captain Russell helped pave the way for the eventual rescue of 23 American service members.
Captain Russell said he wasn’t the only hero that day.
“The real heroes were the guys on the ground that day,” he said. “Seven guys died on that mountain that day.”
The other three crewmembers, Captain Rieckhoff, Major Short and Colonel Fairchild, will also eventually receive Silver Stars.
There have been only six Silver Stars awarded to F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew members. All six have been from the 335th FS, said Lt. Col. Spanky Dennis, the 335th FS commander.
The Air Force Cross and the Medal of Honor are the only two medals earned for gallantry that rank higher than the Silver Star.
--Staff Sergeant Bryan Bouchard
Staff Sergeant John T. Howerton US Army, Scout Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Gunny Bob wants you to know why Airborne Rangers rock:
While conducting a counter-rocket patrol east of Asadabad, Afghanista on 17 October 2004, SSG Howerton skillfully and courageously lead his six-man scout team through a direct fire engagement against a much larger enemy force. His leadership, tactical knowledge, and demonstration of true warrior ethos enabled his team to fight and win under extremely difficult conditions.
Around dusk on the night of their counter-rocket patrol, SSG Howerton and his team observed approximately 25 anti-coalition militia (ACM) moving toward their position when a trip flare, set in by SSG Howerton’s team, was set off. When the flare initiated, SSG Howerton and his team were engaged by a larger ACM force carrying AK-47s, PKMs, and RPGs at ranges as close as 25 meters from their position. SSG Howerton immediately ordered his team to return fire and called higher requesting indirect fire support.
While continuing to engage the enemy, SSG Howerton called for and adjusted fire for 6-8 rounds of 105mm high explosive artillery rounds to suppress and kill the enemy. After almost an hour, SSG Howerton directed the close air support (CAS) that arrived on station in an effort to kill the remaining ACM left in the area. Due to the thick vegetation in the area, the CAS was unable to determine friendly forces from the enemy forces.
SSG Howerton took immediate action to identify his location to the aircraft above to prevent any chance of fratricide. When an enemy location was identified from the air, it was within the minimum safe distance of SSG Howerton’s scout team. In an effort to drive the enemy forces out into the open for the CAS, SSG Howerton and his team engaged the ACM with direct fire, M203 grenade launchers, and hand grenades. Despite his team’s efforts, the vegetation was too thick for help from the aircraft overhead.
After nearly five hours, SSG Howerton and his team were still surrounded by a larger enemy force and isolated from friendly forces to the north. In order to make their way north to the other platoon, SSG Howerton made the call to detonate the claymore mines that were protecting their positions. The detonation of the claymores allowed SSG Howerton and his team to begin their movement of nearly 1500 meters through enemy forces in order to reach friendly forces.
Six hours after the engagement began, SSG Howerton lead his team back to the safety of a larger friendly platoon where they resupplied themselves with ammunition and prepared themselves for any further engagements with enemy forces.
SSG Howerton’s quick decisions and courage under heavy direct fire allowed his team and other elements to engage and destroy the enemy, as well as keep the five soldiers under him alive and unharmed after nearly six hours of combat. Despite being greatly outnumbered and surrounded, SSG Howerton demonstrated an extraordinary ability to remain calm, think clearly, and win the fight in an intense situation.
Lance Corporal Armand McCormick USMC, Combined Anti-Armor Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, IraqGunny Bob says Marine lance corporals are notoriously bad drivers and have short tempers:
Marine Lance Cpl. Armand E. McCormick, 22, received the Silver Star Medal from the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, during an awards ceremony May 5 at Marine Air Ground Combat Training Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
McCormick, a Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, native, received the military's third-highest award for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as rifleman for Combined Anti-Armor Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 25, 2003.Three other Marines received medals for valor at the same ceremony. "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.
Under heavy fire McCormick exhibited exceptional bravery when the lead elements of his battalion were ambushed with mortars, rocket propelled grenades, and squad automatic weapons fire. Fearlessly he drove his lightly armored vehicle directly at an enemy machine gun position and purposely crashed it into an occupied trench line. With the initial breach of the enemy defense now gained for his unit, he sprang from the vehicle and began assaulting the berm and ambush line with two Marines. Taking direct fire, and outnumbered, he pressed forward, firing his M9 pistol at enemy forces. Moving through the trench, he repeatedly came under enemy fire, each time calmly taking well-aimed shots.
As the group ran low on ammunition, he collected enemy rifles and a rocket- propelled grenade and continued to press the attack forward several hundred meters. As a follow-on company began to make their entrance into the berm, he returned to his vehicle and backed it out of the trench. McCormick's boldly aggressive actions greatly reduced the enemy's ability to inflict casualties on the rest of his battalion.
"It's an honor of course, it is just another day in the Marine Corps," said McCormick.
"I ready to go it again and help out with the situation," he said about redeploying to Iraq. Consequently, McCormick will be redeploying to Iraq Friday.
"To me I did what I was suppose to do, I did what was expected," he added.
Established in 1918, the Silver Star is awarded to a person who is cited for gallantry 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 armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction.
--Story by Cpl. Luis Agostini USMC
Sgt. Michael E. Bitz, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Task Force Tarawa, IraqGunny says Marine sergeants are made from twisted steel and dynamite. Here's the evidence:
A Camp Lejeune, N.C., Marine killed during last year’s bloody battle for Nasiriyah, Iraq, was awarded the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest medal, Sept. 3.
Sgt. Michael E. Bitz, 32, was serving with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, as part of Task Force Tarawa when he was killed March 23, 2003. He was one of 18 combat deaths the battalion suffered in what was one of the bloodiest days of the invasion of Iraq.
As Marines began an intense four-hour battle around the city, Bitz was attached to Charlie Company as a crew chief and assistant section leader of an assault amphibian vehicle section.The company was near the northern part of the city when a rocket-propelled grenade hit Bitz’ vehicle, setting it on fire and wounding four Marines. Bitz maneuvered the vehicle to the company’s defensive perimeter and immediately began to help move the wounded to safety, exposing himself to flames and explosions, said Charlie Company commander Capt. Dan Witnam.
With that accomplished, under “unrelenting” small-arms and artillery fire and without a vehicle to command, Bitz chose not to join another vehicle, instead picking up his rifle and joining an infantry platoon in an assault, his citation reads.
“He just fell in step and joined the infantry platoon,” said platoon commander Capt. Conor Tracy.
Tracy said his unit, 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, had been attached to 1/2 for only two weeks.“He could have moved to another amtrac. Instead he chose to help the Marines he was with,” he said.
As Marines in the platoon began to run short on ammunition, Bitz made repeated trips under fire to collect replenishments from a vehicle about 300 meters away.
“The fact that he was running ammo back and forth and helping infantry on the line was above and beyond his job,” Tracy said.
During the attack, Bitz and several members of the platoon were wounded. Bitz ignored his own shrapnel wounds to help load casualties onto an evacuation vehicle. Under unrelenting fire, he mounted another vehicle to provide security for the casualties, his citation says. It was while he was escorting the wounded that an RPG came crashing down upon his vehicle, killing him.
Bitz’ actions in the battle amounted to a display of “decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire and utmost devotion to duty,” said his award citation.At the morning ceremony at Lejeune’s Ellis field, Bitz’ wife, Janina Bitz-Vasquez, who has since remarried, accepted his certificate, and his mother, Donna Bellman, accepted the Silver Star medal, presented by Brig. Gen. Maston Robeson, commanding general of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism).
Bitz, originally from Wishek, N.D., enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1995. He was the father of four young children, including twins who were born just weeks before his unit entered Iraq, Tracy said.
--Laura Bailey, Times staff writer
Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Alan P. Dementer US Navy, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, Task Force Tarawa, IraqGunny says being a Navy corpsman attached to a Marine grunt unit in ground combat is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Just ask Doc Dementer.
NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Alan P. Dementer was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for heroic action during Operation Iraqi Freedom, in a ceremony Feb. 23 at Naval Hospital Corps School at Naval Station Great Lakes.
The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to an individual who, while serving in or with the military of the United States, distinguishes him or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement service while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.Rear Adm. Ann E. Rondeau, Commander, Navy Region Midwest/Naval Service Training Command presented the medals.
Dementer was cited for heroic action March 26, in support of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, Task Force Tarawa, Marine Expeditionary Force. He distinguished himself by demonstrating valor and skill when the Battalion's Main Command Operations Center came under intense enemy fire in the vicinity of An Nassariyah, Iraq.Under fire and wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder and right knee, Dementer proceeded over a wall to reach six wounded Marines and immediately began rendering life-saving emergency treatment. After stabilizing the Marines, he coordinated the movement of casualties over the wall during a lull in the incoming enemy fire and transported them safely to the Battalion Aid Station. His courage under fire directly led to the treatment and safe evacuation of 31 injured Marines.--Judy Lazarus, Naval Service Training Command/Naval Station Great Lakes Public Affairs
Spc. Micheaux Sanders US Army, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 37 Armor, IraqThe man ran out of ammo. No problem, says Specialist Sanders. He then began throwing rocks at the enemy. Gunny likes this soldier's attitude.
Spc. Micheaux Sanders deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 fresh from Army basic training.
Sanders tank crew and two others from his unit – C Company, 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor -- were called to the aid of a 1st Cavalry patrol trapped in an ambush by Iraqi insurgents.
“There were blown up Humvees all over,” said Sanders.
“They were throwing everything at us,” said Sanders. “They were shooting AK-47s, rocket-propelled grenades, pistols, shotguns and throwing grenades.” The tankers fired back, but were low on ammunition. Because the unit had been scheduled to move, the tanks had been prepared for transport, and were carrying only a minimum load of ammo.
Sanders said he did his best, standing exposed to the enemy in one of the tank’s hatches and firing whatever he or his fellow crewmembers could find.
A round struck Sanders in the arm, slicing straight through his shoulder and out the other side, but he says he barely noticed, waving off the medics who tried to come to his aid.
When the bullets ran out, Sanders still wouldn’t give up. “I threw whatever I had at them,” he said. “When we ran out of bullets, I threw rocks.”
Sanders was awarded the Silver Star when the 1st Armored Division was welcomed home to Germany in October.
--Army News Service
PFC Jeremy Church US Army, 724th Transportation Company, IraqGunny Bob believes this soldier would win any demolition derby he cared to join.
As the 724th Transportation Company was welcomed home from Iraq Feb. 25, the first Army Reserve Soldier in the Global War on Terrorism received a Silver Star.
Pfc. Jeremy Church of the 724th was pinned during a homecoming ceremony at Fort McCoy, Wis., with the Silver Star, the Army’s third-highest medal for valor.
Church earned the medal when his convoy was attacked April 9 by more than 150 insurgents in an ambush during which Spc. Keith “Matt” Maupin was captured.Church was the convoy commander’s driver in the lead vehicle. The convoy was taking fuel to Baghdad International Airport when the Madr Militia struck. Church’s actions are attributed with saving the lives of at least five Soldiers and four civilians.
Church drove aggressively through the “kill zone” to dodge explosions, obstacles and small arms fire, according to his citation. When the convoy commander was shot, Church grabbed his first aid pouch, ripped it open, and instructed the platoon leader to apply a bandage. Church fired his M-16 at the enemy as he continued to drive around barriers.
When an improvised explosive devised blew out a tire, Church continued driving for four miles on only three tires, all the while firing his M-16 out the window with his left hand. He finally led the convoy into a security perimeter established by a cavalry company from 2-12 Cav. He then carried his platoon leader out of the vehicle to a casualty collection point for treatment.
Then Church rallied the troopers to launch an immediate recovery mission and escorted them back into the kill zone.
“Pfc. Church identified the assistant commander’s vehicle amidst heavy black smoke and flaming wreckage of burning fuel tankers to find two more wounded Soldiers and four civilian truck drivers,” his citation reads, adding that after a hasty triage and treating a sucking chest wound, he “carried the Soldier over to one of the recovery vehicles while exposing himself to continuous enemy fire from both sides of the road.”
When all the wounded were loaded in the truck, there was no room and Church volunteered to remain behind. He climbed into a disabled Humvee for cover, according to his citation, and continued firing at and killing insurgents until the recovery team returned. He then loaded up several more wounded before sweeping the area for sensitive items and evacuating.
Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly presented Church with the Silver Star. Helmly also spoke with the parents of Maupin, who was captured in the ambush.
Even though Maupin’s Army Reserve unit has returned to its home station of Bartonville, Ill., Army officials said other Soldiers in Iraq will never stop the search for Maupin.
--Army News Service
Sgt. Raphael Peralta USMC, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, IraqHe knew death awaited him. He also knew he had to save his brother Marines.
Marine Sergeant Raphael Peralta was a classic leader of Marines who embodied the spirit of the Marine non-commissioned officer (NCO). He had a habit of volunteering for some of the most dangerous jobs in the Corps: going door-to-door in Fallujah, hunting the many terrorists the Marines knew were waiting for them.
On one such mission, Sergeant Peralta was horribly wounded by enemy fire as he and his brothers cleared a terrorist-infested hideout in Fallujah. All hell was breaking loose and Peralta was on the deck, bleeding profusely but still oriented on the objective despite being shot to pieces.Suddenly, a terrorist's grenade landed on the deck among his Marines.
Without hesitation, Sergeant Peralta reached out, grabbed the grenade, and tucked it under his body. The explosion tore the Marine to shreds, killing him but saving his brothers.
For his heroism and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for his brother Marines, Sergeant Peralta has been recommended for the Medal of Honor.Sergeant Peralta is on duty today, guarding the streets of Heaven as recorded in the Marines' Hymn.
Lance Corporal Michael J. Ludin USMC, Third Platoon, Weapons Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, IraqLance Cpl. Michael J. Ludin, a light armored vehicle mechanic with 3rd Platoon, was awarded a Bronze Star by Maj. Gen. Richard F. Natonski, Commanding General, 1st Marine Division, Sep. 21.
"I still don't see what I did that was any more special than what a lot of the other guys did that night," said Ludin.
Late in the evening, a convoy of Marines headed into Al Burhadan to meet with the Iraqi Border Police to conduct a joint patrol under the cover of night. Just before midnight, the Marines entered the city and the terrorist insurgents began their assault.
"We heard one shot and then the sky exploded with rounds and (rocket propelled grenades). My vehicle was hit and it killed my gunner," said Sgt. Nicolas M. Maloney, vehicle commander for the lead vehicle.
The insurgents had opened fire from a concrete irrigation ditch alongside the road. From their dug-in fighting position, the enemy launched two RPG's at the lead LAV, immobilizing it. "We were hit with RPGs, small arms fire and medium machine gun fire," said Cpl. Angel C. Alvarez, 23, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and scout team leader.
The Marine killed was Cpl. Nicolas Dieruf. He would be the only one to die during the fighting.
Ludin would earn his Bronze Star for his actions during the rest of the attack.
As the Marines began taking fire, a round sprayed sparks by Ludin's face. Uninjured and thinking quickly, he started returning fire at the hostile position.
The Marines in the next two vehicles pushed forward providing fire. But as they moved forward an improvised explosive device exploded behind the rear vehicle.
"I pushed forward of the (disabled vehicle), stopping in front of it," said Lance Cpl. Ray J. Laskowski, 19, driver for the third vehicle and native of Reno, Nev. "Sgt. Cook told his Marines to dismount."
Ludin did not have time to grab his Kevlar helmet when he dismounted. He had only his flak jacket to protect him from hostile fire.
"I was running (communication) between our vehicle and the downed vehicle," said Ludin, 21, a Milwaukee native. "It was about 25 to 30 meters between the two vehicles,"
Ludin ran back and forth numerous times, while braving rounds being sent downrange from the enemy position.
"I thought I would get hit," said Ludin.
Maloney ordered his Marines to take cover behind the still mobile vehicle. Ludin ran behind the disabled vehicle and opened the door, telling Seaman Jamar L. Bing, 21, a corpsman and native of Philadelphia, to get out of the vehicle and take cover.
"He (basically) dragged me back to the other vehicle," said Bing.
The vehicle the Marines used for cover was continuously shot with small arms fire. To make matters worse, the disabled vehicle's headlights were illuminating the Marines' position, making it easier for the enemy to pinpoint their fire."At that time I said that the headlights from my vehicle needed to be shutoff," said Maloney.
Ludin ran to the vehicle and climbed on top of the LAV, scurried over the top and reached inside to turn off the lights.
"Ludin was never told to turn off the lights. He just jumped up and ran through the incoming fire," said Cpl. Alfonso A. Flores, 20, a vehicle gunner and native of Los Banos, Calif.
Flores remembers emptying at least 11 magazines of ammunition during the firefight as he provided cover fire for Ludin and the other Marines.
"Once the lights were out, almost all of the fire died down," said Ludin, who somehow managed to return fire with his M-16A2 service rifle the entire time.
As the enemy fire decreased, the final LAV maneuvered to flank the enemy. Cpl. Daniel P. Kunkel, the vehicle's gunner, obtained the enemy in the sights of his 25mm chain gun and was given the order to fire.
The fire suppressed the enemy and turned the tide of the ambush, according to Alvarez.
"Once the enemy began to retreat, I put the gun on single shot mode to minimize the collateral damage to the surrounding town," Kunkel said.
Still under small arms fire, Ludin and Bing returned to the downed vehicle to retrieve Dieruf.
The Marines continued to secure the area until daybreak.
Though each Marine did their part in the firefight, they all remember the selfless acts of heroism they witnessed Ludin perform.
"His actions really impressed me," said Sgt. Nicolas M. Maloney, vehicle commander for the lead vehicle. "He just did what had to be done."
--Cpl. Matthew R. Jones USMC wrote this piece.
Spc. Gerrit Kobes, 1st Cavalry Division, IraqArmy National Guard medic Spc. Gerrit Kobes, while attached to the 1st Cavalry Division, was assigned to be part of a convoy from Baghdad to Fallujah, when his convoy was ambushed by terrorists last November.
A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) initiated the ambush by striking one of lead vehicles. Then the enemy opened fire, laying down a wall of lead that froze the convoy in its tracks. The Iraqi National Guardsmen jumped from their disabled vehicles and took cover in a nearby ditch. Meanwhile, the terrorist poured fire on the convoy.
Spc. Kobes and his platoon sergeant, realizing they had wounded men ahead of them and had to get to them, grabbed their medical kits, leapt from their vehicle and ran 500 yards through a hail of terrorist bullets to reach the wounded Iraqi National Guardsmen. Under heavy fire, Kobes treated the wounded and loaded them into other vehicles as they convoy began to move. Spc. Kobes, for his valor under fire and with complete disregard for his own life, was awarded the Silver Star.
Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca Jr., Amphibious Assault Vehicle Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Task Force Tarawa, II Marine Expeditionary ForceThis is why Navy corpsmen are so treasured in the Marines Corps.
Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England presented the Navy Cross to Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca Jr. in a ceremony held at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 11.
Fonseca, a 23-year-old corpsman, was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom March 23, 2003.
The Navy Cross, the U.S. Navy's second highest decoration, is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States. The act must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk.
During his Company’s assault and seizure of the Saddam Canal Bridge, five Marines were wounded when their amphibious assault vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Fonseca, in the face of small arms, machine gun and intense rocket-propelled grenade fire, evacuated the Marines from the burning vehicle and established a casualty collection unit inside his own medical evacuation vehicle. There, he stabilized two Marines with lower limb amputations and administered morphine. After his vehicle was rendered immobile by enemy fire and again, under intense gunfire, Fonseca organized litter teams and directed the movement of four of the Marines, while personally carrying one wounded Marine over open ground to another vehicle.“I feel privileged to be here to recognize Hospitalman Fonseca for his extraordinary valor and courage,” England said. “Corpsmen have a long tradition of service to the United States Marine Corps. You make all of us proud, and let me personally thank you for going above and beyond the call of duty. On behalf of the President of the United States and all of America, I thank you.”
Fonseca’s colleagues, who were also in attendance, expressed their pride in his actions.
“He is a very motivated corpsman and deserving of this award,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Erin Asidao. “I was overjoyed when I heard. I think many corpsmen go unrecognized. I think it’s good for the Navy and good for the Hospital Corps.”
“I was doing my job,” said Fonseca. “I wish I could have done more.”
--Raymond Applewhite, Navy News Service
--Raymond Applewhite, Navy News Service
Pvt. Dwayne Turner, 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Is The Medic From HellPvt. Dwayne Turner, a combat medic assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, provided life-saving medical care to 16 fellow soldiers April 13 when his unit came under a grenade and small-arms attack 30 miles south of Baghdad.
Turner and two other medics from Company A of that battalion were part of a work detail that came under attack as they unloaded supplies in a makeshift operations center.
"I moved to (my vehicle) just before the first grenade came over the wall," Turner said. "The blast threw me even further into the vehicle, and I took on some shrapnel."
Ignoring his own injuries, Turner ran to the front of his vehicle and saw a soldier with eye injuries.
"I checked him out, and tried to get him into a building," Turner said. The other two medics established a triage system under the cover of a building while Turner ran back outside to bring more soldiers into the makeshift clinic.
"I just started assessing the situation, seeing who was hurt, giving them first aid and pulling them into safety," he said, downplaying his actions on that day.
Turner, his legs wounded by shrapnel in the initial attack, was shot at least twice while giving first aid to the soldiers.
"I didn't realize I was shot," he said. "A couple of times, I heard bullets going by, but I thought they were just kicking up rocks on me."
At one point during the attack, one of Turner's fellow medics told him he was bleeding. "Someone told me, 'Doc Turner, Doc Turner, you're bleeding.'" he said. "I looked down at my leg and saw I was bleeding, and kind of said, 'Oh hell, if I'm not dead yet, I guess I'm not dying.'"
"I don't think he realized how much blood he lost," said Sgt. Neil Mulvaney, from the same unit as Turner. "After I got the first patient inside the building, I sort of slumped down in the corner," Turner said. "I didn't think there was any way we were going to get out of there, and it would have been really easy to just stay in that corner.
"Then I heard (the wounded) calling for medics," he continued, "and I realized I could let them continue to get hurt -- and possibly die -- and not come home to their families, or I could do something about it."
Turner chose to do something about it. He continued to give first aid and to bring soldiers in from the barrage of gunfire outside the compound until he finally collapsed against a wall from loss of blood. A bullet had broken his right arm. He had been shot in the left leg. Shrapnel had torn into both of his legs.
The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in combat, but Turner does not see himself as a hero.
"Nobody gets left behind," he said emphatically. "We were the medical personnel on hand. You're not relieved from your duty until someone comes. No one else was going to get the job done, so we did."
--American Forces Press Service
Army First Sergeant Brent Jurgersen, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, Is A Man Among Men
SCHWEINFURT, Germany — First Sergeant kept his word.
One month after a rocket-propelled grenade blew off his leg, mangled his arm and tore a gash in his head while his convoy patrolled in Iraq, 1st Sgt. Brent Jurgersen fulfilled a pledge he made to troops of the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment when they left for the Middle East a year ago. He vowed he would personally lead them home.
So he and his wife, Karin, flew home to Schweinfurt last week from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, where he awoke from a drug-induced coma less than three weeks ago. On Wednesday night, Jurgersen — the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of 1-4 Cavalry’s headquarters troop — greeted 80 of his soldiers behind a curtain in the gym at Conn Barracks.
Then he led them out.
“He made a promise to his men. He kept it,” Karin Jurgersen said. “That’s who he is.”
Jurgersen’s appearance so soon after his second near-fatal injury in Iraq electrified his troops, who did not know he had come home. They clapped for several minutes when they saw him.
“It was like the Academy Awards — just nonstop applause,” said Master Sgt. Todd Shippy, 40, of Spartanburg, S.C., who helped rescue the injured Jurgersen from the Humvee Jan. 26, and who took his place as the troop’s NCOIC. “There was not a dry eye in the gymnasium.”
Last June, Jurgersen, 42, of Clinton, Iowa, suffered a gunshot wound to the face during an ambush near Ad Duluiyah, Iraq. He spent four months in Germany, enduring a series of surgeries on his mouth and upper jaw. Despite warnings from fellow troops, he returned to Iraq in October.
Then in late January, Jurgersen was part of a patrol inspecting polling sites a few days before Iraq’s historic national elections. Two insurgents fired grenades at his trail Humvee. His gunner, Sgt. William Kinzer, died instantly. Jurgersen stayed alive, barely.
“He died two times on the [operating] table,” Karin Jurgersen said. “God’s intervened to save this man twice.”
He worked furiously to be well enough to fly to Germany to meet his troops. Jurgersen’s doctors cleared him about 10 days ago, and a Vietnam veteran bought airline tickets for the couple.
Between Wednesday and Friday, Jurgersen greeted about 300 1-4 Cavalry troops as they arrived in Schweinfurt.
Like Jurgersen, the squadron has endured a year of loss and pain. Ten of its men died, all in ambushes, and dozens more earned Purple Hearts. In spite of daily patrols, searches and arrests, the insurgency raged throughout the year.
But the 1-4 Cavalry also played a lead role in the successful assault that freed Samarra from terrorists, supervised the reconstruction of health clinics and schools, trained Iraqi soldiers, secured polling sites on election day and modernized their own bases.
And, Jurgersen said, the unit is quite different from the one that left Schweinfurt a year ago.
“The squadron is a close, tight-knit family now,” he said. “I’ve seen kids, amateur soldiers, grow into men really quick.”
His troops said it felt good but strange to be back in Germany after a year in Iraq. And several said it comforted them to see their first sergeant again.
“I just had to pay my respects and shake his hand,” said Spc. Tyson Winingham, 22, of Hutchinson, Kan. “He doesn’t give up.”
Stars and Stripes reporter Steve Liewer wrote this piece.
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Steve
Reichert, a 25-year-old scout
sniper with Headquarters
Company, 2nd Battalion,
2nd Marine Regiment, was
recently awarded the
Bronze Star with a combat 'V'
for valorous action in Iraq
in April.
|
Staff Sergeant Steve Reichert USMC, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Iraq
In the early morning hours of April 9, 2004, a Marine sniper and his spotter crawled on top of an abandoned oil storage tank in Lutafiyah, Iraq. Their mission was routine, as they covered their squad's patrol movement through the small town during the Arbaeen pilgrimage. But it became a mission that will go down in the annals of Marine Corps history.
During this particular mission atop the oil tank, Reichert settled himself in a very exposed position -- though he was able to prop up a few steel plates on some sand bags. He and his spotter occupied that position knowing they were extremely vulnerable to enemy fire.
"I didn't really think about it at the time," said Reichert. "But when we heard the (.50-caliber) rounds impacting the oil tank, we took what little cover there was." |
As the patrol moved toward the town, Reichert observed a dead animal located in the patrol's path. It was then when he recalled his training in enemy tactics, techniques and procedures for improvised explosive devices and made radio contact to redirect the patrol. The patrol leader radioed back to Reichert and confirmed his suspicion that two wires were leading out of the dog carcass.
"We encountered IEDs daily," said Reichert. "The IED that the squad came up on was in a dead animal, and with my spotting scope I could see the slight reflection of the wires coming out of the animal."
But despite the squad's preventive measures, a routine situation turned treacherous. Arocket-propelled grenade was fired at the Marine patrol, and seconds later enemy machine-gun and small-arms fire pinned them down, according to Reichert. The Marines couldn't effectively engage the enemy machine gunner on the rooftop of a nearby building, so they radioed to Reichert on the oil storage tank. He took one shot and missed, then made the proper wind and elevation calculations to make his mark. A moment and a trigger pull later, Reichert took out the gunner.
In the after-action report, the platoon leader made a remarkable account: that Reichert made the shot from 1,614 meters – about a mile away. His accuracy was the deciding factor in the outcome of the firefight.
Soon after, a few insurgents began to climb a set of stairs on the backside of the building where the firefight was taking place. Reichert aimed into the brick wall where he thought the men were and fired. All three of the men dropped. Reichert's armor-piercing round penetrated the wall and killed one man -- possibly wounding the other two with bullet and brick fragmentation.
"I could see that two Marines got separated (from the platoon) and saw that a small group of insurgents were maneuvering into position to ambush the Marines. Once they stopped moving I shot one; the other two ran." Reichert looks back at his mission as a learning experience – not only for him, but also for others who follow in his footsteps. "I've learned a few lessons in life that I think helped me along the way," said Reichert. "Never quit, no matter how tough life can get."
(Marine Sgt. Stephen D'Alessio is a 2nd Marine Division combat correspondent and wrote this piece.)
HM2 Michael Vann Johnson, Jr., USN, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, IraqHospitalman 2nd Class Michael V. Johnson, Jr., US Navy, a beloved corpsman (Navy corpsmen are the Marine Corps' combat paramedics), gave his life for his brother Marines in the early days of the war to liberate Iraq.
Doc Johnson was traveling in a Hummer as his unit assaulted enemy positions south of Baghdad. His unit, the legendary 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton,
California, was in fierce fighting with the enemy when a rocket-propelled grenade struck Doc's vehicle. The weapon exploded and shrapnel killed Doc instantly.Doc was working in the clinic aboard the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego when the call went out for corpsman volunteers to go to war with deploying Marine units. Doc Johnson immediately answered the call and gave
his life because of his sense of duty. Doc was posthumously promoted to HM2 and awarded the Purple Heart Medal.Today, the clinic at MCRD San Diego is officially named Johnson Hall in memory of this selfless sailor who wanted only to protect his brothers.
Fair winds and following seas, Doc.
Captain Brian Chontosh USMC, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Iraq is a wild man. Just ask a bunch of dead Iraqi soldiers who made the foolish mistake of trying to take the skipper on. He won the Navy Cross, the Corps' second-highest decoration, for his heroic charge. Here is the citation: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 coalition 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 advance 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.
First Sergeant Brad Kasal USMC, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Iraq is carried from a terrorist fighting position in Fallujah by brother Marines. The First Sergeant, who went ballistic on some terrorists in close-quarters combat, was shot to pieces and blown up after he threw himself atop a fellow Marine to save his brother's life after a terrorist lobbed a grenade at them. First Sergeant Kasal is now in a wheelchair as he recovers from his nearly mortal wounds.
First Sergeant Kasal has been recommended for the Medal of Honor.
Marines are known as those who are "first to fight," which is a saying from a recruiting poster from decades ago. Note the First Sergeant is still holding his 9mm pistol as he is carried out from the battle. Marines like First Sergeant Kasal are the enemy's worst nightmare.The Gunny would personally appreciate it if you would put First Sergeant Kasal in your prayers.
Lieutenant Colonel Bryan P. McCoy USMC, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines ("Thundering Third"), IraqAs the commanding officer of this legendary unit, LtCol. Bryan P. ("Base Plate") McCoy led his battalion on a headlong charge to Baghdad, where he gave the now famous order to tear down the statue of Saddam Hussein in Firdus Square, and then returned to Iraq to lay waste to the enemy a second time. His stunningly aggressive leadership style motivated his Marines to destroy staggering numbers of the enemy in the battalion's two tours in Iraq, resulting in hundreds upon hundreds of enemy soldiers and terrorists killed, while sustaining tellingly light casualties. Leading from the front, he was wounded seconds after throwing a grenade at an enemy position, an act caught on film and published in Time. Seconds later, a ricochet struck the fearsome Marine in the leg, which annoyed him so much that he killed all the more enemy and vigorously motivated his Marines to wipe out the rat's nest of enemy engaging his battalion. McCoy was not awarded a Purple Heart for his wound because, in the Corps, it was not serious enough an injury. The battalion commander told Gunny Bob that the wound "stung like hell."
Lieutenant Colonel McCoy was so effective in his operations that Time, CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle all sought out McCoy and his unit for extensive reporting. When 3/4 went into the terrorist-infested city of Fallujah, the strapping lieutenant colonel used unique and brazen tactics to crush the enemy in such a way that 3/4's reputation became one that will adorn the halls of Marine Corps history forever. He was so deadly that the International Criminal Court was asked to prosecute him for crimes against humanity, even though McCoy was extremely diligent in keeping collateral damage to a minimum. McCoy was so good at what he did that his actions were part of the reason why politicians stepped in to terminate the Marines' seige of the city for fear the blood bath would be politically untenable and show the Marines as brutal savages, which of course they are (that's their job). For is valiant leadership and bravery, Lieutenant Colonel McCoy was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal with "Combat V" and is now attending the National War College, from which he will graduate as an even more dangerous man.
John Koopman of the San Francisco Chronicle was embedded with
3/4. A former Marine sergeant, he has written a book titled McCoy's Marines: Darkside to Baghdad, which covers in detail what it was like to see Lieutenant Colonel McCoy and his Marines in brutal combat. Go to www.amazon.com to buy it. "Darkside" was Bryan's radio call sign in the war.
Gunny Bob had the honor of serving as Lieutenant Colonel McCoy's Company Gunny in another lifetime when McCoy was a captain. Bryan was on Bob's right flank in the Gulf War. They have remained fast friends ever since and Bryan recently visited Bob on his way to the NWC.
Corporal Ronald R. Payne USMC, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, Afghanistan
Cpl. Ronald R. Payne Jr., USMC, a light armored reconnaissance scout, was killed in action on 7 May 2004 when his patrol was ambushed by Taliban terrorists.Corporal Payne was shot in the chest when he exposed himself to
enemy fire to lay down suppressive fire that enabled a critically wounded brother Marine to drag himself behind cover. Minutes later, Payne was mortally wounded by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade. For this selfless act of heroism, Payne was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device (Combat 'V') and the Purple Heart Medal.
Lance Corporal Joseph B. Perez USMC, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, IraqWhile conducting clearing operations near Route 6 during the advance into Baghdad, Lance Corporal Perez's platoon came under intense enemy fire. As the point man for the lead squad and the most exposed member of the platoon, Lance Corporal Perez came under the majority of these fires. Without hesitation, he continuously employed his M16A4 rifle to destroy the enemy while calmly directing accurate fires for his squad. He led the charge down a trench destroying the enemy and while closing and under tremendous enemy fire, threw a grenade into a trench that the enemy was occupying. While under a heavy volume of fire. Lance Corporal Perez fired an AT-4 rocket into a machine gun bunker, completely destroying it and killing four enemy personnel. His actions enabled the squad to maneuver safely to the enemy position and seize it. In an effort to link up with 3d Platoon on his platoon's left flank, Lance Corporal Perez continued to destroy enemy combatants with precision rifle fire. As he worked his way to the left, he was hit by enemy fire, sustaining gunshot wounds to his torso and shoulder. Despite being seriously injured, Lance Corporal Perez directed
the squad to take cover and gave the squad accurate fire direction to the enemy that enabled the squad to reorganize and destroy the enemy.For his outrageous valor, Lance Corporal Perez was awarded the Navy Cross Medal (our nation's 2nd highest award for heroism) and the Purple Heart Medal.
Petty Officer 1st Class Neal C. Roberts USN, SEAL Team Two, Afghanistan Petty Officer Roberts' unit was to conduct a clandestine insertion onto a 10,000-foot mountain peak to establish an overwatch position, for an indeterminate amount of time, protecting other U.S. forces participating in Operation Anaconda. As his helicopter moved into position for the insertion, Petty Officer Roberts positioned himself on the helicopter ramp in order to expeditiously exit the helicopter, minimizing the threat to the aircraft and crew.
Without notice, his CH-47 helicopter received three rocket-propelled grenades exploding through the body of the aircraft. Hydraulic lines showered the metal ramp with slippery fluid as the aircraft lurched violently from the unexpected assault. Petty Officer Roberts was thrown from the ramp of the helicopter, falling onto the al Qaeda-infested mountain top just feet below. He immediately maneuvered to make contact with rescue forces and establish a defensive position but, surrounded by overwhelming enemy force with superior firepower, Petty Officer Roberts died on the battlefield from fatal combat wounds. For 30 minutes before his death, this remarkable Navy SEAL, alone and vastly outnumbered, poured fire upon an overwhelming number of enemy. For his courage and ultimate sacrifice, Petty Officer Roberts, who now cavorts in the depths with his fellow sea creatures, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with "Combat V" and the Purple Heart Medal.
Here walk the ghosts of Marines and Navy corpsmen forever on patrol in one of the most grim battles in our nation's history.
The Chosin Reservoir, a.k.a. the "Frozen Chosin," was the scene of an epic battle pitting Marines and corpsmen against enemy forces in North Korea that vastly outnumbered US forces. As the Marines were led by the legendary Louis B. "Chesty" Puller, the enemy was massacred despite horrendously cold weather and many other factors that, by all rights, should have seen the Marines crushed.
But the Marines don't play that.
Cpl. Thomas J. Foley, Jr. USMC, 1ST Marine Division, North Korea 
