Air Force Senior Airman Sean Harrington, seen in his Campbell Hall home yesterday with a picture of himself in uniform and his Purple Heart medal, feels “a lot of people get overlooked” for awards..
Posted on 03/22/2008 2:31:13 AM PDT by Jet Jaguar
CAMPBELL HALL — When Sean Harrington drives around Orange County, he scans the roadsides looking for wires, overturned dirt, suspicious-looking rocks or any other evidence he's about to be attacked.
He can't help it.
Harrington, 24, did two tours in Iraq, leading patrols both in Kirkuk and in the south. His squad's job was to protect Iraqi truck drivers transporting goods from the port city of Umm Qsar to the interior.
"My unit was hit 21 times," he said at his home in Campbell Hall, where he's enjoying a week's leave from Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. "It seemed like every other day something happened."
One night last July, his Humvee was hit by an EFP, an explosively-formed penetrator, the mean older brother of the improvised explosive device.
The cell-phone-detonated bomb that struck Harrington's vehicle was buried in the sand and filled with copper that breached the truck, hitting him in the face and head.
"I knew I was messed up," he said. "At first, I thought my eye was gone." Blind in one eye and in searing pain, Harrington managed to attend to a staff sergeant who was hurt even worse. Next day, he was back on patrol.
"I was one of the leaders; someone had to step up," he says.
Harrington is mostly deaf in his right ear, has blurred vision and takes medicine twice a day for headaches. He offers to let people rub their fingers on his face to feel the molten copper that fused to his jaw. From a few feet away, it's hard to tell his "face got all cooked up."
For his injuries, Harrington received the Purple Heart, and for his valor, an U.S. Army Commendation Medal (Harrington's combat missions were under the auspices of the Army). He was also named Airman of the Year for 2007 for his base.
"I'm not big on awards," he said. "I think everybody does their part and a lot of people get overlooked."
He's been reassured that his caution in a vehicle is normal — a habit developed to protect himself in war.
Harrington's unit is returning to Iraq this weekend, but he's going back to Georgia. In two months, he'll be discharged. He plans to go to school to become a high-school history teacher, preferably somewhere in this region.
Meanwhile, he'll probably stay on high alert while driving. Harrington has been assured his feelings are normal, nothing but a technique he used to survive at war. And so far, he hasn’t found anything. “We’re safe,” he said, and laughed.
Air Force Senior Airman Sean Harrington, seen in his Campbell Hall home yesterday with a picture of himself in uniform and his Purple Heart medal, feels “a lot of people get overlooked” for awards..
ping
God bless you Sean. You will forever have my respect for your actions on our behalf.
It’s a long road home. I’m grateful to you for all you have done. I am also very happy you will be teaching History. I know your students will get the correct lesson the first time.
Thank you Mr. Harrington.
I appreciate your service for our country.
May God bless you.
May God bless him and keep him close. I know God has been with him so far.
May God continue to watch over him,
God Bless you Mr Harrington, and thank you for your service.
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