Combat Engineer Awarded Bronze Star (ESSAYONS - & he DID IT!)

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | 2nd Lt. Jayson Hensley, USA

[SandRat]

BAGHDAD — Staff Sgt. James Jenkins was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his heroic actions in saving the life of a fellow combat engineer following an improvised explosive device strike.

While conducting a route clearance mission on a particularly dangerous road in central Iraq on Nov. 22, 2008, the lead vehicle was struck by an IED.

Jenkins, a native of Georgetown, S.C., deployed out of Bamberg, Germany, was in the lead vehicle.

As a result of the explosion, the vehicle commander was seriously injured by a piece of shrapnel in his left leg. Four other Soldiers sustained minor injuries, including Jenkins.

Immediately following the explosion, the Soldiers were administering first aid when Jenkins noticed the leg of the vehicle commander was bleeding. With assistance from the rest of the crew, Jenkins quickly applied a tourniquet to the injured leg and stopped the bleeding.

After the attack, Lt. Col. Christopher Lestochi, the commander of the 54th Engineer Battalion, went to visit the injured Soldier in the 86th Combat Surgical Hospital. While there, he was informed by doctors that “whoever applied the tourniquet saved the Soldier’s life.” The skilled doctors at the hospital were able the remove the tourniquet and as a result, saved the Soldier’s leg.

Recognizing the heroism Jenkins showed, Lt. Gen. Kenneth W. Hunzeker, commander of the U.S. Army V Corps, awarded him the Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medals while visiting Iraq immediately following the attack.

Gen. Hunzeker, along with Lestochi, pinned the medals on Jenkins in a ceremony in front of his platoon. The Soldier injured in the explosion is expected to make a full recovery thanks to the cool head and quick response of a fellow combat engineer.

[SandRat]

FR WAR NEWS!
If you would like to be added to / removed from FRWN,
please FReepmail Sandrat.

WARNING: FRWN can be an EXTREMELY HIGH-VOLUME PING LIST!!

[Mr. K]

Wow, Obama is still days from being president and yet the soldiers are already changing from bloodthirsty savages to heroic figures!

Is there anything The One cannot do?

[SandRat]

..and on the 7th day he rested. < / sarc

[tubebender]

Job well done SS Jenkins! My oldest brother was a combat engineer and was stationed in England 2 years prior to DD and he too was a Sergeant and a MP until one night he started a near riot in the port city he was stationed in. He lost his strips and his badge and was put to work unloading ships.

He went ashore shortly after DD and laid Baily pontoon bridges including the Rhine Crossing. The Germans would float explosives downstream and the GI’s would shoot at them from shore. One night a bullet ricocheted off the water and killed a Colonel.

Did I tell you I have twin nieces I have never met Over There in Merry ole England...

[CPT Clay]

Yes!