FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Leigh Ann Hester ~ April 8, 2013

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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---

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Leigh Ann Hester
Info from here.

(Thank you to mountainlion for bringing this hero to our attention!)

           

Leigh Ann Hester (born January 12, 1982) is a United States Army soldier. While assigned to the 617th Military Police Company, a Kentucky Army National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, Hester received the Silver Star for her actions on March 20, 2005 during an enemy ambush on a supply convoy near the town of Salman Pak, Iraq. Hester enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 2001 and is the first female U.S. Army soldier to receive the award for exceptional valor since World War II and the first ever to be cited for valor in close quarters combat.

Hester's squad of two women and eight men in three Humvees was shadowing a 30-truck supply convoy when approximately 50 insurgent fighters ambushed the convoy with AK-47 assault rifle, RPK machine gun fire and rocket propelled grenades (RPG). The squad moved to the side of the road, flanking the insurgents and cutting off their escape route. Hester maneuvered her team through the kill zone and into a flanking position, where she and her squad leader, Staff Sergeant Timothy F. Nein, assaulted a trench line with hand grenades and M203 grenade launcher rounds. Hester and Nein assaulted and cleared two trenches. During the 25-minute firefight, Hester killed at least three enemy combatants with her M4 carbine.

When the battle was over, 27 insurgents were dead, six were wounded, and one captured. Sergeants Hester and Nein were both awarded the Silver Star. Nein's was later upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross.

Also awarded the Silver Star in this ambush was platoon combat medic Specialist Jason Mike, who took up and simultaneously fired an M4 carbine and M249 SAW light machine gun in defense of his comrades.

Hester took a brief break from the U.S. Army in 2009, and worked as a civilian law enforcement officer in a Nashville, Tennessee suburb. However, she returned to the military a short while later, in late 2010.

Leigh Ann Hester's Silver Star Citation

Citation:

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Leigh Ann Hester, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for exceptionally valorous achievement during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 20 March 2005, in Iraq. Sergeant Hester's heroic actions in Iraq contributed to the overwhelming success of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq mission. While serving as the Team Leader for RAVEN 42B in the 617th Military Police Company, 503d Military Police Battalion (Airborne), 18th Military Police Brigade, Sergeant Hester led her soldiers on a counterattack of anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) who were ambushing a convoy with heavy AK-47 assault rifle fire, PRK machine gun fire, and rocket propelled grenades. Sergeant Hester maneuvered her team through the kill zone into a flanking position where she assaulted a trench line with grenades and M-203 rounds. She then cleared two trenches with her Squad Leader where she engaged and eliminated 3 AIF with her M-4 rifle. Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members. Sergeant Hester's bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflects distinct credit upon herself, the 503d Military Police Battalion (Airborne), the 18th Military Police Brigade, and the United States Army.

NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:

Sergeant Leigh A. Hester is cited for conspicuous gallantry in action against an armed enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with anti Iraq forces (AIF) as a team leader for Raven 42B, 617th Military Police Company, 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne) stationed at Camp Liberty, Iraq on 20 March 2005, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. The team's mission was to assist Raven 42 in searching the Eastern Convoy Route for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and provide additional security to sustainment convoys traveling through their area of responsibility. While patrolling Alternate Supply Route (ASR) Detroit, Raven 42B was shadowing a sustainment convoy consisting of 30 third country national (TCN) semi-tractor trailers with a three vehicle squad size escort, call sign Stallion 33, traveling from LSA (logistics support area) Anaconda to CSC (convoy support center) Scania. The weather for this ASR patrol was 75 degrees and sunny with a 10 knot breeze from the southwest. While traveling on ASR Detroit approximately 50 AIF ambushed the convoy with heavy AK47 fire, RPK heavy machine gun fire, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) from the southwest side of the road at 1140 hours. The AIF were utilizing irrigation ditches and an orchard for the well planned complex attack. The AIF had cars combat parked along a road perpendicular to the ASR with all doors and trunks open. The AIF intent was to destroy the convoy, to inflict numerous casualties, and to kidnap several TCN drivers or U.S. Soldiers. The initial ambush disabled and set on fire the lead TCN vehicle, which effectively blocked the southbound lanes of ASR Detroit, stopping the convoy in the kill zone. The squad leader, Staff Sergeant Timothy Nein, directed the squad to move forward, traveling on the right shoulder and passing through the engagement area between the enemy and the convoy. Sergeant Hester directed her gunner to provide heavy volumes of MK 19 and M240B fires into the field where an overwhelming number of insurgents were executing a well coordinated ambush on the convoy. Raven 42 elements were outnumbered five to one. Staff Sergeant Nein ordered the squad to flank the insurgents on their right side. The squad continued to come under heavy machine gun fire and rocket propelled grenade fire when Sergeant Hester stopped her vehicle, the middle vehicle, at a flanking position enfilading the trench line and the orchard field where over a dozen insurgents were engaging the squad and convoy. She then directed her gunner to focus fires in the trench line and the orchard field. Sergeant Hester dismounted and moved to what was thought to be the non-contact side of the vehicle. She ordered her gunner to continue to fire on the orchard field as she and her driver engaged insurgents in the orchard field with small arms. Sergeant Hester began engaging the insurgents with her M203 in order to suppress the heavy AIF fire. Sergeant Hester followed Staff Sergeant Nein to the right side berm and threw two well placed fragmentation grenades into the trench eliminating the AIF threat. Sergeant Hester and Staff Sergeant Nein went over the berm into the trench and began clearing the trench with their M4s. Sergeant Hester engaged and eliminated three AIF to her front with her M4. They then made their way to the front trench and cleared that as well. After clearing the front trench cease fire was called and she began securing the ambush site. The final result of the ambush was 27 AIF KIA (killed in action), 6 AIF WIA (wounded in action), and one AIF captured.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Pro ((HUGS))

Time off always goes too fast, doesn’t it? Glad you had a good visit with son-boy.

We are off to a gorgeous start this morning. Went for a short walk to cafe, then just got back from a longer one. Next couple of days we’ll have a blast of summer temps before rain, and dropping back into the 60s, which is okey-dokey with me since it’s better than the 40s!!! We broke out the mower this weekend and got yard work done.

Have a marvelicious Monday.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, night owl ((HUGS))

(waving in passing)

Happy Monday

[beachn4fun]

Good morning EG ((HUGS))

Busy here.

Have a wonderful Monday

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to everyone at the Canteen. I slept in this morning, since I had to work late the past two nights.

[ken5050]

I was reading the citation, and have you noticed how long it is? This is not a comment on the brave behavior of Sgt. Hester, but rather on how verbose the Pentagon has become. Compare it to some of the MoH citations from WW II..

[MEG33]

My gratitude to Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester for her gallantry.
Happy Monday To The Canteen

To Our Veterans, Our Military And Their Families


~Thank You For Serving Our Country~

~Have A Good Week~

[Arrowhead1952]

Good afternoon Meg and (((HUGS))). Getting a bit of drizzle here outside of Austin.

[Kathy in Alaska]

We just had 8-10” of snow on Saturday at my house.....now it has started again with as much or more expected.

I thought spring was here, but I was wrong. *sigh*

From accuweather.....

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW NOW IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO NOON AKDT TUESDAY...

* LOCATION...ANCHORAGE BOWL (this would be me) AND HILLSIDE.

* SNOW...TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION 9 TO 15 INCHES FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH NOON ON TUESDAY. HIGHEST AMOUNTS WILL BE ALONG THE HILLSIDE.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP THIS MORNING AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES BY AFTERNOON. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. MINOR ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL MAY BE DIFFICULT. VISIBILITIES MAY BE LIMITED IN HEAVY SNOWFALL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

[MEG33]

(((HUGS)))
Just cloudy here..Glad you slept in and caught up a bit.

[MEG33]

May the snow melt soon! Take care, Kathy..
(((HUGS)))

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good afternoon, Meg...((HUGS))...so much for gorebul warming.

I shouldn’t complain...for all the time I spent driving to and from my Dad, the weather was perfect. Then we had 2 weeks of spring weather and dry roads. The bad thing about this is that it is like the first snow of the season...more than 100 fender benders, and spin-outs, and ditch divers.

I’m hoping they send us home early.

[ConorMacNessa]

We’re at 76 degrees in downtown DC at present.

[HiJinx]

We’re battling 60mph gusts and paint-peeling sand-blasts today. I’d almost prefer the snow, I think...

[ConorMacNessa]

WOW! We've had a very benign day here - topped out at 82 with light winds. A beautiful day!



"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[ConorMacNessa]

Good Evening To Our Valiant Troops, To Our Vets, To Our Families, Our FRiends, Our Allies And To All Canteen Denizens!

Godspeed our Troops around the Globe, especially those in combat!



Evening Colors - 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA

Evening Colors
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May The Lord Protect And Uphold Our Troops In Their Performance Of Their Vital Mission!

May He Keep Their Families Secure During Their Time Of Separation!

May He Preserve And Uphold The American Nation In This Time Of Crisis!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hope you are safely home and your truck is under cover.