Question: Soldier who died saving Iraqi child & others being nominated for Medal of Honor?

Fox New and MSNBC | 4/28/03 | Wolfstar

[Wolfstar]

This morning on both MSNBC and Fox News, I caught parts of a news item that seemd to be saying the U.S. soldier who used his body to shield an Iraqi child and other U.S. soldiers from a weapon the child was trying to turn in, will be nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor. I did not catch the entire news item on either channel, so can't be sure of the facts.

Initial reports were that the soldier lost part of a leg and some fingers, but later reports said he died of his injuries. Does any FReeper have more detailed information?

[Wolfstar]

Please forgive what some might consider a "vanity" post. I did an extensive search on various websites, including Google, Yahoo News, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, FR, and others, but found no info. I would like to honor this extraordinary young man both in memory and in my prayers.

[Wolfstar]

From the reports of what he did, this soldier most definitely deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor. His action was the very definition of the criteria for being awarded the medal.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Incredibly enough - I talked to one of his cousins today. I believe her when she said she was his cousin - she knew a lot more about his background, upbringing and his family to be a stranger or a pretender. She had me crying on the phone while she was remembering him as a young child of 8 years old at his baptism. She mentioned the MOH, but I don't believe she said he was being nominated, as much as she thought he should be. I told her that myself and a lot of others felt that he had died a hero.

[Tennessee_Bob]

They were awarded for action in Somalia.

[Wolfstar]

Do you know the soldier's name? Perhaps Web searches using his name might turn up info on the MOH. I had no luck just searching on the phrase "Medal of Honor."

[Vetnet]

Actually two were awarded for action in Somalia.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Sgt. Troy Jenkins of the 101st Airborne's 3rd Brigade

[Vetnet]

Beat me to the punch!

[grobdriver]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030419/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_soldiers_wounded_4

[Wolfstar]

Thanks to each of you. With his name, I was able to find the following:

CAPTION: Army Sgt. Troy Jenkins, 24, a native of Repton, Alabama, died from injuries suffered after throwing himself on a cluster bomb, saving an Iraqi child and his 101st Airborne colleagues. Jenkins joined ROTC at 14, joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 17, and four years later, joined the U.S. Army and trained to be a paratrooper. He was injured last June in Afghanistan when he was grazed by a bullet. He's 101 Airborne, the Screaming Eagles, of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He leaves behind a wife and two small children, who live in California.

CAPTION: U.S. Army notification officer Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Elston (left) comforts Jack and Fran Jenkins at their home in Turkey Creek after officially delivering the news of the death of Jack's son Sgt. Troy Jenkins of the 101st Air Borne's 3rd Brigade. Sgt. Jenkins died Wednesday in Iraq after having both legs amputated after receiving injuries from an explosion Saturday.

FROM HOMETOWN PAPER OF SGT. JENKINS' FATHER AND STEP-MOM:

TURKEY CREEK (LA) - Fran Jenkins was prepared for the news about her stepson, Troy, when she saw the U.S. Army officer walking to her door Thursday morning.

She was told that U.S. Army Sgt. Troy Jenkins was dead.

"I didn't need him to tell me. ... I said, 'He's dead,'" and the Army officer nodded his head in confirmation, Fran Jenkins recalled.

Troy Jenkins served in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade, and he remained unscathed until April 19.

That day, the sergeant was wounded when an Iraqi child presented him with an M-42 "bomblet," a canister-size piece of cluster bomb.

The canister went off, critically wounding Jenkins and hurting three other soldiers and the child, according to Col. Michael Linnington, brigade commander.

The explosion badly damaged Jenkins' legs. He also lost two fingers.

One of Jenkins' legs was almost immediately amputated, and the second leg was taken off a few days later.

Jenkins, 24, was flown to Germany Wednesday and died in the hospital, his stepmother said.

Later Thursday, Fran called Troy's father, Jack, who was at work in Galveston. She had to tell him his son was dead.

Jack Jenkins had gone to work to distract himself, to think about something besides his son's injuries.

After talking with her husband, Fran Jenkins said he was incoherent with grief.

Troy's wife, Amanda, is also devastated, Fran Jenkins said.

She hasn't told her children about their father, because "How do you tell a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old that daddy's never coming home," she said.

An Army spokesman was supposed to visit with the family Thursday night. Fran and Jack said they told the Army they wanted to know what happened to Troy.

Nobody had told them anything, they bitterly complained, only that Troy was injured. And they got a few updates on his condition.

But when Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Elston came Thursday night, he also failed to tell them what happened to their son.

Elston said he was simply there in his capacity as Fort Polk's notification officer. Someone from the army had to personally tell Jack Jenkins the bad news.

So Elston came into the family's living room and embraced Jack Jenkins. "On behalf of the Army," he said, "I am here to share our condolences for Sgt. Jenkins.

"God be with you and you can be proud of him, Sir."

[ErnBatavia]

. His action was the very definition of the criteria for being awarded the medal.

I'd hate to have to make the call, because by definition, he doesn't qualify...this wasn't direct contact with enemy, and the ordnance (I believe) was an unexploded American bomblet.

Otherwise, the falling-on-grenade act makes one virtually a shoo-in as a recipient.

[Poohbah]

Sad to say...it does not qualify for the Medal.

About the most he's eligible for is the Soldier's Medal.

[DuncanWaring]

US Army website compilation of Medal of Honor Citations.

[Polybius]

I'd hate to have to make the call, because by definition, he doesn't qualify...this wasn't direct contact with enemy, and the ordnance (I believe) was an unexploded American bomblet.

The criteria never mentions "direct contact with the enemy".

He was "engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force".

The qualifier I have never understood was: "while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party."

Criteria: The Medal of Honor is awarded by the President, in the name of Congress, to a person who, while a member of the Army, distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged 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 an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of the service will be exacted and each recommendation for the award of this decoration will be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

[Wolfstar]

Based on the criteria quoted by Polybius, Sgt. Jenkins sure seems to deserve the Medal of Honor. If deliberately sacrificing his life to save those of his fellow soldiers and an innocent child is not an act deserving of the highest possible honor, I sure don't know what is.

[Poohbah]

Small problem: it wasn't in direct combat against a hostile force. That is a MANDATORY prerequisite for the MOH.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Several have been awarded since Vietnam.

[Wolfstar]

From the FAQ of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website (link to CMOHS)

10. What are the guidelines for which the medal could be awarded?

10A. On July 25,1963 Congress established a set of guidelines under which the Medal of Honor could be awarded:

a.) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

b.) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; OR,

c.) while serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The bold emphasis on the word "or" is mine. Obviously there are three criteria. I should think that Sgt. Jenkins meets the "b" option.