Stories of Valor

[Ops NCO]

In reading two of the citations in the "Lawmaker Questions Low Medal of Honor Count", I realized that we, on a routine basis, take the time to post stories about acts of heroism and valor by our comrades in harms way.

I thought it might be nice to collect these in one place. It would make for good reading and study by the young folks we mentor. I'm adding the first two that were posted in the above mentioned thread. Feel free to add your own.

If the site staff deem it "sticky worthy", then feel free to make it so. Otherwise, I'll be glad to take the time to move any stories here from other threads as appropriate as long as there's interest.


And thanks to these brave men and women. Because of people like them, many of us sleep safe tonight.

[Ops NCO]

Marine Lieutenant Chontosh.

Posted by VOTrooper on 8/2/09:

For extraordinary heroism as Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 25 March 2003. While leading his platoon north on Highway I toward Ad Diwaniyah, First Lieutenant 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, First Lieutenant 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, First Lieutenant 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, First Lieutenant 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. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Chontosh reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

[Ops NCO]

Air Force Airman Jason Cunningham.

Posted by VOTrooper on 8/3/09:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, U.S.C., awards the Air Force Cross to Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while serving as a pararescueman near the village of Marzak in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan on 4 March 2002. On that proud day, Airman Cunningham was the primary Air Force Combat Search and Rescue medic assigned to a Quick Reaction Force tasked to recover two American servicemen evading capture in austere terrain occupied by massed Al Qaida and Taliban forces. Shortly before landing, his MH-47E helicopter received accurate rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire, severely disabling the aircraft and causing it to crash land. The assault force formed a hasty defense and immediately suffered three fatalities and five critical casualties. 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 wounded. As he moved his patients to a more secure location, mortar rounds began to impact within fifty 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. 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 ten gravely wounded Americans to life-saving medical treatment. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, and in the dedication of his service to his country, Senior Airman Cunningham reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

[Ops NCO]

Army Specialist Specialist Dillon Bergstad. 173rd Airborne Brigade

Posted by Skywalker on 11/21/08:

Brig. Gen. William, B. Garrett, Southern European Task Force commander, presents Spc. Dillon Bergstad of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, with the Silver Star on Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, Oct. 31. Bergstad received the medal for his actions in combat while deployed to Afghanistan in August 2007.


VICENZA, Italy -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat team Soldier was awarded the Silver Star for valor in a ceremony at Caserma Ederle here Oct. 31.

Spc. Dillon Bergstad of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, received the medal for his actions Aug. 27, 2007, in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, while deployed with the 173rd ABCT in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Bergstad was serving as an M2 .50-caliber machine gunner as part of a mounted patrol providing overwatch security for a route clearance element in Afghanistan's Zerok District when the patrol was attacked by 20 to 25 insurgents.

During the battle that followed, Bergstad was knocked out of his turret three times by enemy fire. The first time his truck was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. The second time he was shot through the right biceps by an armor-piercing incendiary round. Bergstad was thrown from his vehicle a third time when his vehicle was again struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Each time he fought his way back into the turret to continue engaging the enemy.

Those accounts of the battle came from Bergstad's fellow paratroopers and his Silver Star citation. The specialist says he does not have a clear recollection of the events. But his focus at the time was clear.

"I just had to keep my weapon going," the North Bend, Oregon, native said. "It was all completely reactionary."

"I don't even remember when I got shot. It's kind of like a car wreck. You know what happened, but you can't really remember any of it," said Bergstad.

As a result of Bergstad's actions, the gunner of an enemy rocket-propelled grenade team was killed and fire from several known enemy machine gun positions was suppressed, according to the medal citation.

When the ambush was over, Bergstad refused medical treatment for his arm until all other wounded personnel were treated first. He refused painkillers and morphine and reported for duty five days after the attack.

Brig. Gen. William B. Garrett, commander of the Southern European Task Force, presented the award to Bergstad. The general said he was impressed with the warrior spirit the specialist showed that day.

"On this day we recognize Spc. Bergstad for what he did," said Garrett during the ceremony. "And again, courage is the primary thing that we look for in any Soldier and any warrior, and he displayed it in spades that day, and that is why we are recognizing him."

[Ops NCO]

Army Captain Ed Freeman.

Posted by HDParatrooper78 on 8/22/08:

BOISE, Idaho — Edward Freeman, a former Army helicopter pilot awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroics during the Vietnam War and portrayed in the Mel Gibson movie “We Were Soldiers,” has died. He was 80.
Doug Freeman said his father died Wednesday in Boise from health complications due to Parkinson’s Disease after spending several weeks undergoing treatment.
The Mississippi native braved intense enemy fire in the Ia Drang Valley as he carried out rescue missions on Nov. 14, 1965, during what was considered one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War.
After an Army battalion was surrounded by enemy forces, Freeman flew his unarmed helicopter through enemy fire to evacuate 30 seriously wounded soldiers and bring them to safety. He also delivered water, ammunition and supplies.
Actor Mark McCracken portrayed Freeman in the 2002 film.
Freeman was 73 years old when President Bush awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony in 2001.
During the ceremony, Bush said Freeman initially won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions, but his commanding officer and other witnesses believed he deserved an even higher honor.
In a statement, Doug Freemen described his father, who lived in Idaho for the last 30 years, as a “humorous person with a lot of integrity.”
“People could relate to him,” Doug Freeman said. “He made an impression on people.”
Lt. Col. Tim Marsano, with the Idaho National Guard, said funeral services have been scheduled for Saturday. Freeman will be buried at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery in Boise.
Freeman was born in Neely, Miss., in Perry County, in 1927 and was a graduate of Washington High School. He was the sixth of nine children.
After his retirement from the Army, Freeman served as a pilot for the U.S. Interior Department and retired a second time in 1991.
He also flew as a civilian pilot with the National Interagency Fire Center, which is located in Boise.

[Ops NCO]

Specialist Sixth Class Lawrence Joel.

Posted by Yrualeg on 11/8/06:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp6c. Joel demonstrated indomitable courage, determination, and professional skill when a numerically superior and well-concealed Viet Cong element launched a vicious attack which wounded or killed nearly every man in the lead squad of the company. After treating the men wounded by the initial burst of gunfire, he bravely moved forward to assist others who were wounded while proceeding to their objective. While moving from man to man, he was struck in the right leg by machine gun fire. Although painfully wounded his desire to aid his fellow soldiers transcended all personal feeling. He bandaged his own wound and self-administered morphine to deaden the pain enabling him to continue his dangerous undertaking. Through this period of time, he constantly shouted words of encouragement to all around him. Then, completely ignoring the warnings of others, and his pain, he continued his search for wounded, exposing himself to hostile fire; and, as bullets dug up the dirt around him, he held plasma bottles high while kneeling completely engrossed in his life saving mission. Then, after being struck a second time and with a bullet lodged in his thigh, he dragged himself over the battlefield and succeeded in treating 13 more men before his medical supplies ran out. Displaying resourcefulness, he saved the life of one man by placing a plastic bag over a severe chest wound to congeal the blood. As 1 of the platoons pursued the Viet Cong, an insurgent force in concealed positions opened fire on the platoon and wounded many more soldiers. With a new stock of medical supplies, Sp6c. Joel again shouted words of encouragement as he crawled through an intense hail of gunfire to the wounded men. After the 24 hour battle subsided and the Viet Cong dead numbered 410, snipers continued to harass the company. Throughout the long battle, Sp6c. Joel never lost sight of his mission as a medical aidman and continued to comfort and treat the wounded until his own evacuation was ordered. His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all. Sp6c. Joel's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

[Ops NCO]

US Marine Sergeant Major Bradley Kasal.

Posted by Darksaga on 5/8/06:

In a fire fight in a house in Fallujah, although wounded by seven 7.62 mm AK-47 rounds and hit by more than 40 pieces of hot fragmentation from a grenade while using his body to shield an injured fellow Marine, Kasal refused to quit fighting and is credited with saving the lives of several Marines during the U.S. assault on insurgent strongholds in Fallujah in November 2004.
By the time he was carried out of the house by LCpl. Chris Marquez and LCpl. Dan Shaffer, Kasal had lost approximately 60 percent of his blood

[Ops NCO]

Army Staff Sergeant Conrad Begaye. 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Posted by Zuluzerosix on 7/1/09:

VICENZA, Italy -- Rows of Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, stood at attention as the U.S. Army recognized Staff Sgt. Conrad Begaye for bravery under fire in Afghanistan.

During a June 30 ceremony at Caserma Ederle's Hoekstra Field, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, fastened the Silver Star to Begaye's uniform - recognition for his leadership and valor during an enemy ambush Nov. 9, 2007, in Nuristan Province.

"There are people who have passed on that deserve this," Begaye said. "There were five men who died. I'll accept and wear it in honor of them, not for my actions, but for theirs."

Begaye said he would have preferred a simple handshake or a pat on the back. After all, infantrymen don't fight for medals, they fight for each other. That's why Begaye felt grateful to have Soldiers from his unit, Chosen Company, behind him on the parade field during the ceremony.

"What happened there is something I think about every day, it's not easy to forget about," Begaye said, recalling events of that day.

Begaye's unit had just met with local Afghan leaders. They were hiking eastward along a small path on rugged terrain when his squad, his platoon's headquarters sections and a squad of Afghan National Army Soldiers, began taking fire from enemy positions above.

Pinned down at first, Begaye was struck in the arm while returning fire and directing his men. Begaye bound over a cliff, calling to his troops to follow him down the rocky slope to find cover.

He kept his composure against overwhelming odds, directing and encouraging his fellow Soldiers under heavy fire. One paratrooper had been shot in both legs and was still taking fire. Begaye called out to him to play dead, knowing the enemy would shift their fire away if they thought the Soldier was killed -- quick thinking that likely helped save that Soldier's life.

Ignoring his own injuries, Begaye moved a wounded Soldier to a nearby cave to protect him from enemy fire. Using a radio, he called his higher headquarters and directed mortar fire onto enemy positions - essentially ending the battle. Then he motivated a Soldier to organize a defensive perimeter of Afghan Soldiers to prevent their unit from being harassed or overrun.

[Ops NCO]

Army Staff Sergeant Lincoln V. Dockery. 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Posted by Brasso on 3/20/09:

BAMBERG, Germany -- Staff Sgt. Lincoln V. Dockery said he didn't even see the grenade that sent shrapnel into his right forearm while charging insurgent fighters in Afghanistan's Korengal valley, Nov. 16, 2007.

"Someone yelled out, and I looked up and saw it coming. My hand went up and a hot, sharp feeling went through," he said.

Dockery, a combat engineer then assigned to a route clearance patrol with Company A of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's Special Troops Battalion, said he decided the injury wasn't major, and continued his charge up a hill into enemy fire and earning a Silver Star for valor. The medal and a Purple Heart were awarded here, March 11.

"I don't want to think about what would have happened had he not been there," said Capt. William Cromie, Dockery's platoon leader that day in Afghanistan. "It would have been a completely different day. While described in the infantry field manual, and taught at every schoolhouse in our career, if asked to charge into an enemy, uphill and within hand grenade range, most people only know yes as a book answer."

Dockery said the description of the mission for which the patrol departed from Forward Operating Base Asadabad in Kunar Province that day sounded like the description of their mission for any other day: "Out looking for bombs."

"My only concern was for the guys who worked under me," the 25-year-old Runnemede, N.J., native stated.

His concern became reality when the lead vehicle on the mission, a Husky mine-detecting vehicle, activated an improvised explosive device. Rocket-propelled grenades immediately started hitting the damaged vehicle and it became clear the convoy was in the middle of an ambush.

"Across [a nearby river] we could see RPGs and small-arms fire coming at us," Dockery said. "But when I looked over to the right, I could see that RPGs were hitting our side of the vehicle."

Dockery determined that another enemy fire team was hidden much closer, and that a quick decision had to be made.

"I realized the enemy was actually 20 meters from our position," he said. "If we didn't assault the hill they were attacking from, they would have taken us out. They couldn't miss with their weapons they were so close."

Dockery said his first move was to investigate the lead vehicle's driver, Pfc. Amador Magana, who could have been seriously injured or killed by the IED blast.

"I could see RPGs and rounds impacting all over the vehicle, and the front windshield was about to cave in from all the (AK-47) bullets," Dockery said.

Sneaking around from the other side and climbing up the back tire, he knocked on the window and saw that Magana was barely conscious, but not wounded. Magana managed to give a thumbs-up, he said, and soon stood up, manned his M-249 machine gun and returned fire on the enemy.

Dockery said he then made his decision to storm the hill.

The sergeant began making his way up the hill with one of his Soldiers, Spc. Corey Taylor, as their team members provided support from the convoy.

During the charge Dockery was injured, but he kept going, through hand grenade exchanges and incoming RPGs.

"The shrapnel didn't really hurt initially. We also had to dig shrapnel out of Taylor's leg later," he said.

The pair low-crawled the rest of the way up, watching bullets kick up rocks and dirt all around them, then pushed the enemy back from their position and found the IED command detonator and wire.

Indirect fire, air strikes and other close air support was called in later to deal with about 30 fleeing fighters, but Dockery's assault kept everyone else from the patrol alive.

"Hopefully anybody would have done the same thing I did that day," Dockery said, downplaying his role in the event.

Cromie, who was awarded a Silver Star July 12, 2008 for his own actions in Afghanistan that day, sees it differently. He said Dockey was nothing less than a hero.

Before the mission, Cromie had put Dockery in charge of his own squad and made him a patrol leader for the eight months the unit performed route clearance operations.

"I had an insurmountable amount of trust in him," Cromie said. "He was the most combat proven NCO in the platoon."

A brand new officer at the time, Cromie said having such a competent NCO was amazing, and that he will measure every one he works with up to Dockery.

"He's the best at what he does," the captain said.

[Ops NCO]

Army Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Moe. 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Posted 2/26/09:

In front of Soldiers from his unit, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Moe spoke briefly about the night of June 3, 2007.

Staff Sgt. Jeffrey D. Moe, 2nd Bn., 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is awarded the Bronze Star with Valor Device on Feb. 20. Moe heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the June 3, 2007 in Diwaniyah, Iraq. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael R. Noggle)

“I just thank God we made it out of there alive,” said the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) linguist.
More than 17 months later, Moe received the Bronze Star with Valor Device from Col. William H. Shaw III, 10th SFG(A) deputy commanding officer, at the McMahon Theater on Feb. 20.
Moe served as an assistant team sergeant supporting a Special Forces Operational Detachment–Alpha and members from the 8th Iraqi Army. Their mission was to capture or kill a targeted individual in Diwaniyah, Iraq.
While conducting the mission, the entire element was engaged in a firefight with more than 100 members of an insurgent force who massed during the night.
“We started taking fire in all directions when these insurgents showed up,” Moe said.
“It threw me back; one of the Iraqi soldiers was killed. It got scary really quick.”
After completing his task, Moe began assisting in securing the area and preventing the enemy from maneuvering on the ODA.
During the firefight, a sniper team moved out in advance of the forward line of troops in order to engage enemy rocket-propelled grenade and machine gun positions. After engaging the target, the sniper team was trapped while one member of their team was severely wounded. The team attempted to evacuate themselves back to the friendly troops but was unable due to accurate and persistent enemy fire.
In order to provide covering fire for the movement of the trapped team, Moe voluntarily stepped directly in to the line of enemy fire and began suppressive fire on the enemy position.
“I just wanted to do the right thing and help my fellow Soldiers out,” Moe explained. “I didn’t think too much about it, I just reacted. I knew things were getting pretty thick and they needed help to get out.”
Despite rounds of small arms fire impacting inches from his head and being shot in the right leg, Moe continued to place effective fire on the enemy until the sniper team was safely under cover.
His courage and selflessness allowed the sniper team to move to a secured position where the wounded sniper could receive immediate medical treatment and be evacuated out of the area.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about that day,” said the emotional staff sergeant. “I thank God that he prevented more people from getting killed or hurt. I hope I did the right thing, and I’m happy all those guys made it out alive.”

[Ops NCO]

UK Para Pte Peter McKinley. A Coy, 3 Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.

Posted by Falschirmjaeger on 10/22/08:

Pte Peter McKinley has been praised by his commanders for a "massive display of bravery" after saving the life of the US sergeant in one of the most intense battles 3 Bn the Parachute Regiment has experienced during its deployment to Helmand province.

Military sources said he would receive recognition for his courageous act. Pte McKinley, 21, was part of a 100-strong force of Paras that came to the rescue of an American convoy of 10 vehicles that had been ambushed near the town of Sangin in northern Helmand.

The Americans had taken high ground where the Paras formed a defensive cordon, but as darkness descended a force of 30 heavily armed Taliban crept close to their position and opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns.

The first RPG round that announced the assault tore into a Humvee jeep, badly wounding two American soldiers from a logistics regiment who had taken cover inside.

As the soldiers screamed "medic, medic", Pte McKinley, the trained first aid soldier in his eight-man section, jumped up and sprinted across open ground to the vehicle as enemy rounds passed overhead.

He found the Americans covered in blood with the sergeant's face shredded by shrapnel, an eye dislodged, his scalp torn back, a broken arm, a neck injury and fragments in his legs.

"They were still firing at us when I ran back to the Humvee," said the soldier from Manchester.

"The sergeant was in a pretty bad way but my training just kicked in and I spent about 15 minutes looking after his wounds, stemming the flow of blood and keeping his airway clear."

A medical officer later confirmed that the injured soldier was a "P1 Casualty" - the highest priority for evacuation and treatment - and he was evacuated to the British base at Camp Bastion.

Major Will Pike, the commander of A Company, said that for Pte McKinley ''to answer the call and go to someone and save their life'' while under fire was ''massively impressive''. He added: "He was very brave while completely disregarding his own safety.

"He also treated the American soldier beyond the level that as team medic he is expected to perform. We have a lot of private soldiers who are very young and just out of training but have proved very steady while under fire."

[Ops NCO]

Army Specialist Joe Gibson. 75th Ranger Regiment.

Posted 9/27/08:

As the helicopter full of Rangers touched down that April night, Gibson and fellow Soldiers found themselves dodging enemy small arms fire less than 50 meters away.
Gibson’s platoon sergeant said the enemy small arms and machine gun fire began “less than a minute” after the group disembarked the helicopter.
“The contact was heavy where Spc. Gibson was,” said the platoon sergeant. “We took 2 casualties there.”
He described the setting as “a very dark night, out in the middle of nowhere with no ambient light, chest high grass, deep irrigation ditches.”
Among the two casualties the Rangers sustained was a life threatening gun shot wound victim.
“The guy that got hit is a real good friend of mine, and he called out to me,” said Gibson. “Me and another guy moved to him. I had the medical equipment, so I started getting that prepped while other people started taking care of him. We got him ready for (evacuation), patched him up and started moving him out.”
Transporting the casualty over an uneven field with irrigation ditches and through enemy fire was a challenge for the Rangers.
“Moving him out was horrible. It was the most ‘smoked’ I’ve ever been. It was physically demanding,” said Gibson.
The Rangers’ dedication to each other motivated Gibson to get his friend to safety.
“It was my buddy, I didn’t want to quit,” said Gibson. “For a while, it was just me on one end of the litter.”
Gibson’s actions are credited with saving the Soldier’s life.
The Soldier returned home safely to see his wife and newborn.
MAKING SURE
After assisting in the medical evacuation, Gibson and the Rangers continued on with their mission.
They began to clear a field with tall grass and canals near the helicopter landing zone. The Rangers knew enemy was still in the area even though most had fled when the Soldiers touched down.
While clearing the field, Gibson stepped on a terrorist hiding in a ditch under some grass.
“I really didn’t think it was a person that I stepped on because I thought it was just another part of the ground, maybe some trash or something,” said Gibson.
Initially, Gibson continued for a few more steps past the terrorist. Following his gut instinct, Gibson turned around investigate what he stepped on.
The terrorist moved to kill Gibson and the Rangers.
“He didn’t say anything other than giving his war cry,” explained Gibson. “He had an advantage on me. I didn’t have a chance to get my weapon ready and I knew he was gonna shoot me, so I dived on him.”
Gibson grabbed the muzzle of the terrorist’s rifle as the terrorist began to fire. Gibson wrestled the terrorist to the ground and gained positional control. He struggled and later stripped the terrorist of his weapon.
After stripping the terrorist of the weapon, the terrorist gripped Gibson’s rifle. Without the ability to use a firearm, Gibson engaged the enemy with his hands.
“Then he ripped off my helmet and all my (night vision) optics, so I couldn’t see all that well,” recalled Gibson.
The terrorist then began to reach for something hiding in his clothing.
“I stopped him ‘cause I thought maybe he was grabbing a knife to attack me with,” said Gibson.
The terrorist was reaching for the detonator to his suicide vest. The terrorist screamed “bomb!” in English.
“I thought at that moment that I was probably going to die,” explained Gibson.
As Gibson worked to stop the terrorist from detonating his vest, the terrorist had maneuvered into a position that was cutting off Gibson’s circulation.
Gibson, in an effort to save himself, began to hit the terrorist as hard as he could. His blows rendered the terrorist unconscious.
“I got my weapon into his stomach and fired,” said Gibson. “And he came back to conscious after that, I knew I got him. I stood up and neutralized him.”
DOING HIS JOB
The native of Yale, Okla. explains that he was just doing what he was supposed to do and that he thinks he doesn’t deserve any special recognition.
Gibson said he is honored to serve as a Ranger and have save his fellow Soldier’s life.
Gibson added that he “can’t wait” to return to Iraq.
Following the incident, Gibson re-enlisted to fight with the Ranger platoon he accompanied that night.

[Falschirmjaeger]

I actually think this thread should be it's own forum. "Stories of Valor"

Great Job Ops.

[Falschirmjaeger]

Have to add this one:

Capt. Millett, Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While personally leading his company in an attack against a strongly held position he noted that the 1st Platoon was pinned down by small-arms, automatic, and antitank fire. Capt. Millett ordered the 3d Platoon forward, placed himself at the head of the 2 platoons, and, with fixed bayonet, led the assault up the fire swept hill. In the fierce charge Capt. Millett bayoneted 2 enemy soldiers and boldly continued on, throwing grenades, clubbing and bayoneting the enemy, while urging his men forward by shouting encouragement. Despite vicious opposing fire, the whirlwind hand-to-hand assault carried to the crest of the hill. His dauntless leadership and personal courage so inspired his men that they stormed into the hostile position and used their bayonets with such lethal effect that the enemy fled in wild disorder. During this fierce onslaught Capt. Millett was wounded by grenade fragments but refused evacuation until the objective was taken and firmly secured. The superb leadership, conspicuous courage, and consummate devotion to duty demonstrated by Capt. Millett were directly responsible for the successful accomplishment of a hazardous mission and reflect the highest credit on himself and the heroic traditions of the military service.

There are a few of us here who have had the distinct pleasure of meeting this soldier's soldier.

[Falschirmjaeger]

I should also like to point out that up until recently, Pueblo, Colorado was the home of four living Medal of Honor Recipients.

http://www.pueblomohfoundation.com/i...?page=memorial

"What is it in the water out there in Pueblo, all you guys turn out to be heroes."

-President Eisenhower

Bill Crawford and Carl Sitter died in 2000, shortly before the unveiling of their statues. Mr. Crawford is buried at the Air Force Academy and Mr. Sitter at Arlington National Cemetery. Jerry Murphy passed away in 2007 and is buried at the Santa Fe, NM National Veteran's Cemetery. Drew Dix is retired and living on a ranch in New Mexico.