The undecorated

[Bob]

Interesting little article in this weeks edition of The Economist triggered by recent awarding of Medal of Honour to a US Marine serving in Iraq (jumping onto a handgrenade to protect his fellow marines while in hand to hand combat with insurgents).

Quote: "Medals that specifically reward heroics are much harder to come by. More than 21.000 veterans won coveted Silver Stars in Vietnam. Only a few hundred servicemen have received the same in Iraq and Afghanistan"

Subsequently arguing that if services gave more medals, the bravery of troops might be more widely publicised... vs. only Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch recently being household names... more for serving with honour rather than real heroics.

Edited November 20, 2006 by Bob

[Daniel Cole]

The most recent publication of the the VFW Magazine has a great summary of the MOH (awarded and Submitted), and awarded Army, Navy and Air Force Crosses. You never hear much about the heroics in the press today.

When I get home I'll post a summary.

Dan

[Daniel Cole]

According to the VFW Magazine here are the listing of decoration awarded and pending for the War on Terrorism. I pulled this from the VFW website. You can read the article there.

http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.magDt...=1&mid=3646

Medal of Honor

Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith*

Army, Engineer Corps

2nd Plt., B Co., 11th Eng. Bn., 3rd Inf. Div.

Baghdad, Iraq, April 4, 2003

Hometown: Holiday, Fla.

While leading his unit in constructing an Iraqi prison near Baghdad International Airport, Smith and his men were attacked. Rather than retreat, Smith manned a .50-caliber machine gun, killing 50 of the enemy. He took return fire from automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. He finally died when he was hit in the head. His actions saved the lives of some 100 GIs outside the courtyard walls. (VFW profiled Smith in May 2005, p. 42.)

Awarded April 4, 2005

Distinguished Service Cross (ARMY)

Maj. Mark E. Mitchell

Army, Special Forces

HQ & HQ Det., 3rd Bn., 5th SFG

Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan Nov. 25-28, 2001

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.

Mitchell led a 15-man team to take control of some 500 al Qaeda prisoners who threatened to take over a prison near Mazar-e-Sharif. His team prevented the prison escape, which would have stalled a major offensive of the Afghan Northern Alliance in Afghanistan.

Awarded Nov. 21, 2003

Master Sgt. Donald R. Hollenbaugh

Army, Headquarters,

U.S. Army Special Operations Command

Fallujah, Iraq, April 26, 2004

Hometown: Prescott, Wash.

With a platoon of Marines on the outskirts of Fallujah, Hollenbaugh was attacked by more than 300 enemy fighters. At one point, he was the only American standing. He personally eliminated multiple enemy-controlled weapons positions, preventing further attacks on U.S. forces.

Awarded June 10, 2005

Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Briggs

Army, Headquarters,

U.S. Army Special Operations Command Fallujah, Iraq, April 26, 2004

Hometown: Unknown

While supporting Marines, Army combat medic Briggs provided critical medical attention to severely wounded Leathernecks. His actions under fire directly prevented further U.S. casualties.

Awarded April 12, 2005

Col. James H. Coffman, Jr.

Army, Adviser to Quick Reaction Force

3rd Bn., 1st Iraqi Special Police Commando Brigade

Mosul, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2004

Hometown: Barrington, Mass.

Coffman was the only American on site when a police station in Mosul was attacked, killing or severely wounding all but one of the Iraq police officers. Though wounded, Coffman continued to fight for four hours and helped evacuate the wounded.

Awarded Aug. 24, 2005

Air Force Cross

Senior Airman

Jason Dean Cunningham*

Air Force, Special Operations (Pararescueman)

38th Rescue Squadron

Shah-e-Kot Valley, Afghanistan March 2, 2002

Hometown: Carlsbad, N.M.

After his helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade, Cunningham dragged wounded troops across the line of enemy fire seven times. Though he was shot twice, he continued to treat patients. He died before he could be evacuated. All of those he treated survived.

Awarded Sept. 13, 2002

Tech. Sgt. John Chapman*

Air Force, Special Operations (Combat Controller)

24th Special Tactics Squadron

Gardez, Afghanistan, March 4, 2002

Hometown: Windsor Locks, Conn.

Chapman volunteered to help rescue Navy Petty Officer Neil Roberts during Operation Anaconda. When the helicopter carrying the rescue team crash-landed, they were met with a hail of gunfire. Exposed to the enemy, Chapman provided cover fire allowing the rest of the team to set up a defensive position. Though he killed two of the enemy and saved the lives of fellow members, Chapman was mortally wounded.

Awarded Jan. 10, 2003

Navy Cross

NAVY

Two Navy SEALs earned the Navy Cross in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002. But at the request of the Naval Special Warfare Command, we are not revealing their names or the details of their valorous actions.

Hospitalman Apprentice

Luis E. Fonseca, Jr.

Navy, Medical Corps

Amphibious Assault Vehicle Plt., C Co., 1st Bn., 2nd Regt., RCT 2, 1st MEF

Nasiriyah, Iraq, March 23, 2003

Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.

Fonseca was with a group of Marines sent to capture the Saddam Canal Bridge when they were attacked on all sides. He tended to five Marines and got them back to his vehicle. Eyewitness accounts say that the 5-foot-5-inch, 140-pound corpsman lifted a 6-foot, 210-pound Marine over his back to carry him to safety. His actions that day saved numerous lives.

Awarded Aug. 11, 2004

SEAL member (name classified)

Navy, Special Operations (SEAL)

SEAL Delivery Team 1

Asadabad, Afghanistan, June 27-28, 2005

As part of a four-man recon unit, this SEAL fought valiantly against a numerically superior and entrenched enemy force in Konar Province. He then evaded the enemy for days before being rescued.

Awarded July 2006

Gunner?s Mate 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz* and Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class

Matthew G. Axelson*

Navy, Special Operations (SEAL)

Delivery Vehicle Team 2

Kunar Province, Afghanistan, June 28, 2005

Hometowns: Littleton, Colo./Cupertino, Calif.

As part of a reconnaissance mission tasked with finding a Taliban leader near Asadabad, the SEALs on the ground continued to fight for the safety of their teammates. Their actions cost them their lives, but gave one of the other SEALs an opportunity to escape.

Awarded Sept. 13, 2006

MARINES

Note: The source for the dates awarded for Marine recipients of the Navy Cross is the Sept. 26, 2006, Marine Corps Times.

In some cases, the award date may have been the date the citation was officially issued as opposed to publicly awarded.

Sgt. 1st Class Justin D. Lehew

Marine Corps, Infantry

Amphibious Assault Plt., A Co., 1st Bn., 2nd Regt., 1st MEF

Nasiriyah, Iraq, March 23, 2003

Hometown: Temecula, Calif.

While securing a bridge over the Euphrates River, Lehew and his men were attacked by ?hundreds? of Iraqis. Lehew?s platoon held its position while evacuating 77 casualties.

Lehew wielded a .50-caliber machine gun, ?knocking out enemy fighters with an impressive display of lethal accuracy.?

?His unimaginable bravery and heroism in the face of overwhelming odds were overshadowed by several events that unfolded that day, including the story of Jessica Lynch and her ambushed unit, whom Lehew and his men rescued,? wrote the authors of Home of the Brave.

Awarded July 24, 2004

1st Lt. Brian R. Chontosh

Marine Corps, Infantry

Anti-Armor Plt., Weapons Co., 3rd Bn., 5th Regt., 1st Marine Div., 1st MEF

Hwy. 1 near Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq, March 25, 2003

Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.

Heading north to Baghdad, Chontosh?s platoon was ambushed and one of his Marines was killed instantly. He jumped out of the vehicle and opened fire with his rifle, then his pistol and then used Iraqi rifles and finally an Iraqi grenade launcher to wipe out more than 20 enemy soldiers.

?It came down to love and hate,? Chontosh told his local Rochester, N.Y., newspaper. ?I loved my Marines and hated the guys who were trying to kill them.?

Awarded May 6, 2004

Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Perez

Marine Corps, Infantry

I Co., 3rd Bn., 5th Regt., 1st Marine Div., 1st MEF

Route 6, Iraq, April 4, 2003

Hometown: Houston, Texas

In an area south of Baghdad, Perez was the point man for his platoon, which was assigned to clear the area. Insurgents attacked and Perez, who took much of the fire, charged the enemy trench. He then fired a rocket at a machine gun bunker, destroying it and killing four Iraqi soldiers. Though wounded, he continued to direct his squad.

Awarded May 6, 2004

Sgt. Scott C. Montoya

Marine Corps, Infantry

Scout Sniper Plt., F Co., 2nd Bn., 23rd Regt., 4th Marine Div. (Reserve), 1st MEF

Baghdad, Iraq, April 8, 2003

Hometown: Montclair, Calif.

Despite a hail of gunfire, Montoya rescued a wounded Iraqi civilian and returned to carry four Marines to safety. He told the Orange County (Calif.) Register that a Biblical passage went through his mind: ?Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.?

Awarded Jan. 23, 2005

Cpl. Marco Martinez

Marine Corps, Infantry

1st Plt., G Co., 2nd Bn., 5th Regt., 1st Marine Div., 1st MEF

Al Tarmiya, Iraq, April 12, 2003

Hometown: Las Cruces, N.M.

When a unit of 42 Marines was ambushed at al Tarmiya, Martinez fired a captured rocket-propelled grenade into the building where enemy fire originated. He then stormed the building, single-handedly killing four Iraqis.

Awarded on May 3, 2004

Sgt. Willie Copeland, III

Marine Corps, Infantry

2nd Plt., B Co. , 1st Recon Bn., 1st Marine Div.

Sunni Triangle, April 7, 2004

Hometown: Smithfield, Utah

Copeland administered first aid to Capt. Brent Morel during an insurgent attack near Fallujah and stayed with him until an armored carrier arrived. Morel died as a result of his wounds.

Awarded April 21, 2005

Capt. Brent Morel*

Marine Corps, Infantry

2nd Plt., B Co., 1st Recon Bn., 1st Marine Div.

Al Anbar Province, Iraq, April 7, 2004

Hometown: Martin, Tenn.

Morel gave his life while leading Marines in a charge against a larger group of insurgents who were attacking with grenades, mortars and machine guns. He and his men killed 10 Iraqis before Morel was fatally wounded. He was the only Marine to die in this action.

Awarded May 21, 2005

Staff Sgt. Anthony Viggiani

Marine Corps, Infantry

C Co., BLT, 1st Bn., 6th Regt., 22nd MEU

Siah Chub Kalay, Afghanistan, June 3, 2004

Hometown: Strongsville, Ohio

While leading an assault against an enemy-held ridge in eastern Afghanistan, two of Viggiani?s Marines were wounded. Viggiani charged a cave, hurling a fragmentation grenade and killing three of the Afghan enemy. That allowed him and his men to advance, killing 14 more Taliban.

?Despite the wide range of armaments and units that came together to eliminate the enemy force, it was Viggiani?s efforts that resonated from the day?s fighting,? Gunnery Sgt. Keith Milks wrote in Leatherneck magazine.

Awarded Feb. 24, 2006

Sgt. Robert J. Mitchell, Jr.

Marine Corps, Infantry

K Co., 3rd Bn., 1st Regt., RCT 1, 1st Marine Div., 1st MEF

Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 13, 2004

Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.

Mitchell saved the lives of several Marines trapped inside the home of enemy insurgents. He charged through AK-47 fire and exploding grenades to assist the critically wounded. While applying first aid to a Marine, he had to pause and stab a wounded insurgent who was reaching for his weapon. Though Mitchell suffered shrapnel wounds to the face and legs, he helped evacuate all of the wounded through the impact zone.

Awarded July 28, 2006

Sgt. Maj. Bradley A. Kasal

Marine Corps, Infantry

Weapons Co., 3rd Bn., 1st Regt., 1st Marine Div.

Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2004

Hometown: Afton, Iowa

Kasal was attempting to rescue Marines in a Fallujah home when an insurgent threw a grenade at them. Kasal rolled on top of a fellow Marine to absorb the shrapnel with his own body. Shot seven times by an AK-47 and wounded by 40 pieces of shrapnel, he lost 60% of his blood. Kasal later refused medical attention until all of the other Marines had been treated.

Awarded May 1, 2006

Sgt. Jarrett A. Kraft

Marine Corps, Infantry

81mm Mortar Plt., Weapons Co., 3rd Bn., 5th Regt., RCT 1, 1st Marine Div., 1st MEF

Fallujah, Iraq, Dec. 23, 2004

Hometown: Fresno, Calif.

A large force of insurgents attacked Kraft?s unit in a dense residential area of Fallujah. Kraft placed himself between enemy fire and his men. They succeeded in killing 28 Iraqis and wounding many more. Though Marines were killed, Kraft saved the lives of many others.

Awarded May 11, 2006

Sgt. Jeremiah Workman

Marine Corps, Infantry

Mortar Plt., Weapons Co., 3rd Bn., 5th Regt., 1st Marine Div.

Fallujah, Iraq, Dec. 23, 2004

Hometown: Richwood, Ohio

Workman helped rescue Marines trapped inside a building controlled by insurgent forces. He then aided wounded Marines in a neighboring yard. He suffered grenade shrapnel wounds, but continued to provide intense fire long enough to recover additional wounded Marines.

Awarded May 12, 2006

Lance Cpl. Todd J. Corbin

Marine Corps, Infantry (Tactical Vehicle Driver)

Weapons Co., 3rd Bn., 25th Marines (Reserve), RCT 2, 2nd Marine Div., 2nd MEF

Haditha, Iraq, May 7, 2005

Hometown: Sandusky, Ohio

Corbin was driving in a four-vehicle convoy when an improvised explosive device hit it. He positioned his truck between the enemy and the wounded, before carrying his patrol leader to safety. On five more occasions, Corbin braved enemy fire to recover the dead or wounded. Only after loading his vehicle, did he depart.

Awarded July 4, 2006

Nominated for Medal of Honor

Cpl. Jason L. Dunham*

Marine Corps, Infantry

K Co., 3rd Bn., 7th Regt., 1st Marine Div.

Husaybah, Iraq, April 14, 2004

Hometown: Scio, N.Y.

Dunham led 14 men to rescue a convoy of ambushed Marines. When an Iraqi grenade landed by his unit, Dunham placed his helmet over it before covering the grenade with his body. The blast killed Dunham, but saved the lives of his fellow Marines.

Award status pending. (Approved and awarded by President Bush - Dan)

Pfc. Christopher Adlesperger*

Marine Corps, Infantry

K Co., 3rd Bn., 5th Regt., 1st Marine Div.

Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 10, 2004

Hometown: Albuquerque, N.M.

In saving the lives of many fellow Marines, he personally killed at least 11 insurgents. One month later, he was killed in action.

Award status pending.

Sgt. Rafael Peralta*

Marine Corps, Infantry

1st Plt., A Co., 1st Bn., 3rd Regt., 3rd Marine Div.

Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2004

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Volunteering for an assault mission, Peralta was the first to enter a Fallujah home where he was hit in the face by rifle fire. Moments later, a grenade was thrown at Peralta and his fellow Marines. He grabbed it and cradled it against his body to shelter the others. He gave his life, but saved many more.

Award status pending.

E-mail jblankenship@vfw.org

RCT= Regimental Combat Team

MEF= Marine Expeditionary Force

MEU= Marine Expeditionary Unit

SFG=Special Forces Group

* Awarded posthumously

Heros All

Edited November 22, 2006 by Daniel Cole

[spectre]

Awesome reading, thanks for posting.

Alan

[DutchBoy]

Some awesome heroic actions!

Whatever one thinks about the war in Iraq, heroism knows no politics. Those are some brave guys.

[MSgt_mode]

Thanks for posting this - this was an awesome read and the American Legion Members of the Post I'm commander of will enjoy them as well.

Ron

[PKeating]

Sgt. Rafael Peralta*

Marine Corps, Infantry

1st Plt., A Co., 1st Bn., 3rd Regt., 3rd Marine Div.

Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2004

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Volunteering for an assault mission, Peralta was the first to enter a Fallujah home where he was hit in the face by rifle fire. Moments later, a grenade was thrown at Peralta and his fellow Marines. He grabbed it and cradled it against his body to shelter the others. He gave his life, but saved many more.

Award status pending.

Humbling.

Thank you very much for posting this link.

PK

[Dave Danner]

The full citations for the DSCs, AFCs and NCs are here: http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/02_wot/index.html

Doug Sterner's website is a great resource and he does a great service in honoring so many heroes, but bandwidth costs or the practice of his web hosting service means there are an annoying number of pop-ups.

[Dave Danner]

Interesting little article in this weeks edition of The Economist triggered by recent awarding of Medal of Honour to a US Marine serving in Iraq (jumping onto a handgrenade to protect his fellow marines while in hand to hand combat with insurgents).

Quote: "Medals that specifically reward heroics are much harder to come by. More than 21.000 veterans won coveted Silver Stars in Vietnam. Only a few hundred servicemen have received the same in Iraq and Afghanistan"

Subsequently arguing that if services gave more medals, the bravery of troops might be more widely publicised... vs. only Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch recently being household names... more for serving with honour rather than real heroics.

As of the first week of December, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines had awarded a total of 4 Distinguished Service Crosses, 20 Navy Crosses, 2 Air Force Crosses, 382 Silver Stars and 3,375 Bronze Stars with Valor device.

I'm not sure about that "21.000" Silver Star number. The Army alone awarded 21,630 Silver Stars in Vietnam, which may be the source of the number. But 21,000 awards does not equal 21,000 recipients, since some of these were repeat awards. I don't know the award numbers for the other services for Vietnam, but it would be an odd coincidence if they turned out to lead to 21,000 recipients, so I suspect that Army number was the writer's source.

By the way, Corporal Tillman repeatedly exposed himself to both enemy and friendly fire in attempting to protect the Afghan and American members of his team, as he tried to draw the attention of the other Rangers to the fact that the group they were targeting was friendly. He gave his life in that attempt. The circumstances surrounding the Army's handling of the friendly fire incident are embarassing, but his award was for heroics, not service. Arguably, if there had been no enemy action and only fellow Rangers and ANA involved, a Silver Star might not have been justified, and instead a Soldier's Medal might have been appropriate. But his actions do fit the Silver Star criteria.

[JPL]

After a number of reviews, Sgt Rafael Peralta will not be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Defense officials have decided once again not to award the Medal of Honor to Sgt. Rafael Peralta, saying too much uncertainty exists to upgrade his combat commendations.

The decision is a devastating blow for friends and family of the fallen Marine, who have lobbied for the honor over the last four years and believed new evidence submitted last spring would finally settle the matter.

But staff of Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who has been pressing Pentagon officials to review the case, said they were informed earlier this week that no change will be made. Peralta was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross – the second highest honor for battlefield valor – over objections from Marines who served alongside him in Iraq who said he deserved the higher honor.

Peralta was killed during a firefight in Fallujah on Nov. 15, 2004. As his team entered a home overtaken by insurgents, Peralta was shot in the head and fell to the ground.

Eyewitness accounts state that before he died, the 25-year-old Marine reached out and pulled an enemy grenade under his body seconds before it detonated. His final sacrifice saved most of his team, those troops insist.

But after he was first nominated for the Medal of Honor, a panel of forensic pathologists reviewing the case found that Peralta could not have consciously grabbed the grenade because of the brain injuries from the gunshot. They also questioned whether the grenade detonated under Peralta’s body, or simply near his corpse.

Hunter and other lawmakers from California asked for a new review earlier this year when new footage of the firefight emerged, showing wounds more consistent with the eyewitness story. Pentagon officials also considered new forensic evidence suggesting that the head wound might not have immediately incapacitated Peralta.

But on Tuesday, Department of Defense General Counsel Jeh Johnson informed Hunter’s office and Peralta’s family that the new evidence did not change the 2008 decision.

Read the complete news article: http://www.stripes.com/news/no-medal-of-honor-upgrade-for-peralta-after-pentagon-review-1.200481

Jean-Paul