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American Heroes; Recent Heroes in the War on Terror
Topic Started: Jan 22 2007, 04:00 AM (290 Views)
Culture Warrior
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This will be our spot to recognize our recent American Military Heroes from the War on Terror. smiley-patriotic-flag-wave

Please add more as you find them.

American Heroes

Marine Corps Sergeant Willie L. Copeland III:

Sgt. Copeland and his team were part of a 15-vehicle convoy traveling through the Al Anbar Province in Iraq on April 7, 2004, when a group of about 50 insurgents ambushed them. As the enemy fighters fired rocket-propelled grenades at the convoy, Copeland led five Marines through a deep, muddy canal toward the insurgents. Copeland directed his five-man team closer, and succeeded in killing 10 insurgents and pushing back many more. During the fight, his platoon commander was severely injured. Copeland responded by instructing the other Marines to remain in covered positions to avoid getting hit while he shielded the wounded officer and applied first aid. For his actions, Copeland received the Navy Cross on April 21, 2005.

Army Sergeant Major William J. Doherty:

In April of 2005, then 1st Sgt. Doherty was part of an operation to detain a high profile member of an Iraqi insurgent group who was speaking in a public venue. When the suspect began to threaten Iraqi police and others with an active grenade, Sgt. Doherty directed coalition personnel to safety while placing himself between them and the enemy. He was wounded by the suspect’s grenade when it later exploded. Sgt. Doherty killed the insurgent who was reaching for a second grenade, and continued to command the operation until he was medically evacuated.

Sgt. Doherty was given the option to return home after his injuries, but chose to stay with his unit and recover in Iraq. He had participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and in two deployments during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has three Bronze Stars, two with Valor.

Marine Corps Reserve Cpl. Todd J. Corbin:

Then-Lance Cpl. Corbin and the rest of his quick-reaction force responded to a call on May 7, 2005, to help block an insurgents’ retreat in Haditha, Iraq. As the group searched the area, a vehicle laden with IEDs sped toward the convoy and blew up between two of the Humvees. Another blast followed as enemy fighters began firing upon the group. Three of the four vehicles were severely damaged, and 11 of 16 Marines were injured or killed. Corbin instantly took control of the situation and repositioned his vehicle to block the fire from hitting the wounded. He radioed in the situation, and began directing a counter-attack. Corbin then ran back and forth several times through the line of fire recovering dead or wounded personnel and loading them into his Humvee, as he also shot at the enemy. Once he had everyone loaded, he drove his damaged truck through the kill zone to deliver the casualties to the battle aid station. For his leadership and actions, Corbin was awarded the Navy Cross on April 12, 2006.

Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Buhain:

Staff Sgt. Buhain, a respiratory therapist, was activated as a medic and served in two combat zones from May 2004 to July 2005. Buhain was first sent to Baghdad, where he treated both Coalition soldiers and insurgents. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for treating more than 1,500 injuries. Buhain was then sent to Afghanistan in September to be the medical noncommissioned officer in charge of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team. During his time there, Buhain was instrumental in helping to build a respiratory school for Afghan medical students and an intensive care unit in a hospital in Kandahar. He also trained more than 350 Afghan and Pakistani medical students in CPR, life support functions and respiratory care management. Buhain took part in more than 150 missions, several of which were high risk. During one mission, he was injured in an IED attack. For his efforts in both countries, Buhain was awarded the Bronze Star Medal on March 10, 2005.

Army Col. James H. Coffman Jr.:

Col. Coffman was a senior advisor to Iraqi Special Police commandos on Nov. 14, 2004, when he joined a commando quick reaction force (QRF) that was sent to help a platoon under attack in a Mosul, Iraq, police station. The terrorists hit the QRF with heavy fire upon arrival, killing or seriously injuring all but one of the commando officers. Coffman rallied the remaining forces to continue the fight, and radioed for more help. When a round shattered his shooting hand and damaged his rifle, Coffman bandaged up his hand and continued fighting with rifles he collected from the casualties piling up around him. Coffman and his team defended the station for four hours before help arrived. Coffman led the relief forces to his position and continued to fight, refusing medical evacuation until the battle was over. Once the threat was eliminated, 25 terrorists were killed and dozens were injured. For his actions and leadership, Coffman received the Distinguished Service Cross on Aug. 24, 2005.

Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Anthony S. Pryor:

Master Sgt. Pryor and his team were on a combat mission in Afghanistan on Jan. 23, 2002, searching for suspected terrorists. As Pryor and his team began moving through the area, enemy fighters began firing upon the group. The team got separated, leaving Pryor and another soldier clearing room by room. The other soldier was distracted by an enemy fighter and stayed outside to return fire. Pryor continued forward and as an enemy fighter came charging out of a room, Pryor assisted in killing him. He pushed ahead and found himself alone with three insurgents. As he was engaged with the two who had guns, an insurgent crept up behind Pryor and began attacking, breaking a clavicle and dislocating his shoulder. Pryor wrestled with the assailants, engaging in a hand-to-hand struggle and eventually eliminating him. The two gunmen Pryor had shot revived during the fight, and attempted to kill him, but Pryor quickly began shooting at them again, this time killing them. He then rejoined the fight outside the building. When the battle ended, 21 enemy fighters had been killed. For his actions, Pryor received the Silver Star on June 12, 2003.
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Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor

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CORONADO — A Navy SEAL sacrificed his life to save his comrades by throwing himself on top of a grenade Iraqi insurgents tossed into their sniper hideout, fellow members of the elite force said.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor had been near the only door to the rooftop structure Sept. 29 when the grenade hit him in the chest and bounced to the floor, said four SEALs who spoke to The Associated Press this week on condition of anonymity because their work requires their identities to remain secret.

"He never took his eye off the grenade, his only movement was down toward it," said a 28-year-old lieutenant who sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs that day. "He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs' lives, and we owe him."
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Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham

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(CNN) -- President Bush announced on Friday that the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, will be awarded posthumously to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham.

In April 2004, Dunham was leading a patrol in an Iraqi town near the Syrian border when the patrol stopped a convoy of cars leaving the scene of an attack on a Marine convoy, according to military and media accounts of the action.

An occupant of one of the cars attacked Dunham and the two fought hand to hand. As they fought, Dunham yelled to fellow Marines, "No, no watch his hand." The attacker then dropped a grenade and Dunham hurled himself on top of it, using his helmet to try to blunt the force of the blast.

Still, Dunham was critically wounded in the explosion and died eight days later at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

"As long as we have Marines like Corporal Dunham, America will never fear for her liberty," Bush said Friday as he announced that Dunham would receive the award. Bush spoke at the dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia. (Watch announcement of award at museum -- 1:27)

"His was a selfless act of courage to save his fellow Marines," Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Huff of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, was quoted as saying in Marine Corps News that April.

"He knew what he was doing," Lance Cpl. Jason A. Sanders, 21, of McAllester, Oklahoma, who was in Dunham's company, was quoted as saying by Marine Corps News. "He wanted to save Marines' lives from that grenade."

In various media accounts, fellow Marines told how Dunham had extended his enlistment shortly before he died so he could help his comrades.

"We told him he was crazy for coming out here," Lance Cpl. Mark E. Dean, 22, from Owasso, Oklahoma, said in Marine Corps News. "He decided to come out here and fight with us. All he wanted was to make sure his boys made it back home."

"He loved his country, believed in his mission, and wanted to stay with his fellow Marines and see the job through," Vice President Dick Cheney said when speaking of Dunham's heroism at a Disabled American Veterans conference in July 2004.
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Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith

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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith’s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” and the United States Army.
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Several More:

Chief Warrant Officer David R. Dunfee

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CAMP RIPPER, AL ASAD, Iraq (March 15, 2005) -- Chief Warrant Officer David R. Dunfee recalls in vivid detail his battalion’s mission to seize two key bridges in the Iraqi city of An Nasariyah more than two years ago. He remembers the sounds that 7.62 mm AK-47 rounds made as they pinged off the Saddam Canal Bridge. He also remembers the Marines who fought and died there.

Despite that clear recollection, he doesn’t believe he did anything out of the ordinary, especially not something extraordinary enough to warrant the awarding of the nation’s third highest award for bravery in combat.

Dunfee received the Silver Star Medal from Maj. Gen. Richard A. Huck, Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Division in ceremony here March 10.

Born in West Virginia, and raised in Florida the soft spoken Marine was recognized for his fearlessness in action while serving as the battalion “Gunner” for 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Task Force Tarawa, I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During the March 23 assault on enemy defenses in An Nasariyah, Dunfee dismounted from his vehicle and moved to an exposed position while under enemy fire in order to determine the composition and disposition of the enemy. In doing so, he was then able to provide assessment of the enemy and recommendations on how to employ friendly forces, which led to the destruction of nine Iraqi main battle tanks.

Dunfee was also recognized for placing his life before that of the Marines in his battalion when elements of 1st Marine Regiment mistakenly engaged a friendly unit as they passed through 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines’ lines.

His citation reads “from his location, he sprinted across open terrain to a position between the two units and using voice, hand and arm signals, he was successful in ceasing all fires.”

“I was just plain mad,” said Dunfee. “That is the best way I can describe it. I ran out yelling and beating on the sides of vehicles. I didn’t think about what I was doing I just wanted to stop what was happening.”


Army Master Sgt. Donald Hollenbaugh

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An even higher award is the Distinguished Service Cross, worn by such soldiers as Army Master Sgt. Donald Hollenbaugh, whose Special Forces team accompanied a Marine platoon on a probing attack into Falluja in April 2004. One of four men in an observation post atop a captured building, Hollenbaugh saw each of his comrades fall wounded, bleeding from shrapnel to the head. He dragged them to safety, one by one. Then he returned to hold the rooftop alone, making weary circuits to shoot north, throw grenades east, shoot south, over and over, until the Marine commander finally came up to pull him out. It was then that Hollenbaugh learned that his lonely fight had covered everyone else's retreat. "I was there for I don't know how long," said Hollenbaugh, now retired. "There was no emotion involved. It was just work."

Hollenbaugh's "work" earned him one of just 26 DSCs awarded since 9/11.


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Where are the Faces of the Living Heroes?
By Peter Brookes | March 5, 2007

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Every few weeks, The Washington Post runs a color-photo spread in the front-section of the paper called the "Faces of the Fallen."

On these pages, the Post displays the pictures of those servicemen and women who have given the last measure of devotion in Iraq or Afghanistan.

A "Faces of the Fallen" feature reminds us of the most precious sacrifices of war--our sons and daughters. Our brothers and sisters. Even mothers and fathers. Our fellow Americans.

For some, it might even serve as a necessary reminder that we are still at war.

But I would like to see another feature in the Post: a "Faces of the Heroes" item about those who are still out there serving and fighting.

Why shouldn't The Washington Post--and every other major paper in the country, for that matter--run a full-page spread on a regular basis showing the men and women who go above and beyond the call of duty, undertaking awe-inspiring acts of bravery in our national defense in Iraq, Afghanistan or the War on Terror?

How about highlighting the Army (National Guard) Staff Sergeant who recently won the Bronze Star in Afghanistan? Or the Air Force Captain who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in Iraq?

(See more at: http://www.defenselink.mil/home/dodupdate/heroes/index.html)

Recognizing the Fallen--who are heroes in their own right--is the appropriate thing to do. Whether we knew them or not, we mourn their loss. We rightfully honor their selfless service to our Nation.

But how about a prominent tribute to our living Heroes as well--servicemen and women on duty 24/7 in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere?

The Washington Post-- and the thousands of other print, TV and radio outlets out there that benefit from their sacrifice for our national security-- what do you say?



I thought it important to note that we here in NE Wisconsin will be honored with getting to meet MANY of America's Living Heroes later this year. Keep ya posted more on this later!

Green Bay to host 2007 Medal of Honor Conference
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