Topic: Two Guard soldiers receive Silver Stars

Team Infidel

Sgt. 1st Class Chad Stevens acted heroically more than two years ago during a battle with insurgents in a town north of Baghdad.
On Sunday, he will receive a Silver Star for his actions that day.
The North Carolina National Guardsman, a member of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 120th Infantry, will be honored at a 2 p.m. ceremony at the National Guard Armory in Jacksonville.
His citation reads, in part, that Stevens led his platoon in heavy combat without regard for his personal safety against an enemy that was trying to control the city of Baqubah.
On June 24, 2004, he fought through two ambushes and managed to get his wounded to a casualty collection point. Stevens then crossed 50 meters of open terrain under small arms fire, mounted the turret of a Bradley and single handedly lifted the vehicle’s mortally wounded gunner up and out of the hatch.
He lowered the soldier to the medics while rounds impacted the vehicle all around him, returned to his vehicle, reorganized his platoon and led them to Forward Operating Base Gabe, even through a direct hit from a rocket propelled grenade wounded his gunner.
It’s the second Silver Star ceremony in a week. Spc. Richard Ghent, 20, of the New Hampshire National Guard, received a Silver Star for actions in Ramadi on March 1, for which he also received a Purple Heart – his second.
In the attack, Ghent, a member of B Troop, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry, was thrown from the turret of his Humvee after a grenade was hurled at his vehicle, according to the citation.
The driver was killed instantly, the truck commander severely wounded and Ghent sustained a gunshot wound in his back, among other injuries.
Regaining his orientation, Ghent got to his feet and, using his sidearm – a 9 mm pistol – charged the enemy and drove them away from the observation post without benefit of concealment or cover fire.
Ghent held his ground, expending nearly all his ammunition, until relieved by elements of his platoon.

http://www.armytimes.com/print.php?f...25-2300317.php

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