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Anchorage Daily News
December 13, 2007
Pg. B2
A Fort Wainwright soldier was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration Wednesday by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr.
Sgt. Gregory Williams, a member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as a squad leader during combat operations in Iraq in October 2006.
While patrolling a neighborhood in Baghdad, Williams' platoon was attacked by armed insurgents.
Williams was burned, wounded and temporarily knocked unconscious, the Army said in a prepared statement, but he managed to recover his injured platoon leader, get back to his Stryker and return fire with its 50-caliber machine gun.
Williams' fire freed three other soldiers who were pinned down, which allowed them to aid wounded soldiers.
The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in combat. It is second only to the Medal of Honor.
Casey came to Alaska to present the honor to Williams at Fort Wainwright and to meet with troops at Fort Richardson. The second stop on his trip was canceled because of heavy fog over Anchorage Wednesday.
During his visit with Williams and other brigade members, the general said the Fort Wainwright unit can expect to be redeployed to Iraq around September.
December 13, 2007
Pg. B2
A Fort Wainwright soldier was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration Wednesday by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr.
Sgt. Gregory Williams, a member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as a squad leader during combat operations in Iraq in October 2006.
While patrolling a neighborhood in Baghdad, Williams' platoon was attacked by armed insurgents.
Williams was burned, wounded and temporarily knocked unconscious, the Army said in a prepared statement, but he managed to recover his injured platoon leader, get back to his Stryker and return fire with its 50-caliber machine gun.
Williams' fire freed three other soldiers who were pinned down, which allowed them to aid wounded soldiers.
The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in combat. It is second only to the Medal of Honor.
Casey came to Alaska to present the honor to Williams at Fort Wainwright and to meet with troops at Fort Richardson. The second stop on his trip was canceled because of heavy fog over Anchorage Wednesday.
During his visit with Williams and other brigade members, the general said the Fort Wainwright unit can expect to be redeployed to Iraq around September.