 |
Scout News In San Diego California |
 |
|
Thursday Sep 09th |
Home
| Recognition for Heroism |
|
|
|
| Monday, 19 January 2009 | |
Marines, sailor awarded Navy Cross, Silver Stars
 From left to right: Joshua R. Mooi, formerly a lance corporal, stands at attention after being awarded a Navy Cross medal. Gunnery Sgt. Robert W. Homer, instructor, School of Infantry West, Javier Alvarez, formerly a corporal, and Jesse P. Hickey, formerly a petty officer third class, stand at attention after being awarded Silver Star medals during an award ceremony at Camp Pendleton, Jan. 8. They were awarded the medals for their actions during a firefight on Nov. 16, 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Navy Cross medal is the second highest award a Marine or sailor can receive. The Silver Star medal is the third highest medal a Marine or sailor can receive. Both can only be awarded for acts of heroism during combat. Joshua R. Mooi, formerly a lance corporal, was awarded a Navy Cross medal during the ceremony. 2nd Lt. Donald R. McGlothlin, Gunnery Sgt. Robert W. Homer, Javier Alvarez, formerly a corporal, and Jesse P. Hickey, formerly a petty officer third class, were all awarded Silver Star medals during the ceremony. McGlothlin was awarded the medal posthumously. The recipients were assigned to second platoon, Company F, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Marines and sailor were a part of Operation Steel Curtain, a 17-day offensive that took place in Iraq in the cities of Husaybah, Karabilah and Ubaydi. Steel Curtain was designed to prevent al-Qaeda terrorists from operating in the Euphrates River valley and throughout the al Anbar province. The operation made way for the establishment of a permanent Iraqi Army security presence.  On Nov. 16, 2005, during Operation Steel Curtain, 21 enemy personnel engaged the platoon with grenades and automatic fire from several fortified buildings. According to Lance Cpl. Mooi's Navy Cross citation, Mooi attacked the enemy at close range with grenades and his rifle to personally recover four wounded Marines and destroy fierce adversaries who were determined to fight to their death. Often alone in his efforts, he continued to destroy the enemy and rescue wounded Marines until his rifle was destroyed by enemy fire and he was ordered to withdraw. “He had a lot of initiative. He did a lot of things on his own that day,” said Homer. “He was unfazed and very focused. He was my eyes and ears during the ambush.” With such a heavy assault from the enemy, every Marine had to take action to ensure Marine lives were not lost. Homer repeatedly exposed himself to the effects of grenades and small arms fire as he moved to assist Marines who were heavily engaged. After saving three wounded Marines’ lives by removing them from the effects of enemy fire, he returned to the stronghold and rescued another wounded Marine. As fighting between the Marines and insurgents escalated, Alvarez took the initiative to detach his squad from tank security and engage the enemy. He led his squad 100 meters through enemy kill zones to reinforce an embattled squad and his platoon commander. During the chaos, he took cover to change magazines for a third time when an enemy grenade was thrown amidst his Marines. He immediately retrieved the grenade, but as he hurled it away from his Marines and toward the enemy, it exploded. The blast severely injured Alvarez and he was evacuated. As Marines were injured during the battle, Hickey, the squad’s corpsman at the time, exposed himself to automatic gunfire while rushing 75 meters through an enemy kill zone to assist and evacuate wounded Marines. “I don’t know the time frame, but it felt like forever,” said Hickey. “It’s like you’re there, but you’re not there because you have so much adrenaline pumping.” Hickey ran into the heart of the fierce melee to provide first aid to a severely wounded Marine who lay immobilized in the kill zone. In his efforts to provide care for the Marine, enemy grenades exploded and Hickey sustained shrapnel wounds to his whole body. “It’s easy to say someone is your brother, but when you prove to each other that you’re willing to die for him and he’d die for you, then it really means something,” Hickey said. “These really are my brothers.” With the lives of his Marines on the line, McGlothlin maneuvered through the insurgents' strong point and immediately engaged the insurgents to secure and recover his embattled Marines. “He didn’t have to go into that house,” Homer said. “There would be a lot more dead Marines if he hadn’t done what he did.” While his last Marine was being evacuated from the building, McGlothlin, with no regard for his life, shielded the recovery effort from grenade blasts and commenced a fierce exchange of small-arms fire with enemy until he was mortally wounded. “If Donald was in a position to help, he would do that,” said Ruth McGlothlin, McGlothlin’s mother, “He was always very giving.” At the end of the fight, McGlothlin gave everything he had, and ultimately made the greatest sacrifice for the Marines he led into battle. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
live
 |
RSS Feeds
