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Soldier gets Silver Star for use of Damaged weapon
EFL I decided to leave a title unaltered. The kid's actions shouldn't be cheapened by my desire for a cheapshot at Kerry.... In all the chaos, Pfc. Christopher Fernandez saw the stricken vehicle's M-240B machine gun was unused. Acting on instinct, Fernandez knew that another weapon would suppress the enemy's fire long enough to evacuate the wounded and leave the area. He left his vehicle, ran to the disabled humvee and recovered the weapon and its ammunition. Fernandez then opened fire on the enemy. What made all of that spectacular was the recovered weapon's condition, said Pugsley. The hand guards covering the machine-gun's barrel, so the gunner's hands won't burn, were blown off in the explosion. That didn't matter to Fernandez though; he kept firing even though his hands were burning. Almost 10 minutes later, the wounded were loaded onto the Fernandez's vehicle and the ambush site abandoned. Pugsley said two other Soldiers were recommended for Bronze Stars with Valor devices for their actions that night. One received it; the other received an Army Commendation with V device, he said. But to 1st Lt. Ryan Swindell, Fernandez's platoon leader, and Pugsley, Fernandez's actions during those hectic minutes warranted a Silver Star. "He bought those Soldiers time," Pugsley said Posted by: Super Hose 2004-08-21 |
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