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| Iraq |
| Narrative nominating SSG David Bellavia for the Medal of Honor |
| 2006-07-18 |
| On the night of 10 November 2004 Third Platoon, A Company, Task Force 2-2 IN near OBJ Wolf in Fallujah, Iraq, was ordered to attack to destroy six to eight Anti Iraqi Forces (AIF). 1LT Edward Iwan, the A Company Executive Officer, had identified six to eight AIF who had entered a block of twelve buildings. These AIF had engaged A55 and tanks from Team Tank with automatic weapons and rocket fire. Having a 25 mm cannon malfunction, 1LT Edward Iwan cordoned off the area and called Third Platoon to enter and clear all buildings until the AIF were killed or captured. . . . When they came to the tenth home, SSG Colin Fitts, 1st Squad Leader, led his squad of soldiers into the house, with four soldiers from SSG Bellavias 2nd Squad. SGT Hugh Hall, 1st Squad, B Team Leader and SGT Warren Misa 1st Squad, A Team Leader, established a quick foothold in the interior of the house. When SGT Misa attempted to clear the second room he encountered heavy enemy fire. Two AIF were under a stairwell, well covered behind a three-foot barrier, engaging SGT Misa and SPC Lance Ohle as they attempted to move into the room. At that point, multiple bursts of automatic and semi-automatic gunfire were exchanged from extremely close quarters. As rounds impacted near the entry point of the house, nine Third Platoon soldiers became fixed inside the house. At that moment, fire erupted from a kitchen ground floor window onto the inner cordon in th e carport of the house. At one point, gun fire was being exchanged inside and outside of the house, as a total of three dismounted squads from Third Platoon were in contact. SSG Bellavia quickly requested a M240B machine gun and a M249 SAW to suppress the AIF under the stairs in an effort to break contact and consolidate the platoon. Rounds from the insurgent side of the wall began impacting through the poorly made plaster. Multiple soldiers were bleeding from the face from flying debris. Two soldiers had glass and metal shards in their face, one soldier had been grazed on the side of his stomach underneath his vest and at least six others were bleeding from some cut or scrape from the point blank fire they were receiving. As two soldiers answered the request for support, it became apparent that the entrance to the building was extremely dangerous from ricocheting rounds. Rather than place his soldier at risk, SSG Bellavia moved quickly to come to the aid of the squad. . . . Go read it all. No further coment is really necessary. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #12 he's a nominee - on Fox right now! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-07-18 17:23 |
| #11 if this isn't reason for a medal of honor i don't know what would be |
| Posted by: Thromort Glomoger4987 2006-07-18 17:00 |
| #10 He and others have set up an organization http://www.vetsforfreedom.org/blog/ Just returned from a trip to Iraq with another soldier (on their own). Great writeups on the blog about their trip. I'm not sure whether it was David or his buddy I saw on Fox, but he was an extremely articulate guy, full of words about "we are winning" and praise for the Iraqi Army. And this article about the embed with the Iraqi Army in Weekly Standard. http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/443zhpmy.asp Good reads, if you haven't been following them. I've been following them but had no idea of this! (Mods, sorry about the long linky thing, the Link button never works for me) |
| Posted by: Sherry 2006-07-18 15:45 |
| #9 That's my job, mcsegeek1. I've been practicing a lot, lately. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-18 14:25 |
| #8 "We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." ---Will Rogers |
| Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-07-18 13:55 |
| #7 From the FrontPage link: David Bellavia is a former Army Staff Sergeant who served in the First Infantry Division for six years. He has been recommended for the Medal of Honor by his leadership, and has been nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross. He has received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Conspicuous Service Cross (New York states highest combat valor award) and was recently inducted into the New York State Veteran’s Hall of Fame. His Task Force 2-2 Infantry has fought on such battlefields as Al Muqdadiyah, An Najaf, Al Fallujah, Mosul, and Baqubah. His actions in Fallujah, Iraq were documented in the November 22, 2004 cover story “Into the Hot Zone” by award winning journalist Michael Ware. He is 30 years old. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-18 13:32 |
| #6 Great story. Swat work in Hell, only this time the bad guys are not hicks in meth labs, but heavily armed Krazed Killers ready to lay down their lives for allan. This Bellavia guy is real-life Sergant Rock material. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-07-18 13:24 |
| #5 Unless there's a heck of a coincidence in names, here's Sergeant Bellavia leveling an M240 keyboard at Congressman Murtha to lethal effect. |
| Posted by: Matt 2006-07-18 13:12 |
| #4 Definitely a great story. I am also impressed with the considerable stones on Michael Ware. He's a bit of a negative nancy, but you can't accuse him of hiding out in the Green Zone. |
| Posted by: Tibor 2006-07-18 11:11 |
| #3 I can't wait to see the movie. Maybe they'll do a series on him. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-07-18 09:59 |
| #2 Damn. SSG Bellavia is a true warrior and a machine. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-18 09:44 |
| #1 Thank you Sargeant Bellavfias. I suspect there's been a lot more of this going on than even we at the burg realize. The word needs to get out and the thanks of the nation needs to be made clear to all. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-18 07:47 |