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 Private
First Class Jeremy Church,
U.S. Army, was driving the
lead vehicle in a convoy
along one of the most
dangerous routes in Iraq to
pick up fuel at Baghdad
International Airport when
150 – 200 members of the al
Sadr militia ambushed the
convoy with RPGs, IEDs and
small-arms fire.
Church drove aggressively
through the kill-zone to
dodge explosions, obstacles,
and small arms fire. When
the convoy commander was
shot, Church grabbed his
first aid pouch, ripped it
open, and told the platoon
leader to apply a bandage.
When an IED blew out a tire,
Church continued driving for
four miles on only three
tires, all the while firing
his M-16 out the window with
his left hand. He finally
led the convoy into a
security perimeter
established by a cavalry
company. After carrying his
platoon leader to a casualty
collection point for
treatment, Church rallied
the troops to launch an
immediate recovery mission
and escorted them back into
the kill-zone.
Church identified the
assistant commander's
vehicle amidst heavy black
smoke and the wreckage of
burning fuel tankers to find
two more wounded soldiers
and four civilian truck
drivers. He treated a
soldier with a sucking chest
wound and carried him to a
recovery vehicle while
exposing himself to
continuous enemy fire from
both sides of the road.
When all the wounded were
loaded in the truck, there
was no room for Church, who
volunteered to remain
behind. He climbed into a
disabled Humvee for cover
and continued firing at and
killing insurgents until the
recovery team returned. He
loaded up several more
wounded before sweeping the
area for sensitive items and
evacuating.
Church was credited with
saving the lives of at least
five soldiers and four
civilians. The commitment,
selfless service, and
personal courage Church
demonstrated during the
April 9, 2004, attack earned
him the distinction of being
the Army Reserve's first
Silver Star recipient in the
Iraq War and the first Army
Reserve soldier to earn that
medal since the Vietnam War. |
