Lt. Col. Phil Appleton, the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, 77th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, congratulates Spc. Christopher Soderholm, a mine resistant ambush protected vehicle driver for F Company, 3rd Battalion, and a native of Baker City, Ore., during a July 4 Bronze Star Medal ceremony at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Photo by Staff Sgt. Patrick Caldwell

Indecision often haunts the heart of combat.

Inside the chaos of crisis, where the standard definitions of time distorts and overlaps, uncertainty rules and often a moment of hesitation translates into tragedy.

Yet for Spc. Christopher Soderholm, a mine resistant ambush protected vehicle driver for Foxtrot Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, 77th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command and a native of Baker City, Ore., his calm resolution proved to be the difference the night he saved his gunner in the wake of an improvised explosive device detonation.

What Soderholm did that night and how he did it was brought into sharp focus July 5 when he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, for his actions when the MRAP he was driving hit an IED.

Even now, months later, Soderholm said he still struggles to accurately express what occurred during the incident.

“It is hard to describe,” he said.

The night of the IED strike, Soderholm said his crew was almost back to JBB on what he called a routine mission.

“It was just another mission,” he said. “I was thinking about getting back and getting maintenance done.”

In a burst of light Soderholm’s vehicle was hit by the blast of an IED.

As Soderholm brought the big MRAP to a stop he said muscle memory took over. Behind him, Spc. Maximillian Miller, an MRAP gunner for F Company and a native of Dundee, Ore., appeared to be injured. Soderholm acted quickly as he stopped the MRAP.

“I pulled Miller out before I opened the door,” Soderholm said.

Soderholm carried Miller out of the MRAP and away from the vehicle. He then turned around and ran back to the vehicle, grabbed a fire extinguisher and started to fight a fire that had broken out from the vehicle.

The action of carrying his gunner out of the MRAP after the IED explosion happened in a flash for Soderholm. He said there was little forethought involved in the action.

“When it is your buddy in there you don’t hesitate,” he said. “I pulled him out of that truck on instinct.”

Miller and Staff Sgt. Tony Cox, the MRAP truck commander and a native of Redmond, Ore., both returned to duty shortly after the incident.

Soderholm said the training he received before the battalion departed the United States was the primary factor in his actions.

“I used to get mad at Gowen Field, [Idaho] or Camp Shelby, [Mississippi] with some of the training. Then I got thrown into the real world, and all that training created muscle memory,” he said.

Soderholm also said he can now relate to the stories he’s read or heard regarding soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice to help a comrade.

“When something like that happens, you know, you jump on that grenade for your buddy. I understand [now] why people do that,” he said.

Maj. Jason Lambert, the executive officer for F Co. and a native of Hermiston, Ore., said Soderholm’s performance that night was outstanding.

“I think he captures the essence of what makes a great Cavalry trooper. A soldier who steps up like that has a huge impact on the entire unit through his example. It sets the tone,” said Lambert.

“I’m extremely proud of Chris Soderholm. He is a very brave kid,” said Capt. Max Arvidson, the commander of F Company and a native of Parma, Idaho.

A quiet, reserved soldier, Soderholm said he is pleased he was awarded the Bronze Star medal but added he was simply doing his duty.

“I was able to do what I was supposed to do when I needed to. I’m proud I was able to do my job,” he said.

DVIDS
Story by Staff Sgt. Patrick Caldwell

Cpl. Zachary D. Byron, a pashto linguist with Headquarters and Support Company, 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force, stands at attention as he is awarded the Bronze Star with a combat distinguishing device and the Purple Heart, May 20. Byron was shot twice and continued to translate enemy communication while falling in and out of consciousness allowing his squad to avert an enemy assault. Photo by Sgt. Marcy Sanchez

A Marine with I Marine Expeditionary Force, received a Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device during an awards ceremony here, May 20.

Cpl. Zachary D. Byron, a Pashto linguist currently assigned to 1st Radio Battalion, was presented the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for actions while serving with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment in November 2010.

Byron’s squad was caught in an enemy ambush in the vicinity Durzay, Afghanistan located in southern Helmand province.

“You can never simulate that kind of environment ever again,” said Byron, from Marion, N.Y. “It was a wakeup call for all of us. When the guy in front of me got hit I couldn’t see him, but I heard him yelling. I immediately got up and moved toward him.”

Byron, 23, was shot in the wrist and thigh as he tried to render aid on the injured Marine in front of him.

Cpl. Zachary D. Byron, a pashto linguist with Headquarters and Support Company, 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force, was awarded the Bronze Star with a combat distinguishing device and the Purple Heart, May 20. Photo by Sgt. Marcy Sanchez

“When I got shot in my leg everything kind of stopped,” Byron said. “I got a feeling of straight fear — fear that things were going to get a lot worse.”

As he fell in and out of consciousness from blood loss, he continued to translate enemy communications, allowing the squad to avert another assault.

“I had a sense of loyalty to my job and my troops to make sure I didn’t fail them,” Byron said.

Sgt. Maj. Albert Diaz, the sergeant major of 1st Radio Bn., complimented Byron’s humbling personality and wasn’t surprised to hear of his heroic actions.

“He is always going out of his way to help somebody,” Diaz said. “He is always sought out for advice.”

Sgt. Michael J. McCabe said the Bronze Star is well deserved and is witness to Byron’s outstanding performance.

“He’s very selfless when it comes to his job and accomplishing his tasks,” said McCabe, a team trainer with Headquarters and Support Company, 1st Radio Bn., who served as Byron’s team leader in Afghanistan. “I don’t think there’s enough you can say about his performance. He’s by far the best Marine I’ve ever worked with.”

“It’s a great honor, not just for me, but for 1st Radio Bn.,” Byron said. “There were a lot of Marines in the squad whose actions encouraged me to push on.”

The Bronze Star is awarded for the fourth highest award received for combat actions in the U.S. Armed Forces.

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. Marcy Sanchez

Here are some excerpts and links to stories about a number of heroes from the War on Terror. All deserve our thanks. Follow the link at the end of each item for more information.

Staff Sergeant Michael Bock – Silver Star

Bock was honored for his service at a ceremony in Bellevue, NE. Bock served his country and was killed fighting in Afghanistan back in August. His commanding officer described him as a hero.

“But what makes a hero? You are not born with it. In my opinion. No way. You train, it is installed from mom and dad values and courage. Then you marry it. Serving others while serving one self can be noble. But a special type of nobility attaches itself to those who serve others at a cost to themselves. That can define with hero means but Michael Bock was a hero,” said Lt. Col. Bain.

Fox 42 News

On March 7, 2010, Private Cook was killed on a remote mountain in Afghanistan when insurgents attacked his unit.

“The mission that we had to do was important, and it turned to tragedy when he fell,” says Sgt. First Class James Pozin, who was Private Cook’s platoon leader.

Sgt. Pozin says Cook wasn’t with their platoon for long, but that he left an impression on the men he served with.

“I think everyone in that squad calls him a friend or a brother,” says Pozin. “His leadership loved him. I enjoyed having him on the missions I was on.”

NBC montana.com

Capt. Matthew Martin and his wife, Michelle, pose in their Hampstead home.

Capt. Matthew Martin – Bronze Star with V (second award)

The story of how he earned the two medals reflects how warfare has evolved in recent years. The first was for his part in actions to capture and hold two bridges in Iraq, a combat story that could almost have come from the World War II movie “Saving Private Ryan.”

The second Bronze Star, which he expects to receive next month, is for the how he led a company into a lawless area of Afghanistan, destroying poppy fields and holding meetings, or “shuras,” with village elders.

Star News online

“I’ll never forget that day,” Vandesande said. “It was my first patrol in Afghanistan. We were returning home to our base when they came up behind us. Two of my Marines were hit and both went down. They called for me and that was pretty much it.”

One of the Marines had been shot in the right thigh and again in his left thigh, shattering his femur, Vandesande said. The other was hit with shrapnel in the back of the head.

Under heavy enemy fire and unable to move the injured Marines, Vandesande stayed with them and treated their injuries as best he could until a medical evacuation helicopter arrived.

“I was kind of in the middle of it all,” Vandesande said. “So I pulled them about 10 or 15 feet into a ditch and waited for everyone to catch up.”

Both Marines survived, according to the citation.

Island Packet

Marine Cpl. Cory J. Gibson of Lacey, Wash., receives the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device from Lt. Col. Joseph Raftery during a ceremony at the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Training Center here, Monday. Gibson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for his heroic actions taken after an improvised explosive device attack on his squad in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 26. Photo by Warren Wright

Initiative, courage and dedication are just a few of the words used to describe the heroic and selfless actions taken by then Lance Cpl. Cory J. Gibson after his squad was hit by an improvised explosive device while assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan.

For his heroic actions on Aug. 26, 2009 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Gibson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the Combat Distinguishing Device in a ceremony held at the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Training Center here, Monday, Nov. 1.

According to the Secretary of the Navy Instruction 1650.1g, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.

“The Marine Corps puts a lot of weight on combat awards,” said Capt. Lance Day who served as Gibson’s company commander during their tour in Afghanistan. “As a company commander, to have a Marine with the guts to do what he did, it’s an absolute bonus. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Gibson, a resident of Lacey, Wash., distinguished himself by taking immediate action to help his injured squad mates after the explosion. The IED injured seven out of the eight Marines in the squad, including Gibson’s squad leader who suffered severe arterial bleeding.

Injured himself, Gibson moved from Marine to Marine, providing first aid to those who needed it and radioed a situation report and a request for support from his higher headquarters.

Once the medical evacuation helicopters arrived on scene, Gibson helped carry his injured comrades to the casualty evacuation site, carrying some Marines more than 100 meters with a full combat load.

Wounded with a severe concussion and fragmentation wounds to his lower extremities, Gibson refused to take a seat on the evacuation helicopter, waiting until all of his fellow Marines who were more severely wounded were evacuated.

“Today we’re here to present an award to (Gibson) for his actions and participation in Operation Enduring freedom over there in Afghanistan. It’s quite a story and I’m humbled by it,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Raftery, the inspector instructor for the 4th Marine Landing Support Battalion based here. “Few words can sum up what kind of Marine Cpl Gibson is.”

“He took the initiative right away,” said Raftery. “It took courage to carry on and bring his fellow marines to safety.”

“The Strength, the bearing, the love for fellow marines, your actions and presence of mind; take all that and it sums up, in my eyes, a hero and a dedicated marine,” said Raftery.

When speaking to Gibson, Raftery said, “I know you don’t consider yourself a hero, but in my eyes, you’re a hero to me, you’re a hero to that battalion.”

“I didn’t do what I did for the award,” said Gibson. “It feels like a big deal, but it’s not a big deal. I’m glad I got it and I’m glad they recognized me, but I would have rather not lived that day.”

Even though Gibson would prefer to have not experienced the event, it has not swayed his dedication to his country and to the Marine Corps. Gibson, currently a college student, is planning on re-enlisting in the active duty Marine Corps so that he can deploy again and serve alongside his fellow Marines.

Story by Sgt. Warren Wright
DVIDS

Petty Officer 2nd Class William Harris, a Navy corpsman, spent 10 months in Afghanistan last year as an adviser with Embedded Training Team 5-4, working with Afghan National Army units. He was presented with two Bronze Stars and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, each with a combat ''V,'' for his actions in Afghanistan. And he was promoted meritoriously. Courtsey of William Harris

Petty Officer 2nd Class William J. Harris was awarded two Bronze Stars with V devices, and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with V device, in a ceremony February 1.

Harris was also meritoriously promoted to the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class in the same ceremony. Harris, a native of Monroe, Michigan, received the three awards for valor for actions taken in three separate engagements with hostile forces in Afghanistan.

Major General Raymond C. Fox, commanding general of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, was on hand and gave brief opening remarks to begin the ceremony.

Lieutenant Colonel Daniel E. Fennell, commanding officer of Marine Air Control Squadron 4, presented Harris with the awards on behalf of the President of the United States.

“The fact that Petty Officer 2nd Class Harris is receiving three awards, all with combat distinguishing devices, for three separate incidents in Afghanistan is extremely remarkable,” Fennell said. “This is representative of his hard work, resolve, and tremendous service throughout the entire length of his deployment in Afghanistan, and it is impossible to put into words the positive impact that he had on the other service members with whom he served.”

“HM2 William Harris was an astonishing warrior and sailor throughout his entire ETT deployment to Afghanistan,” said Capt. John R. Farris, Harris’s officer in charge in Afghanistan. “The bottom line is that what led Harris to his receiving three awards at once was his leadership and courage during the most ferocious of times. HM2 Harris will always be a Spartan brother of mine.”

On January 17, 2009, after a CH-47 helicopter was shot down in the Korengal Valley, Harris provided heavy machine gun fire to “ward off” the enemy, enabling helicopters to fly safely into the valley to evacuate casualties.

On July 1, 2009, in another incident, Harris risked his life in order to move elements of the Afghanistan National Army to a safe and covered position, took action to provide more effective fires on enemy targets, and provided medical treatment to a wounded Afghan soldier.

On July 30, 2009, Harris again risked his life to move 400 meters under heavy fire from the enemy in order to treat a wounded U.S. soldier. He then organized a team to evacuate the soldier, and led them over 500 meters to a secure location.

According to the award citations (attached), Harris, currently assigned as a hospital corpsmen with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, participated in over 60 combat operations, and was involved in over 50 engagements with the enemy.

Harris served in Afghanistan from November 22, 2008 until August 22, 2009 and was assigned as an advisor with Embedded Training Team 5-4, 3rd Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 201st Corps, Afghan National Army.

Marines Corps
by 1stLt John D. Norton

Medals mark Navy corpsman’s courage

‘It’s all training and instinct’
Petty Officer 2nd Class William Harris | Afghanistan | 2009