Captain's Quarters -

Give Thanks By Sending Thanks

Tomorrow, Americans will gather together and give thanks for all the blessings of our lives. Some Americans will not have that opportunity, and ironically, they are as a unit one of our greatest blessings. The men and women who keep this nation safe and who protect the freedom and liberty of others will not have the luxury of a holiday from their missions.

Now we can send them a message of thanks straight from our cell phones. The major cell carriers have agreed to participate in The Giving Thanks Campaign, which asks Americans to text a message of support that will get delivered to men and women all over the world wearing the US uniform. All you have to do is send a text message from your cellphone to 89279 to brighten someone's day -- and it won't cost a penny. I sent my message already and received two responses.

I'm including the GTC widget on this post. It shows the latest messages and provides the links back to the website for more information. Give thanks by sending thanks, and let our men and women know that they're in our thoughts and prayers this holiday weekend.

Celebrate Veterans Day With Project Valour-IT!

BlogWorld Expo had plenty of reasons to make attendance last week worthwhile, but meeting Chuck Ziegenfuss was one of the best. Chuck began the Project Valour-IT fundraising effort at Soldier's Angels, the fund that gives voice-operated laptops to severely wounded veterans who need help in re-establishing themselves in civilian society. I joined the Navy team, which appears to have solidified our hold on last place. Yikes!

The contest is all in fun, but the donations go to a great cause and to wonderful people who risked their lives and health for our nation. On Veterans Day, please find a few more dollars to support the men and women who need and deserve our support.

And to our veterans -- including the Admiral Emeritus and all three of my mother's brothers -- thank you for your service to our nation.

Honoring America's Best

The US will award the Medal of Honor to Lt. Michael P. Murphy posthumously for his courage and determination to save the lives of his team at the expense of his own. The announcement, made Thursday, makes Murphy the first sailor to be so honored since the Vietnam War and the first recipient for action in Afghanistan. Murphy's story reveals much about how America fights the war on terror, and it demonstrates once again the courage and honor in one of America's finest and most elite fighting units:

Two years after his death in Afghanistan, Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who grew up in Patchogue and joined the elite Navy SEALs after college, has been awarded the nation's highest battlefield award, the Medal of Honor, for a valiant attempt to save the lives of comrades that cost him his own.

"This tells the country what we already know about Michael -- that he was a hero," his father, Daniel Murphy, said after receiving the news Thursday that the White House had made the announcement of the award shortly after noon Thursday. ...

That month, Murphy and three other SEALs -- Petty Officer Matt Axelson, 29, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny Dietz, 25 -- were inserted by helicopter onto a remote mountaintop near the border. They were four men on a secret mission to track a high-ranking Taliban warlord, Newsday reported last May. But they were discovered first by an Afghan goat herder who stumbled upon their hiding place in a mountainside forest. Not long after, the four SEALs were surrounded by dozens of armed insurgents, and a fierce battle ensued.

The lone survivor of the incident, Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell, 29, of Texas, has called Murphy, the team's leader, "an iron-souled warrior of colossal, almost unbelievable courage." According to Luttrell's account, as told to Navy superiors and in a recently published book, Murphy displayed "an extreme act of valor" when he ran into the open -- and suffered a bullet wound when he did -- in a last-ditch attempt to call for help and save his fellow SEALs.

Some wonder why hear of no El Alameins, no D-Days, no Iwo Jimas in the war on terror. They believe that a lack of glorious battlefield triumphs mean that we make no progress. However, men like Murphy and the SEALs in action on the ground fight a much different kind of war -- a quieter, deadlier war that has a special nobility of its own. Without men like Murphy and the other commandos at work, we would have to fall back to a strategy that Barack Obama once accused the military of using -- "air raiding villages and killing civilians" that would not only be inhumane but counterproductive as well. These quiet warriors don't just save American lives, but Afghan and Pakistani lives as well.

This necessarily puts them at higher risk, but they accept that gladly in service to our nation. Murphy, like all other SEALs and commandos, volunteered for the opportunity to serve in just such a situation. Men like Murphy would not panic at an adverse situation, and leaders of his caliber would not hesitate to risk his life to save those of his men.

I'm blessed to know a SEAL and to call him my friend. He's served his country for over 30 years, and he tells me about the closeness of the SEAL community where he lives -- and where he also serves in a first-responder capacity when not on active duty. It's the kind of tradition that makes America both proud and humble, because one cannot demand this devotion or even request it -- it must be given. Lt. Murphy gave his last full measure of devotion in the highest and most honorable tradition of our military, and it's only fitting that he receive his nation's highest honor.

Godspeed, Lt. Michael Murphy. You have honored us all.

Saluting Our Veterans

I want to wish all of our brave and courageous men in uniform, past and present, a happy Veteran's Day. These men and women served our nation to protect the freedoms we enjoy, and in many cases to bring liberty where oppression and tyranny existed. It goes without saying that we owe our own freedoms and liberties to these fine, courageous Americans, who dedicated themselves and their lives to our great nation.

Last night, the First Mate and I watched an edition of Shootout! on the History Channel. This series reviews famous firefights from various battles, analyzing them and profiling the men who survived them. Last night, they featured the Battle of the Bulge and several engagements between American and German troops, and one man's story struck me as particularly emblematic of the fortitude of simple American citizens fighting for their country. Meet Melvin Earl Biddle, one of only 150 living Medal of Honor recipients:

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Near Soy, Belgium, 23‑24 December 1944. Entered service at: Anderson, Ind. Birth: 28 November 1923, Daleville, Ind. G.O. No.: 95, 30 October 1945.

Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy near Soy, Belgium, on 23 and 24 December 1944. Serving as lead scout during an attack to relieve the enemy‑encircled town of Hotton, he aggressively penetrated a densely wooded area, advanced 400 yards until he came within range of intense enemy rifle fire, and within 20 yards of enemy positions killed 3 snipers with unerring marksmanship. Courageously continuing his advance an additional 200 yards, he discovered a hostile machine-gun position and dispatched its 2 occupants. He then located the approximate position of a well‑concealed enemy machine-gun nest, and crawling forward threw hand grenades which killed two Germans and fatally wounded a third. After signaling his company to advance, he entered a determined line of enemy defense, coolly and deliberately shifted his position, and shot 3 more enemy soldiers. Undaunted by enemy fire, he crawled within 20 yards of a machine-gun nest, tossed his last hand grenade into the position, and after the explosion charged the emplacement firing his rifle.

When night fell, he scouted enemy positions alone for several hours and returned with valuable information which enabled our attacking infantry and armor to knock out 2 enemy tanks. At daybreak he again led the advance and, when flanking elements were pinned down by enemy fire, without hesitation made his way toward a hostile machine-gun position and from a distance of 50 yards killed the crew and 2 supporting riflemen. The remainder of the enemy, finding themselves without automatic weapon support, fled panic stricken. Pfc. Biddle's intrepid courage and superb daring during his 20 hour action enabled his battalion to break the enemy grasp on Hotton with a minimum of casualties.

The Battle of the Bulge was a close-run victory. Men like Melvin Biddle and many others helped slow down and stop the German advance before they could seize fuel and food depots and continue their desperate counteroffensive. Mr. Biddle is still with us and living in Indiana; like so many of America's heroes, he returned home from war and helped build the country he protected with his industriousness and dedication.

To men like Melvin Biddle -- and my own father -- Captain's Quarters delivers a heartfelt thanks for your service to and love of America.

Godspeed, Michael Monsoor

Whether or not one agrees with the war in Iraq, no one can dispute the courage and honor of the American citizen soldier/sailor/airman, the volunteers that serve our country and defend liberty and freedom around the world. The latest example of the selflessness that these men and women demonstrate comes from Michael Mansoor, a Navy SEAL who gave his life to save his comrades. When an Iraqi insurgent tossed a grenade into a position occupied by Mansoor and four others, Mansoor instinctively dove -- on top of it:

Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor had been near the only door to the rooftop structure Sept. 29 when the grenade hit him in the chest and bounced to the floor, said four SEALs who spoke to The Associated Press this week on condition of anonymity because their work requires their identities to remain secret.

"He never took his eye off the grenade, his only movement was down toward it," said a 28-year-old lieutenant who sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs that day. "He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs' lives, and we owe him."

Monsoor, a 25-year-old gunner, was killed in the explosion in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. He was only the second SEAL to die in Iraq since the war began.

Two SEALs next to Monsoor were injured; another who was 10 to 15 feet from the blast was unhurt. The four had been working with Iraqi soldiers providing sniper security while U.S. and Iraqi forces conducted missions in the area.

CQ readers will recall that I have a friend in the SEALs, also named Mike, who has served in Iraq. I know the kind of character and quality that SEALs have, and I'm not surprised by Mansoor's instinctive heroism. We should make sure that the rest of the country understands the kind of Americans we have on the front lines -- brave, selfless people who want to make the world a better place.

Godspeed, Michael Mansoor. You have the thanks of a grateful nation, and we know you have just landed on a better shore. (via CQ reader Stoo)

Remembering Sgt. Paul Smith

Derek Brigham of Freedom Dogs has arranged for a Minnesota Organization of Bloggers blogburst in memory of Sgt. Paul Smith, the first Medal of Honor recipient in the global war on terror. I wrote about Sgt, Smith when his heroism in battle first got him nominated for the posthumous award in May 2004, and again earlier this year for Memorial Day. Today is Sgt. Smith's birthday, and thanks to his actions in protecting his men, more than 100 of them will see their next birthdays.

Here again is the story of Sgt. Paul Smith's heroic actions:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith
United States Army

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith’s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” and the United States Army.

I also want to remind Minnesotans that we have an opportunity to thank our own heroes who have returned from their tours of duty. Next Saturday, September 30, the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund will stage a parade led by Eagan's own Col. Joe Repya. The Elder has the details:

Join MMAF for an entertaining day in honor of Minnesota's military personnel, at home and overseas. In addition to remembering our deployed friends and neighbors, this event will be a special "welcome back" for all returned troops, especially those injured overseas, capped with a day at the ballpark with the Minnesota Twins.

Military personnel, their families and Scouts are Free!

I had lunch with Col. Repya on Friday -- actually, CQ readers paid for it, so thank you! -- and he has a surprise for everyone who shows up to the parade. Check out his new convertible that his wonderful wife allowed him to buy on his return from Iraq earlier this month. I won't spoil it, but all I can tell you is that I wouldn't mind driving it when people cut in front of me in traffic. Fortunately for Minnesotans, Col. Repya has a little more discipline ...

Also blogging for Sgt. Paul Smith in the MOB: Andy, Matt, Brian.

BUMPED: Into Sunday. Also, Mitch has a great post about how Smith's platoon may not have liked him much as a leader before the war, because he spent all of his time making sure they would survive it.

One Last Salute To An American Hero

America lost one of its bravest and toughest sons today. Carl Brashear, the Navy's first black diver, died at age 75, leaving behind four children and a legend:

Carl M. Brashear, the first black U.S. Navy diver who was portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the 2000 film "Men of Honor," died Tuesday. He was 75.

Brashear died at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth of respiratory and heart failure, the medical center said.

Brashear retired from the Navy in 1979 after more than 30 years of service. He was the first Navy diver to be restored to full active duty as an amputee, the result of a leg injury he sustained during a salvage operation.

"The African-American community lost a great leader today in Carl Brashear," Gooding said of the man he played alongside Robert DeNiro, who was Brashear's roughneck training officer in "Men of Honor." "His impact to us as a people and all races will be felt for many decades to come."

Men Of Honor paid tribute to Brashear, and a terrific performance by Cuba Gooding allowed Americans to know a little about Brashear and his tenacity and courage. He had already served 18 years in the Navy as a diving specialist when an accident almost tore his leg from his body, and the doctors amputated it to keep gangrene from killing Brashear. He could easily have taken a disability leave -- the Navy insisted on it -- but instead requalified as a Navy diver with his prosthesis. He continued his career and achieved the highest rank among all divers.

If the movie juggled facts and got a little schmaltzy, Brashear never appeared to do either. His tough-as-nails legend provides inspiration for all Americans, and many more to come. In that way, Brashear will never really leave us; we will simply tell his story to the next generation, and he will continue to inspire and instruct us.

Godspeed, Carl Brashear, and thank you.

Lunch With Legends

Those who know me and read my blog know that there isn't too much that could tear me away from an AFC Championship game with my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers vying for a chance to play in the Super Bowl. Herb Suerth is an exception to the rule, however. Suerth is the president of the E Company Association, the company made famous in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. Suerth joined the company as a replacement in December 1944, which he noted in our conversation today as "sort of a bad place to come in." Shortly after joining E Company, they deployed to a town in the Ardennes named Bastogne and found themselves surrounded by Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. General Anthony McAuliffe's famous reply to a German request for surrender, "Nuts!", came up in our conversation. Suerth recalled that "there was a lot of discussion about what the word really was. I think they cleaned it up for publication."

If you get the impression from that exchange that Herb Suerth has a good sense of humor and humility, then you guessed correctly. Suerth didn't come to talk about himself, but to discuss another issue of proper recognition for one of the legendary officers of E Company. (I learned that one does not refer to them as "Easy Company" -- that was an HBO artifact, not a reference used by the men themselves.) It would be an injustice not to mention the service of Suerth, who nearly had both legs taken off by an artillery shell in Bastogne. With compound fractures to both femurs but his femoral arteries miraculously intact, the surgeons managed to piece his legs back together. He spent eighteen months in hospitals recovering from his wounds. He went back into civilian life like so many of his generation -- he went to college, got married, had nine children and had a successful career in business. He lives in Minnesota, retired but active in his community.

But what brought Suerth to our luncheon, along with my friend Randy Penrod of Savage Republican, was an effort to correct a bureaucratic decision to deny proper recognition to Major Dick Winters, the legendary leader of E Company from its first action in the war. After having E Company spread all over Normandy during the drop on D-Day -1, then-Lieutenant Winters got assigned the task of taking out three German 88s that had rained artillery shells on GIs landing at Utah Beach during D-Day. Despite having only 17 of his 140 men available for the task and missing the unit's captain, Winters took the assignment without question. He found that the three German 88s were in fact four German 105s, complete with machine-gun nests and trenchworks reinforcement. Suerth told me that the Germans probably had upwards of 90 men in this site.

Despite this being the first action Winters had ever seen, he quickly drew up a strategy to attack the gun emplacements -- and proceeded to rout the Germans from their entrenched positions, kill or capture almost all of them, destroy all four guns, and capture intelligence information that proved crucial in locating other artillery emplacements in Normandy. Winters' first engagement in combat showed such brilliance that it is still taught as the textbook method of attacking reinforced positions at West Point. His commanding officer put him up for the Medal of Honor, but in a development that could only happen in the US Army bureaucracy, a decision had been made that only one MOH would be awarded in each division for the Normandy campaign -- and another officer had already won that one (the remarkable Lt. Col. Robert G Cole).

Major Winters won the Distinguished Service Cross instead -- no small achievement, but not the MoH that his men felt he deserved for his bravery, brilliance, and execution, which saved hundreds of lives on Utah Beach. His men continue to press for a reconsideration from the Department of Defense and the Secretary of the Army, but thus far have not been successful in getting a review. Suerth would like to see that addressed while Major Winters can live to receive the award himself.

Randy and I will be updating this effort as we move along. We hope to get a letter-writing campaign going to press Congress to ask for a reconsideration of the denial of the Medal of Honor for Major Winters. In the meantime, I want to thank Randy for arranging the thoroughly entertaining afternoon and having the honor of Mr. Suerth's company for lunch.

CORRECTION: This is what I get for watching football when I'm supposed to be blogging. It should be General Anthony McAuliffe.

CQ Thanks American Veterans For Their Sacrifice

CQ flies the flag that defied the terrorists at the Pentagon on September 12, 2001. Thank you to all who serve or have served our nation by laying your lives on the line for our freedom and safety.

This flag now hangs in the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington DC.

Special thanks to our fathers:

* Edward T Morrissey Sr, Army, Korean War - 1951-53 (now Admiral Emeritus at CQ!)

* Paul Flesch, USMC, World War II (1944-45), Korean War (50-52?), deceased 1991

And a happy belated birthday to the men and women of the Marine Corps, which celebrated its 230th anniversary yesterday. Semper Fi!

Project Valour IT

You'll notice that today's Day By Day cartoon, besides its normal humor, promotes an effort to provide voice-command laptop computers to service members injured in the war. Project Valour IT is run by Soldier's Angels, a fine organization that adopts soldiers and Marines on the front lines to make sure each of our fighting men and women have someone back home supporting them. You can find out more about Project Valour IT there, or at the following blogs:

Blackfive
Dean's World
Fuzzilicious

And here at From My Position, meet the soldier that inspired Project Valour IT.

A (Not-So-) Small Act Of Heroism

A few decades ago, when rare acts of senseless violence broke out on our streets, one expected the men in the area to protect any women and children from harm as best they could. Chivalry and social mores required it, and such action did not seem remarkable in the least. Today, when street violence has become so routine, one rarely hears of anyone who puts themselves at risk to protect anyone else, regardless of age and gender. The weapons in use and the regularity of the attacks have eroded that sense of chivalry, it seems.

Perhaps not entirely. In a short article from the New York Times, a 13-year-old boy in Brooklyn may have saved a young girl's life after she got shot in a crossfire, taking a bullet in the back:

A gunman fired shots in the direction of a group of people sitting in front of a building in Brooklyn early yesterday, hitting a 10-year-old girl, the police said. As the girl's friend, a 13-year-old boy, tried to shield her from further harm, he was shot in the back, he and his family said. ...

In a phone interview from his hospital bed yesterday, Ellis said that as he was getting his hair braided, the gunman fired the first of three shots. "When she got hit the first time, I heard her scream," he said, referring to Destiny, who was shot in her arms and upper chest, the police said.

As Ellis tried to pull Destiny into the building, he was shot, he said, though he did not realize it until about 15 minutes later, when the wound started to swell.

The hospital says that both kids are in stable condition. I use the term 'kids' loosely for Ellis Mercado; many adults would have reacted quite differently to the same circumstances. Let's pray for full recovery for this remarkable young man and his friend, and hope that the police can round up the cowards who opened fire on them.

The Last Act Of A Hero

Saturday's Seattle Times profiled the last actions of a Marine Corps sergeant that had already served with distinction, but who wound up giving his life to save his fellow Marines:

Sgt. Rafael Peralta built a reputation as a man who always put his Marines' interests ahead of his own.

He showed that again, when he made the ultimate sacrifice of his life Tuesday, by shielding his fellow Marines from a grenade blast. ...

One of the first Marines to enter the house, Peralta was wounded in the face by rifle fire from a room near the entry door, said Lance Cpl. Adam Morrison, 20, of Tacoma, who was in the house when Peralta was first wounded.

Moments later, an insurgent rolled a fragmentation grenade into the area where a wounded Peralta and the other Marines were seeking cover.

As Morrison and another Marine scrambled to escape the blast, pounding against a locked door, Peralta grabbed the grenade and cradled it into his body, Morrison said. While one Marine was badly wounded by shrapnel from the blast, the Marines said they believe more lives would have been lost if not for Peralta's selfless act.

"He saved half my fire team," said Cpl. Brannon Dyer, 27, of Blairsville, Ga.

Sgt. Rafael Peralta -- Marine, American, hero. Rest in peace, Rafael, while the rest of us strive to be worthy of your sacrifice.

Front Lines: Afghan Perspective On American Election

I received this e-mail today in response to my earlier post from the Army Captain in Iraq. This reader is an Army officer in Kandahar and offers his perspective on the earlier message and its implications in Afghanistan.

Captain Ed,

Thanks for the chance to sound off - but I do need to ask you not to use my name if you post this. You keep up the good work on your end, and we'll keep it up on ours.

Just to be clear and fair, I don't think I've ever heard John Kerry talk about pulling out of Afghanistan. However, the retreatist/defeatist attitude that he espouses on the stump hardly gives confidence to our troops and allies in Afghanistan that Kerry will remain steadfast through difficulties, should they arise there. In fact, a retreat strategy in Iraq likely will increase the pressure on Western forces in Afghanistan, as the terrorists will know how to push the Americans out of the region and will not hesitate to use a successful strategy anywhere and any time.

If you are currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan and want to share your view of how our missions are doing there, or you have a family member who sends you e-mail which gives a different point of view than what we get from the mainstream media, please e-mail Captain's Quarters at frontlines*at*captainsquartersblog.com. We need your real name in order to verify input, but unless we're asked by the sender to use real names, we will not identify American servicepeople.

Front Lines: Kerry's Withdrawal Date Puts Us At Risk

As part of our new feature (which will use the Heroes category for archiving, CQ received this e-mail yesterday from Bruce, which actually appeared first in our comments section. Bruce received this timely message from his son, an Army Captain in Iraq who is working to train Iraqi security forces so they can stand on their own. Given the recent targeting of enlistment and training facilities by terrorists, Bruce's son might be sympathetic to Kerry's insistence on telling the world we're leaving. Not so (bolded portions are my emphasis):

I also wonder if Senator Kerry realizes that he is partially responsible for the recent upswing in violence. This, by the way, is not speculation... this is straight from one of my interpreter's mouth.

So, Senator Kerry, would you like to explain to me how your announcement was supposed to make my life better? He screwed us and I will never forget that. Should I ever get the chance to be in his presence, I will be more than happy to let him know that. I can think of about 22 guys who will never get the chance and I owe it to them.

Bruce, please pass our thanks along to your son for his service to the US. If you are currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan and want to share your view of how our missions are doing there, or you have a family member who sends you e-mail which gives a different point of view than what we get from the mainstream media, please e-mail Captain's Quarters at frontlines*at*captainsquartersblog.com. We need your real name in order to verify input, but unless we're asked we will not identify American servicepeople.

CLARIFICATION: Unless we're asked by the sender to identify them in the post, we will not do so.

Pvt. Dwayne Turner: "No One's Going To Die On My Watch"

Reader Peyton Randolph sent me a link to this story. It again demonstrates the courage and excellence of the men and women serving this grateful nation.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky., Feb. 11, 2004 - A 101st Airborne Division soldier who, despite being critically wounded himself, repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to treat wounded comrades in Iraq received the Silver Star here Feb. 5.

Pvt. Dwayne Turner, a combat medic assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, provided life-saving medical care to 16 fellow soldiers April 13 when his unit came under a grenade and small-arms attack 30 miles south of Baghdad.

Turner and two other medics from Company A of that battalion were part of a work detail that came under attack as they unloaded supplies in a makeshift operations center.

"I moved to (my vehicle) just before the first grenade came over the wall," Turner said. "The blast threw me even further into the vehicle, and I took on some shrapnel."

Ignoring his own injuries, Turner ran to the front of his vehicle and saw a soldier with eye injuries.

"I checked him out, and tried to get him into a building," Turner said. The other two medics established a triage system under the cover of a building while Turner ran back outside to bring more soldiers into the makeshift clinic.

"I just started assessing the situation, seeing who was hurt, giving them first aid and pulling them into safety," he said, downplaying his actions on that day.

Turner, his legs wounded by shrapnel in the initial attack, was shot at least twice while giving first aid to the soldiers.

"I didn't realize I was shot," he said. "A couple of times, I heard bullets going by, but I thought they were just kicking up rocks on me."

At one point during the attack, one of Turner's fellow medics told him he was bleeding. "Someone told me, 'Doc Turner, Doc Turner, you're bleeding.'" he said. "I looked down at my leg and saw I was bleeding, and kind of said, 'Oh hell, if I'm not dead yet, I guess I'm not dying.'"

"I don't think he realized how much blood he lost," said Sgt. Neil Mulvaney, from the same unit as Turner.

"After I got the first patient inside the building, I sort of slumped down in the corner," Turner said. "I didn't think there was any way we were going to get out of there, and it would have been really easy to just stay in that corner.

"Then I heard (the wounded) calling for medics," he continued, "and I realized I could let them continue to get hurt -- and possibly die -- and not come home to their families, or I could do something about it."

Turner chose to do something about it. He continued to give first aid and to bring soldiers in from the barrage of gunfire outside the compound until he finally collapsed against a wall from loss of blood. A bullet had broken his right arm. He had been shot in the left leg. Shrapnel had torn into both of his legs.

The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in combat, but Turner does not see himself as a hero.

"Nobody gets left behind," he said emphatically. "We were the medical personnel on hand. You're not relieved from your duty until someone comes. No one else was going to get the job done, so we did."

Although Turner downplays his heroism, the Army believes that at least two of the 16 soldiers he treated would have died had he not been there.

"He risked his life for 16 other men without noticing his own injuries - that's heroism in my book," Mulvaney said.

"I was just doing my job," Turner insisted. "As far as the values of the Army, it's not to 'earn' a Silver Star; it's to uphold what you signed on for. Other people may see me as a hero; I see myself as doing my job. No one is going to die on my watch." Turner's Silver Star is the highest award given to any 101st soldier during Operation Iraqi Freedom thus far. He received the Purple Heart in July.

Thank you, Private Turner.