Lt. Col. Jack Marr, 39, Minneapolis, Minn., commander of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, pins a Bronze Star Medal on the chest of Staff Sgt. Shon Holtz, of Columbus, Ga. during a ceremony July 16 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq.
Lt. Col. Jack Marr, of Minneapolis, commander, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, pins an Army Commendation Medal on the chest of Sgt. James Ryan, of Hillsboro, N.H. during a ceremony July 16 at Combat Outpost Cleary, Iraq.Media Release
HQ, MND-Center
Baghdad, Iraq
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story and photos by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd HBCT Public Affairs
COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq – Though the Army is comprised of Soldiers with similar training, each Soldier is an individual who may react differently under fire.
“I jumped on my tank, took control of the .50 cal., and suppressed the area,” Sgt. Robert Lady, tank crew member, Company A, said. “I rounded up a crew, some tankers in the area, and maneuvered the tank to support the dismounts that were moving to the target.”
Lady, of Bowling Green, Ky., received the Bronze Star with “V” device for valor for those actions when insurgents conducted a small-arms attack on Combat Outpost Cahill May 20, where many of the Company A and B, 1-15th, Soldiers are stationed.
Not everyone who answers the nation’s call to duty are like Lady. Not all are awarded decorations for combat heroism. However, the 1-15th has been able to award several of its members for their actions under fire.
Among those awarded was Staff Sgt. Shon Holtz, of Fort Benning, Ga., a squad leader in Company A. Holtz received the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for valor for his heroic acts in a small-arms fire incident during Operation Beach Yellow, May 14, in Dura-iya.
He did not want to discuss the events surrounding the incident. However, Holtz said, during the firefight he ran through small-arms fire to reach another platoon.
During the firefight, four of the battalion’s Soldiers were wounded and two, Sgt. Christopher Gonzalez and Sgt. Allen Dunckley, both members of Company A, were killed.
Holtz was modest about his Bronze Star and explained his Soldiers are doing great things every day. It’s important to recognize Soldiers’ accomplishments, he said, and ensured he does everything he can to make sure his guys receive the awards they are due.
Pfc. Dustin Tarwater, of Denton, Texas, a rifleman for Company A, earned an Army Commendation Medal for providing first aid to wounded Soldiers during Operation Beach Yellow, when Dunkley and Gonzalez were killed.
“I’m humbled to get that award,” Tarwater said, “but I would rather have those guys back than get the award.”
During an awards ceremony at COP Cleary July 16 a total of 11 awards were given, to include three Bronze Stars with “V” device for valor, and eight Army Achievement Medals. Awardees included:
Bronze Star Medal with “V”
Sgt. 1st Class Peter Black, Company A
Staff Sgt. Shon Holtz, Company A
Sgt. Robert Lady, Company A
Army Commendation Medal
1st Lt. Clifford Cieslak, Headquarters Company
Sgt. Jeffrey Houghton, Company A
Sgt. Jason Lapan, Company C
Sgt. James Ryan, Company C
Spc. Briley Lloyd, Company C
Pfc. Paul Jernigan, Company A
Pfc. Geoffrey Savage, Company C
Pfc. Dustin Tarwater, Company A
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