# First Reserve Soldier receives Silver Star for Iraq



## D-n-A (15 May 2005)

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=6931

First Reserve Soldier receives Silver Star for Iraq
 March 1, 2005
FORT McCOY, Wis. (Army News Service, Feb. 28, 2005) -- As the 724th Transportation Company was welcomed home from Iraq Feb. 25, the first Army Reserve Soldier in the Global War on Terrorism received a Silver Star.

Pfc. Jeremy Church of the 724th was pinned during a homecoming ceremony at Fort McCoy, Wis., with the Silver Star, the Army's third-highest medal for valor.

Church earned the medal when his convoy was attacked April 9 by more than 150 insurgents in an ambush during which Spc. Keith â Å“Mattâ ? Maupin was captured.

Church was the convoy commander's driver in the lead vehicle. The convoy was taking fuel to Baghdad International Airport when the Madr Militia struck. Church's actions are attributed with saving the lives of at least five Soldiers and four civilians.

Church drove aggressively through the â Å“kill zoneâ ? to dodge explosions, obstacles and small arms fire, according to his citation. When the convoy commander was shot, Church grabbed his first aid pouch, ripped it open, and instructed the platoon leader to apply a bandage. Church fired his M-16 at the enemy as he continued to drive around barriers.

When an improvised explosive devised 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 from 2-12 Cav. He then carried his platoon leader out of the vehicle to a casualty collection point for treatment. 

Then Church rallied the troopers to launch an immediate recovery mission and escorted them back into the kill zone. 

â Å“Pfc. Church identified the assistant commander's vehicle amidst heavy black smoke and flaming wreckage of burning fuel tankers to find two more wounded Soldiers and four civilian truck drivers,â ? his citation reads, adding that after a hasty triage and treating a sucking chest wound, he â Å“carried the Soldier over to one of the recovery vehicles while exposing himself to continuous enemy fire from both sides of the road.â ? 

When all the wounded were loaded in the truck, there was no room and Church volunteered to remain behind. He climbed into a disabled Humvee for cover, according to his citation, and continued firing at and killing insurgents until the recovery team returned. He then loaded up several more wounded before sweeping the area for sensitive items and evacuating. 

Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly presented Church with the Silver Star. Helmly also spoke with the parents of Maupin, who was captured in the ambush. 

Even though Maupin's Army Reserve unit has returned to its home station of Bartonville, Ill., Army officials said other Soldiers in Iraq will never stop the search for Maupin.


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## Slim (15 May 2005)

I did even half as well as Church did under similer circumstances, I would be content to call myself a soldier.

Slim


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## Rebel_RN (15 May 2005)

It's men like that, men that have an unwavering courage for their fellow man and put themselves in harms way to help out fellow soldiers, crew and civillians that make me strive to be a better person each and every day. I can only hope that if ever I am in a situation like that I have even a tenth of his bravery. More than a soldier, he's a hero and a d*mn good man.


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## Michael Dorosh (15 May 2005)

That's funny, why are they saying this is the first Silver Star to a reservist?



> Specialist Gerrit Kobes was presented the Silver Star by the commander of the First United States Cavalry Division at Forward Operating Base Honor in Baghdad, Iraq.  The 23 year old medic (who in civilian life worked for a wood-stove company) was assigned temporarily to a California unit attached to the First Cav's Task Force Steel Dragon in Baghdad.  On* 3 November 2004,* two platoons of Company B, 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment were assigned to ferry Iraqi soldiers and equiment to Fallujah.  Kobes was acting as a medical specialist in the force, when they came under enemy fire.  Kobes exposed himself to this enemy fire in order to treat wounded soldiers.
> 
> In July 2004, Kobes had previously been decorated for bravery under fire, when he was awarded an Army Commendation Medal with V for Valor device representing a combat award.


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## D-n-A (15 May 2005)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> That's funny, why are they saying this is the first Silver Star to a reservist?



That quote from a news article mentions nothing about that medic getting a silver star, only mentions that he was awarded the Army Commendation medal with V device.


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