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SF soldiers recognized for valor in battle

Special Forces soldiers were rewarded Feb. 21 for bravery, courage and valor in battle for their actions in Iraq and Afghanistan last year.

Lt. Gen. Robert Wagner, commanding general of Army Special Operations Command, presented a host of awards, including two Silver Stars, one Soldier’s Medal and 11 Bronze Stars for valor during the ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., according to a command news release.

Group Support Company, Seventh Special Forces Group, was recognized with the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Angel DeJesus and Staff Sgt. Erasmo Espino Jr. from 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, were awarded the Silver Star for their actions during a May 19 ambush. The Silver Star is the Army’s third-highest medal for combat valor.

When their detachment was attacked by as many as 200 enemy fighters, DeJesus and Espino orchestrated a fighting escape and saved many lives, the news release said.

“I think that this medal goes to my whole team,” DeJesus said in the release. “They are my family; without them, it would never have happened. I just did something for my brothers that they would have done for me.”

In Afghanistan, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, was integrated into Special Operations Task Force 73. The joint task force had an extensive list of accomplishments from 2006, including training 2,500 Afghan soldiers, conducting more than 2,300 combat missions and neutralizing 1,178 enemy fighters, according to the release.

“This valor award ceremony is not only about recognizing the great accomplishments of the soldiers before you, but it’s also to pass on to a new generation of Special Forces soldiers and young Americans a knowledge of the sacrifices and bravery displayed by the generation that preceded them,” 7th Group commander Col. Edward M. Reeder Jr. said in the release. “The young children here today will not understand now, but one day they will realize that their brave fathers believed that America as a nation and an ideal is worth fighting for and, at times, dying for.”

The soldiers of C Company, 3rd Battalion, deployed to Iraq and conducted 186 direct-action operations to capture and kill high-value targets, resulting in 200 people captured and more than 50 enemies killed, the release said.

The Soldier’s Medal, the Army’s highest recognition for heroism unrelated to combat, was presented to Staff Sgt. Gary Wedemann, who earned the award for his actions on a combat rescue operation in May 2005.

Wagner also presented Bronze Stars for valor to:

• Sgt. 1st Class Michael A. Bergstrom

• Staff Sgt. Elisha R. Bremmer

• Warrant Officer Luis Chamorro

• Staff Sgt. Jose A. Guitierrez

• Sgt. 1st Class Carl F. Harris

• Staff Sgt. Mark R. Hawver

• Staff Sgt. Craig G. Kubala II

• Sgt. 1st Class Antonio D. Pastor

• Staff Sgt. Brandon B. Pechette

• Staff Sgt. James H. Sanchez

• Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. Serna

Seventeen soldiers received Purple Hearts:

• Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Binney

• Sgt. 1st Class Melvin Candelario

• Sgt. 1st Class John Fishetti

• Warrant Officer Luis Chamorro

• Staff Sgt. Craig G. Kubala II

• Staff Sgt. James H. Sanchez

• Sgt. 1st Class Eric C. Horton

• Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. Serna

• Sgt. 1st Class John C. Hunnings

• Capt. Matthew N. Johnsen

• Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lopez

• Sgt. 1st Class Darren S. Markwick

• Warrant Officer James A. Mayernik

• Sgt. 1st Class Sean D. Mullins

• Sgt. Joshua S. Parton

• Sgt. Jimmie L. Russel

• Sgt. 1st Class Oscar B. Wynne

Sanchez and Johnsen received double awards of the Purple Heart.

Soldiers who received double Commendation Medals for Valor were:

• Master Sgt. Keith Fedo

• Sgt. 1st Class Sean D. Mullins

• Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. Serna

Soldiers who received the Army Commendation Medal for valor were:

• Staff Sgt. Ariel Aponte

• Capt. James D. Ballard

• Staff Sgt. Elisha R. Bremmer

• Sgt. Dustin E. Davis

• Warrant Officer Luis Chamorro

• Capt. David W. Gunther

• Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Hankel

• Staff Sgt. Robert Martinez

• Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Moses

• Staff Sgt. David M. Nolan

• Sgt. 1st Class Donnie M. Ochiltree

• Sgt. 1st Class Eddy Rojas

• Staff Sgt. Rumaldo Rosas III

• Staff Sgt. James H. Sanchez