yellowwing
08-10-05, 06:03 AM
Tinley Park Marine earns Silver Star for gallantry during firefight in Iraq
Daily Southtown, Wednesday, August 10, 2005 (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/10-ds1.htm)
By Jim Hook
Mike Mendoza could have found a safer way to make his father proud than joining the Marine Corps.
But that's what the Tinley Park man did in 1997 after graduating from Rich South High School in Richton Park.
"My dad was a Marine, and I always looked up to him," Mendoza said. "I wanted to make him really proud."
He has succeeded.
On Tuesday, Mendoza, 26, received the Silver Star medal for heroism in combat at a ceremony at the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment's headquarters, 3034 W. Foster Ave., Chicago.
In front of family, friends and fellow Marines, Mendoza accepted the prestigious medal from Maj. Gen. Douglas O'Dell Jr. Mendoza is the 25th servicemember to be awarded the Silver Star since the Iraq war began.
"This is a remarkable day," O'Dell said while pinning the medal on Mendoza's uniform. "We do not award medals like this every day. Young men like this don't come around every day. Sgt. Mendoza is a special man."
Mendoza was recommended for the Silver Star — the military's third-highest award — for his acts of heroism in combat on the afternoon of April 7, 2004.
His mission seemed simple enough. Lead a 25-member reconnaissance platoon south of Fallujah to a U.S. military supply point some 12 miles away.
Just after 4 p.m., his platoon was ambushed by more than 60 insurgents — firing volleys of rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and automatic fire from homes, bunkers and from behind cars and trucks.
"We were in a crossfire," Mendoza said. "Everywhere you looked the enemy was there and you had to fight through. It was one hell of a fight. And, yeah, I was scared. ... They were shooting from all over. You could hear what they were shooting whiz right by your head."
Six Marines were injured when the lead Humvee in which they were riding was struck by a grenade. Mendoza's vehicle became disabled, and a Marine seated next to him was injured.
Seconds later, the platoon commander called for all Marines not injured to join in an assault on the enemy.
Mendoza quickly assembled and led a 5-man assault team across an open field, up a 10-foot berm and across a muddy canal to firing positions within hand-grenade range of the insurgents. His team pushed forward 60 feet through a hail of fire into the heart of the enemy ambush.
"Marines don't retreat," Mendoza said.
He and his team killed at least 10 insurgents and forced another group to retreat.
The platoon commander then noticed that the injured Marines were still pinned down by enemy fire. Mendoza, his commander and another Marine went to rescue them.
Suddenly, the commander was shot twice by an insurgent hiding in some shrubs about five feet away. Mendoza quickly shot the attacker, drawing other rebels' attention away from the wounded Marines and on him.
They fired grenades and automatic weapons at him. Mendoza was shot three times in the chest but never stopped fighting. His bulletproof vest stopped the bullets.
Mendoza remained on one knee engaging the enemy, ignoring repeated calls to fall back and join the others.
He withstood 15 minutes of intense enemy fire before an armored vehicle arrived to retrieve the injured commander. Only after his commander was evacuated did Mendoza rejoin his team.
When the firefight was over, his platoon found 10 enemy weapons positions, 40 unspent rocket-propelled grenades, an SA-7 rocket, an anti-aircraft gun and a cache of personal weapons.
"It looked like they were ready to take on an entire city," Mendoza said.
The platoon confirmed 26 enemy dead and an unknown number wounded.
Seven of the Marines in Mendoza's platoon were wounded during the ambush and subsequent battle. The platoon commander died from a loss of blood during the helicopter evacuation.
Mendoza said he's honored to receive the Silver Star.
"But I think about my captain a lot, and wish he were still with us," he said. "I'd trade my medal in a second to have him back."
Mendoza's wife, Kelly, his high school sweetheart whom he married in 2002, said she's proud of her husband.
"He called me the day this (attack) happened," said Kelly, who teaches Spanish and coaches boys and girls volleyball at Sandburg High School in Orland Park. "I was scared for him and his fellow Marines. But I know Mike is very good at what he does. Mike feels strongly about what he's doing. I think this award affirms his bravery."
Mendoza's father, Julio Mendoza, said he "has always been proud of my son."
"He certainly didn't have to do what he did to make me proud of him," Julio said. "He's a wonderful young man, and I'm lucky to have him as my son."
Mendoza returned from Iraq late last year, but he didn't leave his courage and quick thinking there.
In March, he assisted a woman who suffered a seizure in the parking lot of the Orland Park Target store.
"People were walking past her and not doing anything," he said. "I told a passer-by to call 911 while I cleared her airway of some gum she was chewing. I put my jacket under her head and comforted her until paramedics arrived. It wasn't anything."
Orland Park police thought otherwise. The officer who responded to the scene contacted Mendoza's Marine captain about his actions, and Mendoza received an achievement medal from the Marine Corps.
Jim Hook may be reached at jhook@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5961.
Daily Southtown, Wednesday, August 10, 2005 (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/10-ds1.htm)
By Jim Hook
Mike Mendoza could have found a safer way to make his father proud than joining the Marine Corps.
But that's what the Tinley Park man did in 1997 after graduating from Rich South High School in Richton Park.
"My dad was a Marine, and I always looked up to him," Mendoza said. "I wanted to make him really proud."
He has succeeded.
On Tuesday, Mendoza, 26, received the Silver Star medal for heroism in combat at a ceremony at the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment's headquarters, 3034 W. Foster Ave., Chicago.
In front of family, friends and fellow Marines, Mendoza accepted the prestigious medal from Maj. Gen. Douglas O'Dell Jr. Mendoza is the 25th servicemember to be awarded the Silver Star since the Iraq war began.
"This is a remarkable day," O'Dell said while pinning the medal on Mendoza's uniform. "We do not award medals like this every day. Young men like this don't come around every day. Sgt. Mendoza is a special man."
Mendoza was recommended for the Silver Star — the military's third-highest award — for his acts of heroism in combat on the afternoon of April 7, 2004.
His mission seemed simple enough. Lead a 25-member reconnaissance platoon south of Fallujah to a U.S. military supply point some 12 miles away.
Just after 4 p.m., his platoon was ambushed by more than 60 insurgents — firing volleys of rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and automatic fire from homes, bunkers and from behind cars and trucks.
"We were in a crossfire," Mendoza said. "Everywhere you looked the enemy was there and you had to fight through. It was one hell of a fight. And, yeah, I was scared. ... They were shooting from all over. You could hear what they were shooting whiz right by your head."
Six Marines were injured when the lead Humvee in which they were riding was struck by a grenade. Mendoza's vehicle became disabled, and a Marine seated next to him was injured.
Seconds later, the platoon commander called for all Marines not injured to join in an assault on the enemy.
Mendoza quickly assembled and led a 5-man assault team across an open field, up a 10-foot berm and across a muddy canal to firing positions within hand-grenade range of the insurgents. His team pushed forward 60 feet through a hail of fire into the heart of the enemy ambush.
"Marines don't retreat," Mendoza said.
He and his team killed at least 10 insurgents and forced another group to retreat.
The platoon commander then noticed that the injured Marines were still pinned down by enemy fire. Mendoza, his commander and another Marine went to rescue them.
Suddenly, the commander was shot twice by an insurgent hiding in some shrubs about five feet away. Mendoza quickly shot the attacker, drawing other rebels' attention away from the wounded Marines and on him.
They fired grenades and automatic weapons at him. Mendoza was shot three times in the chest but never stopped fighting. His bulletproof vest stopped the bullets.
Mendoza remained on one knee engaging the enemy, ignoring repeated calls to fall back and join the others.
He withstood 15 minutes of intense enemy fire before an armored vehicle arrived to retrieve the injured commander. Only after his commander was evacuated did Mendoza rejoin his team.
When the firefight was over, his platoon found 10 enemy weapons positions, 40 unspent rocket-propelled grenades, an SA-7 rocket, an anti-aircraft gun and a cache of personal weapons.
"It looked like they were ready to take on an entire city," Mendoza said.
The platoon confirmed 26 enemy dead and an unknown number wounded.
Seven of the Marines in Mendoza's platoon were wounded during the ambush and subsequent battle. The platoon commander died from a loss of blood during the helicopter evacuation.
Mendoza said he's honored to receive the Silver Star.
"But I think about my captain a lot, and wish he were still with us," he said. "I'd trade my medal in a second to have him back."
Mendoza's wife, Kelly, his high school sweetheart whom he married in 2002, said she's proud of her husband.
"He called me the day this (attack) happened," said Kelly, who teaches Spanish and coaches boys and girls volleyball at Sandburg High School in Orland Park. "I was scared for him and his fellow Marines. But I know Mike is very good at what he does. Mike feels strongly about what he's doing. I think this award affirms his bravery."
Mendoza's father, Julio Mendoza, said he "has always been proud of my son."
"He certainly didn't have to do what he did to make me proud of him," Julio said. "He's a wonderful young man, and I'm lucky to have him as my son."
Mendoza returned from Iraq late last year, but he didn't leave his courage and quick thinking there.
In March, he assisted a woman who suffered a seizure in the parking lot of the Orland Park Target store.
"People were walking past her and not doing anything," he said. "I told a passer-by to call 911 while I cleared her airway of some gum she was chewing. I put my jacket under her head and comforted her until paramedics arrived. It wasn't anything."
Orland Park police thought otherwise. The officer who responded to the scene contacted Mendoza's Marine captain about his actions, and Mendoza received an achievement medal from the Marine Corps.
Jim Hook may be reached at jhook@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5961.