jinelson
04-08-07, 02:56 PM
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Cpl. Sean B. Debuhr receives a Purple Heart Medal from Col. William B. Crowe, the commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team 7 at the time Debuhr was wounded
Artilleryman awarded Purple Heart
Lance Cpl. Nicholas M. Dunn
Combat Correspondent
Cpl. Sean B. Debuhr, an artilleryman with Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, was awarded a Purple Heart Medal Tuesday for wounds he suffered while attached to Regimental Combat Team 7 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
When RCT-7 arrived in Iraq in January 2006, Ripper Black, Debuhr’s humvee section, was initially assigned to a personal security detail. However, as the conflict changed, so did the mission.
“We did everything from sniper observation posts to counter-IED observation posts,” said Debuhr.
On May 10, while driving from Hit to Al Asad, Iraq, Ripper Black came across some abandoned concrete barriers on the side of the road - one of the textbook tactics for insurgents to hide improvised explosive devices near.
“Right after I thought about the possibility of a threat, a good-sized IED exploded on my left side,” said Debuhr. “Everyone in the vehicle blacked out for a second. I received shrapnel in my right leg, the right side of my face and abrasions on my neck. My driver received shrapnel in his left arm.”
“The IED was made of three 120-millimeter artillery shells and two propane tanks,” he described. “It was designed to be a kill IED, which means it’s designed to disable a vehicle. It stops the convoy and provides the enemy with opportunities to attack.”
Debuhr’s humvee was rigged to be towed and the casualties were ground-medevaced to their destination, Al Asad, which was approximately 20 minutes away.
Despite his wounds, Debuhr said he returned to work several days after the blast occurred.
“You have to keep the operations tempo up,” said Debuhr. “In combat, you have to suck it up a lot. Most people only take a day or two off and then go back to work.”
“The operations tempo was very fast-paced for RCT-7,” he added. “We conducted more than 250 missions, the longest lasting about 12 days. Out of the 365 days we spent in Iraq, more than 300 of them were spent outside the wire.”
Ripper Black was hit by a second IED later that year, but there were no significant casualties because the humvees were equipped with heavy armor modifications.
“We were a pretty lucky platoon,” he said. “During our entire deployment, we had no KIAs.”
Debuhr returned from his deployment in January. Since his return, he has had to go through several balance tests at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Naval hospital.
For about two weeks, I couldn’t walk straight at all,” he said, explaining the effects of his injuries. “I guess a lot of people who have been hit by IEDs have problems afterward.”
Debuhr is currently scheduled to undergo more testing to ensure a full recovery.
Cpl. Sean B. Debuhr receives a Purple Heart Medal from Col. William B. Crowe, the commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team 7 at the time Debuhr was wounded
Artilleryman awarded Purple Heart
Lance Cpl. Nicholas M. Dunn
Combat Correspondent
Cpl. Sean B. Debuhr, an artilleryman with Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, was awarded a Purple Heart Medal Tuesday for wounds he suffered while attached to Regimental Combat Team 7 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
When RCT-7 arrived in Iraq in January 2006, Ripper Black, Debuhr’s humvee section, was initially assigned to a personal security detail. However, as the conflict changed, so did the mission.
“We did everything from sniper observation posts to counter-IED observation posts,” said Debuhr.
On May 10, while driving from Hit to Al Asad, Iraq, Ripper Black came across some abandoned concrete barriers on the side of the road - one of the textbook tactics for insurgents to hide improvised explosive devices near.
“Right after I thought about the possibility of a threat, a good-sized IED exploded on my left side,” said Debuhr. “Everyone in the vehicle blacked out for a second. I received shrapnel in my right leg, the right side of my face and abrasions on my neck. My driver received shrapnel in his left arm.”
“The IED was made of three 120-millimeter artillery shells and two propane tanks,” he described. “It was designed to be a kill IED, which means it’s designed to disable a vehicle. It stops the convoy and provides the enemy with opportunities to attack.”
Debuhr’s humvee was rigged to be towed and the casualties were ground-medevaced to their destination, Al Asad, which was approximately 20 minutes away.
Despite his wounds, Debuhr said he returned to work several days after the blast occurred.
“You have to keep the operations tempo up,” said Debuhr. “In combat, you have to suck it up a lot. Most people only take a day or two off and then go back to work.”
“The operations tempo was very fast-paced for RCT-7,” he added. “We conducted more than 250 missions, the longest lasting about 12 days. Out of the 365 days we spent in Iraq, more than 300 of them were spent outside the wire.”
Ripper Black was hit by a second IED later that year, but there were no significant casualties because the humvees were equipped with heavy armor modifications.
“We were a pretty lucky platoon,” he said. “During our entire deployment, we had no KIAs.”
Debuhr returned from his deployment in January. Since his return, he has had to go through several balance tests at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Naval hospital.
For about two weeks, I couldn’t walk straight at all,” he said, explaining the effects of his injuries. “I guess a lot of people who have been hit by IEDs have problems afterward.”
Debuhr is currently scheduled to undergo more testing to ensure a full recovery.