thedrifter
05-09-07, 05:37 AM
Published: May 08, 2007 10:47 pm
Local hero awarded Bronze Star
James Coburn
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — “Train your body, prepare your mind, and be ready to sacrifice it all … for there is no greater calling than to lead Marines,” are words 1st. Sgt. Craig T. Yohe keeps posted on his office door.
Yohe recently was presented the Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement by the U.S. Marine Corps on behalf of President George W. Bush in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Still, the 1988 Edmond Memorial High School graduate does not consider himself a hero.
“I did what any Marine leader would do in the same situation,” Yohe said of when a platoon-size force of insurgents attacked the Iraqi police station in Karmah on Christmas Eve 2005.
“They attacked with everything they had: IEDs, RPGs, machine guns, grenades and small arms from all four sides,” Yohe said.
Yohe led the Quick Reaction Force to the scene where the Marines engaged the enemy to the south and began taking heavy fire from the North, he said.
“We had to cross a large open area to push the attack and were completely exposed from the North,” Yohe said. “I had Marine casualties at the police station that needed evacuation so I had one of the QRF (Quick Reaction Force) armored vehicles drive up and create a barrier between my Marines and the fire from the North so we could cross the road and push the attack.”
The attack was broken within a few minutes. “His swift and resolute actions resulted in the protection of the lives of the QRF and saving the lives of four seriously wounded Marines at the IP station by ensuring their medical evaluation occurred within minutes after injury,” Marine Lt. Gen. J.N. Mattis stated in a citation.
Casualties were evacuated and abandoned enemy equipment was collected while securing the area, Yohe said.
“As a result of the superb action of all the Marines that day catastrophe was averted and all injured Marines made a speedy recovery,” Yohe added.
Yohe served two tours in Iraq. From January to June 2003 with 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and upon promotion to first sergeant, he was reassigned by personal request to 2d Battalion, 2d Marines as the company first sergeant and served in Iraq from July 2005 to February 2006.
The Marines’ mission was to conduct counter-insurgency operations in the area of Karmah, Iraq, west of Fallujah.
“We were training the Iraqi Army and preparing for the referendum elections and the general elections that wound up being a great success,” he said. “We also eventually began assisting with training the Iraqi police in our area of operations. Overall, we had great success, we turned over Karmah to the control of the Iraqi Army and both elections went very well with larger than expected turn out.”
Ellie
Local hero awarded Bronze Star
James Coburn
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — “Train your body, prepare your mind, and be ready to sacrifice it all … for there is no greater calling than to lead Marines,” are words 1st. Sgt. Craig T. Yohe keeps posted on his office door.
Yohe recently was presented the Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement by the U.S. Marine Corps on behalf of President George W. Bush in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Still, the 1988 Edmond Memorial High School graduate does not consider himself a hero.
“I did what any Marine leader would do in the same situation,” Yohe said of when a platoon-size force of insurgents attacked the Iraqi police station in Karmah on Christmas Eve 2005.
“They attacked with everything they had: IEDs, RPGs, machine guns, grenades and small arms from all four sides,” Yohe said.
Yohe led the Quick Reaction Force to the scene where the Marines engaged the enemy to the south and began taking heavy fire from the North, he said.
“We had to cross a large open area to push the attack and were completely exposed from the North,” Yohe said. “I had Marine casualties at the police station that needed evacuation so I had one of the QRF (Quick Reaction Force) armored vehicles drive up and create a barrier between my Marines and the fire from the North so we could cross the road and push the attack.”
The attack was broken within a few minutes. “His swift and resolute actions resulted in the protection of the lives of the QRF and saving the lives of four seriously wounded Marines at the IP station by ensuring their medical evaluation occurred within minutes after injury,” Marine Lt. Gen. J.N. Mattis stated in a citation.
Casualties were evacuated and abandoned enemy equipment was collected while securing the area, Yohe said.
“As a result of the superb action of all the Marines that day catastrophe was averted and all injured Marines made a speedy recovery,” Yohe added.
Yohe served two tours in Iraq. From January to June 2003 with 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and upon promotion to first sergeant, he was reassigned by personal request to 2d Battalion, 2d Marines as the company first sergeant and served in Iraq from July 2005 to February 2006.
The Marines’ mission was to conduct counter-insurgency operations in the area of Karmah, Iraq, west of Fallujah.
“We were training the Iraqi Army and preparing for the referendum elections and the general elections that wound up being a great success,” he said. “We also eventually began assisting with training the Iraqi police in our area of operations. Overall, we had great success, we turned over Karmah to the control of the Iraqi Army and both elections went very well with larger than expected turn out.”
Ellie