thedrifter
09-13-07, 07:08 AM
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2007 Last modified: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 3:10 PM PDT
Marine earns Bronze Star, Purple Heart
By PFC JARED J. BUTLER / Special to The Trail
MCAGCC — The Marines of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment recently conducted a ceremony to award one of their Marines with a Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device and a Purple Heart Medal.
Sgt. Nicholas J. Galante, squad leader of Mobile Assault Platoon 1, Mobile Assault Company, earned his awards for the actions he took and wounds he received while he was in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Bronze Star Medal was awarded Thursday, Aug. 30 to Galante for his achievement in connection with 2/7 combat operations from March 7 to March 13.
On March 7, Galante’s platoon was conducting counter-insurgency operations from an observation post in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, when the sergeant and his squad identified a vehicle fleeing from an engagement with Echo Company in a nearby market, according to the award citation.
“It made us all pretty mad that they were taking shots at our guys in Echo Company,” Galante said.
Galante and Lance Cpl. Josh Hayter left their position on a building top to stop the vehicle.
As they approached the truck, Cpl. Joe Ramirez, observing from his position on the building, made it clear the insurgents were armed.
“Those guys turned down the wrong alley that day,” said Ramirez. “If they had taken a different turn, they might have gotten away. We got to them before they could cause any more damage.”
When Galante and Hayter ordered the occupants of the truck to get out, one of them attempted to aim his AK-47 at them.
Galante delivered two fatal shots to the armed man’s chest before the man had the chance to fire. The remaining two men fled from their vehicle, and Galante and Hayter pursued them on foot. Galante took down both from distances of 150 and 300 meters.
“We’re all pretty good shots,” said Ramirez, “and we had two of our best guys down there.”
After successfully eliminating the threat, Galante and his squad searched the truck and found several weapons.
On March 13, Galante was part of a dismounted patrol that received small-arms fire from multiple positions on a small bridge in a desolate area of Iraq.
“We were taking fire from everywhere,” Galante said. “We had to hold them off until more of our guys could come support us.”
Galante placed himself within the enemy’s line of fire multiple times to maximize his squad’s effectiveness. His efforts helped to ensure the safety of his fellow Marines and to kill three insurgents.
“My squad and my staff sergeant had my back the entire time we were over there,” said Galante. “All of those guys are great.”
The Purple Heart Medal was awarded to Galante for the wounds he received June 19 at a patrol base in Iraq.
After a recent patrol, Galante and his fellow Marines had stopped to get some rest when a suicide bomber in a dump truck crashed into their patrol base, injuring him and several other Marines.
Ellie
Marine earns Bronze Star, Purple Heart
By PFC JARED J. BUTLER / Special to The Trail
MCAGCC — The Marines of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment recently conducted a ceremony to award one of their Marines with a Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device and a Purple Heart Medal.
Sgt. Nicholas J. Galante, squad leader of Mobile Assault Platoon 1, Mobile Assault Company, earned his awards for the actions he took and wounds he received while he was in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Bronze Star Medal was awarded Thursday, Aug. 30 to Galante for his achievement in connection with 2/7 combat operations from March 7 to March 13.
On March 7, Galante’s platoon was conducting counter-insurgency operations from an observation post in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, when the sergeant and his squad identified a vehicle fleeing from an engagement with Echo Company in a nearby market, according to the award citation.
“It made us all pretty mad that they were taking shots at our guys in Echo Company,” Galante said.
Galante and Lance Cpl. Josh Hayter left their position on a building top to stop the vehicle.
As they approached the truck, Cpl. Joe Ramirez, observing from his position on the building, made it clear the insurgents were armed.
“Those guys turned down the wrong alley that day,” said Ramirez. “If they had taken a different turn, they might have gotten away. We got to them before they could cause any more damage.”
When Galante and Hayter ordered the occupants of the truck to get out, one of them attempted to aim his AK-47 at them.
Galante delivered two fatal shots to the armed man’s chest before the man had the chance to fire. The remaining two men fled from their vehicle, and Galante and Hayter pursued them on foot. Galante took down both from distances of 150 and 300 meters.
“We’re all pretty good shots,” said Ramirez, “and we had two of our best guys down there.”
After successfully eliminating the threat, Galante and his squad searched the truck and found several weapons.
On March 13, Galante was part of a dismounted patrol that received small-arms fire from multiple positions on a small bridge in a desolate area of Iraq.
“We were taking fire from everywhere,” Galante said. “We had to hold them off until more of our guys could come support us.”
Galante placed himself within the enemy’s line of fire multiple times to maximize his squad’s effectiveness. His efforts helped to ensure the safety of his fellow Marines and to kill three insurgents.
“My squad and my staff sergeant had my back the entire time we were over there,” said Galante. “All of those guys are great.”
The Purple Heart Medal was awarded to Galante for the wounds he received June 19 at a patrol base in Iraq.
After a recent patrol, Galante and his fellow Marines had stopped to get some rest when a suicide bomber in a dump truck crashed into their patrol base, injuring him and several other Marines.
Ellie