thedrifter
09-26-03, 09:11 AM
Bronze for bravery
September 26,2003
TIMMI TOLER
DAILY NEWS STAFF
There is a phrase emblazoned in scarlet letters on the wall of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion headquarters at Camp Lejeune. It reads, "Victory to the bold."
It's the battalion's motto. It also describes Marine Sgt. Michael A. Simmons Jr.
In a ceremony Thursday at Camp Lejeune, Simmons was awarded the Bronze Star, one of the nation's highest military awards, for his heroics during the war with Iraq.
From March 23 to April 1, the 24-year-old native of St. Louis served as a vehicle commander for 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd LAR battalion. The unit saw several days of intense fighting outside of Nasiriyah.
But on April 1, Simmons' company was sent on a humanitarian mission to the small town of Al Muwaffaphali, about 150 miles outside of Baghdad. He was in the lead light-armored vehicle and as his platoon approached town, he reported that an obstacle was blocking the road. Within minutes, the platoon was showered by enemy fire.
Simmons wasn't expecting it.
"We were going to hand out food, and we thought it was going to be a safe place," he said Thursday. "I didn't think I was going to get shot."
As his platoon pulled back, Simmons stayed behind, placing his vehicle between the town and his platoon in order to provide cover. While he was firing on the Iraqis, enemy fire intensified and a rocket-propelled grenade hit the front of the LAV. Simmons was hit in the arm.
"It blew my hand backwards," he said.
About eight pieces of shrapnel pierced Simmons' hands and arms - and one, about the size of a dime, hit the artery in his right wrist.
But Simmons continued to do his job.
Covered in blood, Simmons moved his vehicle, now badly damaged from the firefight, out of the engagement area, continued to return fire and got his crew to safety.
"For me, it wasn't scary until it was over with," said Simmons. "I saw combat in Afghanistan a year before, but it was nothing like Iraq. You're just doing what you're trained to do, but when it's over and you look at your vehicle and see bullet pocks and holes, you realize what you've been in."
It was nearly 30 minutes before a corpsman could get to Simmons and sew up his wound - now a round scar on his right arm forever telling the story of the shrapnel that entered there. Adjacent to that, running the length of his forearm, is another scar from a procedure called a fasciotomy that he needed a few days later.
"They sewed up my wound in the field to stop the bleeding, but it was still bleeding on the inside. My arm had swelled up with blood, so they did the fasciotomy to relive the pressure," said Simmons. "If they hadn't, I probably would have lost my arm."
With his parents, Mike Sr., and Marianne Simmons and wife, Amy, by his side at the ceremony, Simmons said he was thankful and proud.
"I'm glad to be here, to be back with my wife and family. I'm proud of what I did. Despite what some people say about the war, it was worth every minute of it."
http://www.jdnews.com/Photo/092603_simmons.jpg
News///MarineSimmons///Sergeant Michael Simmons receives hug from his father Mike Simmons, Sr. following his receiving a Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" Thursday afternoon September 25 2003 on Camp Lejeune. Entry wound where piece of shrapnel entered Michaels right wrist is visible as he hugs his father.
http://www.jdnews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=Details.cfm&StoryID=16381&Section=News
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
September 26,2003
TIMMI TOLER
DAILY NEWS STAFF
There is a phrase emblazoned in scarlet letters on the wall of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion headquarters at Camp Lejeune. It reads, "Victory to the bold."
It's the battalion's motto. It also describes Marine Sgt. Michael A. Simmons Jr.
In a ceremony Thursday at Camp Lejeune, Simmons was awarded the Bronze Star, one of the nation's highest military awards, for his heroics during the war with Iraq.
From March 23 to April 1, the 24-year-old native of St. Louis served as a vehicle commander for 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd LAR battalion. The unit saw several days of intense fighting outside of Nasiriyah.
But on April 1, Simmons' company was sent on a humanitarian mission to the small town of Al Muwaffaphali, about 150 miles outside of Baghdad. He was in the lead light-armored vehicle and as his platoon approached town, he reported that an obstacle was blocking the road. Within minutes, the platoon was showered by enemy fire.
Simmons wasn't expecting it.
"We were going to hand out food, and we thought it was going to be a safe place," he said Thursday. "I didn't think I was going to get shot."
As his platoon pulled back, Simmons stayed behind, placing his vehicle between the town and his platoon in order to provide cover. While he was firing on the Iraqis, enemy fire intensified and a rocket-propelled grenade hit the front of the LAV. Simmons was hit in the arm.
"It blew my hand backwards," he said.
About eight pieces of shrapnel pierced Simmons' hands and arms - and one, about the size of a dime, hit the artery in his right wrist.
But Simmons continued to do his job.
Covered in blood, Simmons moved his vehicle, now badly damaged from the firefight, out of the engagement area, continued to return fire and got his crew to safety.
"For me, it wasn't scary until it was over with," said Simmons. "I saw combat in Afghanistan a year before, but it was nothing like Iraq. You're just doing what you're trained to do, but when it's over and you look at your vehicle and see bullet pocks and holes, you realize what you've been in."
It was nearly 30 minutes before a corpsman could get to Simmons and sew up his wound - now a round scar on his right arm forever telling the story of the shrapnel that entered there. Adjacent to that, running the length of his forearm, is another scar from a procedure called a fasciotomy that he needed a few days later.
"They sewed up my wound in the field to stop the bleeding, but it was still bleeding on the inside. My arm had swelled up with blood, so they did the fasciotomy to relive the pressure," said Simmons. "If they hadn't, I probably would have lost my arm."
With his parents, Mike Sr., and Marianne Simmons and wife, Amy, by his side at the ceremony, Simmons said he was thankful and proud.
"I'm glad to be here, to be back with my wife and family. I'm proud of what I did. Despite what some people say about the war, it was worth every minute of it."
http://www.jdnews.com/Photo/092603_simmons.jpg
News///MarineSimmons///Sergeant Michael Simmons receives hug from his father Mike Simmons, Sr. following his receiving a Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" Thursday afternoon September 25 2003 on Camp Lejeune. Entry wound where piece of shrapnel entered Michaels right wrist is visible as he hugs his father.
http://www.jdnews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=Details.cfm&StoryID=16381&Section=News
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: