thedrifter
05-07-08, 08:54 AM
Purple Heart Award
A Youngstown Soldier receives one of the military's highest honors tonight -- a Purple Heart. It is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces. And tonight Marine Corps Sgt. Stephen A. Carouthers III is a proud recipient of the purple heart.
Sargent Stephen Carouthers, Awarded Purple Heart: "I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS JUST SERVING MY COUNTRY DOING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. I WASN'T LOOKING FOR FAME. I'M JUST TRYING TO DO MY THING."
Doing his thing back in August of 2005 led Sargent Carouthers on a mission near Ramadi in the Al-Anbar Province resupplying his unit with rockets when an I-E-D hit his vehicle and left Carouthers with a severe traumatic brain injury.
"I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO DESCRIBE IT. I WAS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED I THOUGHT I WAS STILL ABLE TO FIGHT MUCH LIKE EVERY MARINE DOES WHEN HE GETS HURT HE WON'T ADMIT IT. I TRIED TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT BUT THEY WOULDN'T LET ME"
Carouthers says he thought he'd receive the purple heart because of his injuries but had no idea the marines would put on such a production for him back at home.
"I WAS JUST FIGURING THAT THEY WOULD AWARD IT TO ME IN IRAQ AND THAT'S IT. BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THE GENTLEMAN GLENN BUZZARD GIVE IT TO ME AND THE OTHER GENTLEMAN I WAS KIND OF TICKLED FROM THE TIME YOU ENTER BOOT CAMP TO THE TIME YOU GET OUT YOU ONLY HEAR STORIES OF GREAT LEGENDS LIKE THOSE TWO. IT WAS DEFINITELY AN HONOR."
Something this two time recipient of the purple heart echoed. He presented the purple heart to Sargent Carouthers.
"MARINES ARE DIFFERENT. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AND WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. SO I'M AS HONORED AS I'M SURE HE IS."
Carouthers mother couldn't be prouder either.
Mother, Kim Hildebrand: "I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM, I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM. OF COURSE THIS IS BITTERSWEET BECAUSE IT MEANS HE GOT INJURED BUT AT LEAST HE'S HOME SAFE AND SOUND."
I'm a marine and she still protects me..which is kind of scary, she can be just as mean.
Ellie
A Youngstown Soldier receives one of the military's highest honors tonight -- a Purple Heart. It is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces. And tonight Marine Corps Sgt. Stephen A. Carouthers III is a proud recipient of the purple heart.
Sargent Stephen Carouthers, Awarded Purple Heart: "I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS JUST SERVING MY COUNTRY DOING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. I WASN'T LOOKING FOR FAME. I'M JUST TRYING TO DO MY THING."
Doing his thing back in August of 2005 led Sargent Carouthers on a mission near Ramadi in the Al-Anbar Province resupplying his unit with rockets when an I-E-D hit his vehicle and left Carouthers with a severe traumatic brain injury.
"I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO DESCRIBE IT. I WAS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED I THOUGHT I WAS STILL ABLE TO FIGHT MUCH LIKE EVERY MARINE DOES WHEN HE GETS HURT HE WON'T ADMIT IT. I TRIED TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT BUT THEY WOULDN'T LET ME"
Carouthers says he thought he'd receive the purple heart because of his injuries but had no idea the marines would put on such a production for him back at home.
"I WAS JUST FIGURING THAT THEY WOULD AWARD IT TO ME IN IRAQ AND THAT'S IT. BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THE GENTLEMAN GLENN BUZZARD GIVE IT TO ME AND THE OTHER GENTLEMAN I WAS KIND OF TICKLED FROM THE TIME YOU ENTER BOOT CAMP TO THE TIME YOU GET OUT YOU ONLY HEAR STORIES OF GREAT LEGENDS LIKE THOSE TWO. IT WAS DEFINITELY AN HONOR."
Something this two time recipient of the purple heart echoed. He presented the purple heart to Sargent Carouthers.
"MARINES ARE DIFFERENT. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AND WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. SO I'M AS HONORED AS I'M SURE HE IS."
Carouthers mother couldn't be prouder either.
Mother, Kim Hildebrand: "I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM, I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM. OF COURSE THIS IS BITTERSWEET BECAUSE IT MEANS HE GOT INJURED BUT AT LEAST HE'S HOME SAFE AND SOUND."
I'm a marine and she still protects me..which is kind of scary, she can be just as mean.
Ellie