I presume by now most of you have seen this, but still post-worthy.

The citation reads:

Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously during a White House ceremony April 4, 2005. The official citation will be made available after the White House Presentation.

Baghdad Airport, April 4, 2003.

http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/citation/images/highway8_full.jpg">
Bravo Company's view of Highway 8 leading East into Baghdad. The berms were created by combat engineers to impede an enemy attack. http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/citation/images/highway8_full.jpg - Click for a bigger picture.

On April 4, 2003, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, attacked to seize Objective Lions, the Baghdad International Airport. As part of the Brigade scheme of maneuver, Task Force 2-7 Infantry was tasked to establish a blocking position against a brigade-sized counterattack on the main entrance to the airfield. Task Force 2-7 had been fighting for three consecutive days and had moved through the night before reaching the blocking position. Morale was high, but Soldiers were experiencing fatigue. B Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment (Knight) was in the east-most position oriented along the main avenue of approach ready for the main enemy counterattack. A Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment (Rage) was attacking to the southeast of the Highway.

The main entrance to the airfield was a four-lane highway with a median to separate incoming and outgoing traffic. Large masonry walls with towers approximately 100 meters apart bound the highway. On the morning of April 4, 2003, more than 100 soldiers from the Task Force 2-7 Forward Aid Station, mortars, scouts and portions of B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion were in the median behind the forward most blocking positions. The B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion 2nd Platoon Leader was on a reconnaissance mission with the B Company, Task Force 2-7 Infantry Commander. During his absence, 2nd Platoon received the mission to construct an Enemy Prisoner of War holding area. Sgt. 1st Class Smith was in charge of 2nd Platoon.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith assessed the best location to be behind the masonry wall bounding the highway. Two guard towers along the wall were ideally situated to provide overwatch to the holding area. An M9 armored combat earthmover (ACE) knocked a hole in the wall to create an opening to a large courtyard with a louvered metal gate on the north side. With the help of a squad leader and team leader, Sgt. 1st Class Smith checked the far side of the courtyard for enemy, found none, and posted two guards. From the guard post at the gate small groupings of buildings were 100-200 meters to the northeast. To the northwest, a large white building with a white dome was visible. The location seemed perfect as the courtyard was along the northern flank of the blocking position and enemy actions to this point were mostly from the east.

http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/citation/images/wall_tower_full.jpg">
Sgt. 1st Class Smith's view from his position in the courtyard. Iraqi troops were firing from the tower on the left, and climbing over the wall in front. http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/citation/images/wall_tower_full.jpg - Click for a bigger picture.

While an engineer squad began to clear debris in the courtyard, one of the guards saw 10-15 enemy soldiers with small arms, 60mm mortars, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). These were the lead elements of an organized company-sized force making a deliberate attack on the flank of Task Force 2-7. Sgt. 1st Class Smith came to the position and identified 25-50 more soldiers moving into prepared fighting positions. Sgt. 1st Class Smith instructed a squad leader to get a nearby Bradley Fighting Vehicle for support. While waiting for the Bradley, Sgt. 1st Class Smith had members of 2nd platoon retrieve AT-4 weapons and form a skirmish line outside the gate. By this time, the number of enemy identified rose to 100 soldiers, now a confirmed company-sized attack. Three of B Company’s M113A3 armored personnel carriers (APC) oriented .50-cal. machineguns toward the opening in the wall and the surrounding guard towers, now occupied by enemy soldiers.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to organize a defense against the deliberate attack were not only effective, but inspired the B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion Soldiers. He then began to lead by example. As the Bradley arrived on site and moved through the hole in the wall toward the gate, Sgt. 1st Class Smith ran to the gate wall and threw a fragmentation grenade at the enemy. He then took two Soldiers forward to join the guards and directed their engagement of the enemy with small arms. The enemy continued to fire rifles, RPGs, and 60mm mortars at the Soldiers on the street and within the courtyard. Enemy soldiers began moving along the buildings on the north side of the clearing to get into position to climb into the towers. Sgt. 1st Class Smith called for an APC to move forward to provide additional fire support. Sgt. 1st Class Smith then fired an AT-4 at the enemy while directing his fire team assembled near the front line of the engagement area.

Running low on ammunition and having taken RPG hits, the Bradley withdrew to reload. The lead APC in the area received a direct hit from a mortar, wounding the three occupants. The enemy attack was at its strongest point and every action counted. Not only were the wounded Soldiers threatened but also more than 100 Soldiers from B Company, the Task Force Aid Station, and the Mortar Platoon were at risk.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith ordered one of his Soldiers to back the damaged APC back into the courtyard after the wounded men had been evacuated. Knowing the APC ’s .50-Cal. machinegun was the largest weapon between the enemy and the friendly position, Sgt. 1st Class Smith immediately assumed the track commander’s position behind the weapon, and told a soldier who accompanied him to “feed me ammunition whenever you hear the gun get quiet.” Sgt. 1st Class Smith fired on the advancing enemy from the unprotected position atop the APC and expended at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded by enemy fire. The enemy attack was defeated. Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions saved the lives of at least 100 Soldiers, caused the failure of a deliberate enemy attack hours after 1st Brigade seized the Baghdad Airport, and resulted in an estimated 20-50 enemy soldiers killed. His actions inspired his platoon, his Company, the 11th Engineer Battalion and Task Force 2-7 Infantry.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to lead Soldiers in direct contact with a numerically superior enemy--to personally engage the enemy with a fragmentation grenade, AT-4, and individual weapon, to ultimately assume the track commander’s position to fire the .50-Cal. machinegun through at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded--demonstrates conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. His actions prevented a penetration in the Task Force 2-7 sector, defended the aid station, mortars, and scouts, and allowed the evacuation of Soldiers wounded by indirect enemy fire.

man does he deserve it. my question is though why is a platoon moving about withonly 1 bradly and one apc? wouldn't a unit of this size have at least 2 bradleys and 4 apcs or humvees? either way great job sgt 1st class smith. that take cojones

we cant pull out of that country becuase it will be the same as it was before we came and in 10 year we'll have to go and pacify them again

Wow, just wow.

We cant pull out now, because if we did all these lives would be in vain because the insurgents would take over and put another Saddam into power.

Apparently the soldier's 11 year old son will receive the award in his place.

:(

Wasn't John Kerry awarded a silver star for valor? I think he's a pretty heroic, awesome soldier, just like SFC Smith. I guess if you honor one, you must honor them all.

The people that sent SFC Smith to his death don't deserve to sign his papers.

What a shame.

Strife_17 wrote: yes john kery what a soldier he was the officewr that signed his own papers for the citiation of his award wasnt he? didnt he nearly blo w his face off with a grenade? didnt all the swift boat veteran? didnt he aid in the stereotype of nam veterans? and insult them? and cause us to think the were all sociopath? yup great soldier

BURN!!!!!!

goodsmitty wrote: Wasn't John Kerry awarded a silver star for valor? I think he's a pretty heroic, awesome soldier, just like SFC Smith. I guess if you honor one, you must honor them all. The people that sent SFC Smith to his death don't deserve to sign his papers.

That's just sad that you even try to compare John Kerry to SFC Smith.

Get your facts here right buddy, there were other men in that APC that were capable of manning that .50 MG, but he chose to do it. Nobody but himself sent him to his death.

TheUnknown. wrote: goodsmitty wrote: Wasn't John Kerry awarded a silver star for valor? I think he's a pretty heroic, awesome soldier, just like SFC Smith. I guess if you honor one, you must honor them all. The people that sent SFC Smith to his death don't deserve to sign his papers. That's just sad that you even try to compare John Kerry to SFC Smith. Get your facts here right buddy, there were other men in that APC that were capable of manning that .50 MG, but he chose to do it. Nobody but himself sent him to his death.

So your politics dictate who is a hero, and not the hero's actions. A silver star is a silver star, no matter what he did in life. I heard that SFC Smith voted for Ralph Nader. How ya like him now?

I guess I was hoping we could just honor a fallen hero, without the politics...

:/

Clark Kent wrote: I guess I was hoping we could just honor a fallen hero, without the politics... :/

Your right! Why do all these people on the forum have to turn this into a political thing! I don’t care about John Kerry anymore, nor do I care who SFC Smith voted for! Lets all just put our politics aside to honor a brave man who did a heroic thing.

P.S. Anyone who serves Honorably in the military in times of war is deserving of the Medal of Honor, and as all the Medal of Honor recipients say; the real Heroes are the ones that don’t come home.

Clark Kent wrote: I guess I was hoping we could just honor a fallen hero, without the politics... :/

Yeah, that would last about a half-page. Enjoy!

Bugg wrote: Dune wrote: Good lord you don't stop with the stereotyping. How the HELL did I sterotype there? Please explain to me o masterful one. I've read and reread my post, I only see somethign about Audie Murphy.... wow you must be against World War 2 TOO!!! seriously get a life

You must not know how to read. Your statement about asking all the liberals and blah blah blah. Your partisan comments are not needed in this thread.

Exactly. You act like they are one big group that all share the exact same opinion. If you can't distinguish, or cannot show open-mindedness, there is no need to post.