Camp Pendleton Marines awarded for valor

By: DARRIN MORTENSON - Staff Writer | Monday, August 8, 2005 9:50 PM PDT ∞

CAMP PENDLETON ---- Rare is the young Marine who does not gawk at a veteran's combat medal or covet a campaign ribbon that says, in essence, "I was there."

Honoring the deeds of Marines who've gone before is a core value instilled in recruits and reinforced through tradition, forming a chain that binds Marine veterans from past conflicts to the newest generation of volunteers fighting in Iraq.

On Monday, about 800 Marines gathered on a parade deck at Camp Pendleton to induct some new veterans into their pantheon and add new stories from Iraq to their lore.

"Today is a celebration," Col. Larry Nicholson, the commander of Camp Pendleton's 5th Marine Regiment, said before one of two short award ceremonies for Marines of the regiment's 2nd Battalion on Monday morning.

A dozen Marines from the storied infantry battalion known as the "Two-Five" were awarded medals Monday for combat operations in and around Ramadi, Iraq, where they served between August 2004 and February 2005.

"That's you now; You've joined their ranks," Nicholson said of the regiment's veterans from famous battles that include Guadalcanal in World War II, Chosin Reservoir in Korea and Hue City in Vietnam.

"You have earned a place in Marine Corps history," he said. "You can now say you fought in Ramadi. ... You're combat vets."

In all Monday, five Marines were awarded Bronze Stars, three received Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and two got Purple Hearts for combat wounds.

Courage under fire

The award citations spoke of the courage of the Marines and illustrated the ferocity of the fighting in Ramadi, where other local Marines continue to battle insurgents.

Sgt. Sam Pennock, 26, who was awarded a Bronze Star with a combat distinguishing device, was just one example.

As he fired at insurgents who attacked his platoon in Ramadi on Nov. 8, Pennock was knocked down in his truck turret by a bomb blast.

After he got up to resume firing, another explosion targeting his vehicle knocked him down and destroyed his machine gun.

Pennock dragged himself up again, this time picking up a rifle to defend his unit until the blast from an armor-piercing rocket propelled grenade rocked his vehicle and wounded a fellow Marine inside.

Again, Pennock recovered and fought off insurgent attacks while Navy corpsmen worked to save his comrade's life.

Of his part in the three-hour firefight on that Ramadi street, Pennock said, "I just refused to stop. If I had stopped firing my weapon, they (insurgents) would have killed my friends."

Given the chance to recount their stories, troops chose to highlight the actions of fellow Marines rather than brag about their own.

"It's not about what you did," said Capt. Eric Dougherty, who was awarded the Bronze Star for, among other things, leading his company in a seven-hour firefight against an ambush that wounded six Marines.

"When you have good Marines under you ... they make it happen," he said. "They were out there every day in some pretty crazy stuff."

Surviving Ramadi

Also receiving Bronze Stars with combat distinguishing devices were 2nd Lt. John McKinley, Staff Sgt. Matthew Hays, and Maj. Michael Targos.

McKinley led a platoon in more than 50 engagements against insurgents in Ramadi, including one four-hour fight against at least 50 attackers, according to the citation.

Targos, who was one of the first officers to arrive and last to leave Ramadi, was recognized for tirelessly supplying the Marines with the ammunition they needed during combat missions, and for organizing a rescue operation to retrieve wounded troops and three disabled vehicles from an enemy ambush Sept. 12.

Hays, a 24-year-old Marine from Salinas, was recognized for numerous actions under fire during which he kept his head despite being attacked by suicide bombers, roadside bombs and mortar fire.

Instead of recounting his role Monday, Hays turned the focus to other Marines, including Cpl. Jose Tovar, who stopped insurgent bombers by ramming his Humvee head on into their vehicle, and Cpl. Josh Santoro, who pleaded with his commander to let him back on patrol even after he was severely wounded by shrapnel.

Pep talk

Along with Staff Sgt. Gregory Quaresma and 1st Lt. Alex O'Brien, Tovar and Santoro were given Navy and Marine Corps Commendations on Monday. First Lt. Jeffrey Tew received a Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Corporals Joseph Grimaldi and Ben Sebena both received Purple Hearts for being wounded in action.

Hays said that as the battalion prepares to deploy again for seven months in December ---- possibly for another mission in Iraq ---- newer Marines can benefit from hearing the stories of the veteran Marines who were honored Monday.

"The Marine Corps is all about history and tradition and learning about the shoes you have to fill," he said shortly after receiving his award Monday. "Hearing all this, it's going to make them (want to) fill those shoes."

Contact staff writer Darrin Mortenson at (760) 740-5442 or dmortenson@nctimes.com.

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