![]() Sergeant Bellavia then went back to the street and called in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle to shell the houses.Īfter this was done, he decided to reenter the building to determine whether the enemy fighters were still active. Jihadists on the roof began firing at the squad, forcing them to take cover in a nearby building. Only when his men were all out did David exit the building."įrom the citation for Bellavia's Silver Star:Īt this point, Sergeant Bellavia, armed with an M249 SAW gun, entered the room where the insurgents were located and sprayed the room with gunfire, forcing the jihadists to take cover and allowing the squad to move out into the street. "He provided suppressive fire while his men evacuated, rescuing his entire squad at the risk of his own life. He leaped into the torrent of bullets and fired back at the enemy without even thinking," the president said. The rounds of fire ripped holes into the wall separating the Americans from the terrorists. "In the dark of night, shards of glass, brick, and plaster flew into the air, wounding multiple soldiers. They opened fire on David and everybody." As they entered the house and moved into the living room, two men were behind concrete barricades. It was a three-story building surrounded by a nine-foot wall. "They entered house after house, and secured nine of the buildings. "A very dangerous operation," Trump said Tuesday. and carrying on the legacy of American valor."ĭuring a house-to-house search, the soldiers of Company A, Task Force 2-2, 1st Infantry Division, encountered fierce resistance - a not unfamiliar situation for his unit 37 people from his brigade died that year. In presenting the nation's top military honor, Trump noted Bellavia's "extraordinary courage. And there were plenty of them," Trump told a packed White House ceremony. "For three days straight, David and his men kicked down doors, searched houses, and destroyed enemy weapons, never knowing where they would find a terrorist lurking next. 10, 2004, his platoon was clearing a block of a dozen buildings that were occupied by Iraqi insurgents who were firing at U.S. troops struggled to gain control of a dense city that had held some 350,000 people, but was then populated mostly by 3-4,000 heavily fortified insurgent forces.īellavia, now 43 years old, was a U.S. Trump said it was his "privilege to award the highest military honor to an American soldier who demonstrated exceptional courage to protect his men and defend our nation."īellavia was recognized for his valor in the Second Battle of Fallujah, a nearly two-month urban combat offensive in late 2004, in which more than 10,000 U.S. Photos by Howard Owens.ĭavid Bellavia, a Batavia resident, on Tuesday, became the first living veteran of the Iraq War to receive the Medal of Honor, as President Donald Trump presented the award in a ceremony at the White House. Story by Dylan Smith, editor and publisher of the Tucson Sentinel. The video doesn't just cover the main events - the Medal of Honor ceremony and Hall of Heroes ceremony - both of which were open to the press but also the events I attended as a guest of David's while other media were excluded, primarily the reception in the ballroom of the hotel on Monday night and the reception in the White House after the Medal of Honor ceremony. I hope the video gives you a good sense of what took place in Washington over four days and provides you with a better sense of what happened in Fallujah on Nov. ![]() We spent a lot of time together and he helped me with my coverage. My interview with him figures prominently in this video. One of the highlights of the trip - and there many - was hanging out with Michael Ware, a legendary combat journalist. with the men of Bellavia's platoon. I was there when Meno made a toast to their fallen comrades. And though I took no pictures, made no recording, it's a moment I'll never forget. On Tuesday night, I was able to attend a party at a private residence in D.C. It was a special honor and pleasure to meet and speak with Colin Fitts, Maj. Yes, it was a great experience to visit the White House (I'll answer the question many people have asked, "Did you meet the president?" No.) and the Pentagon, and it was an honor to see Bellavia receive the Medal of Honor. But in going to these events, what I didn't expect was how meaningful it would be to meet the men who served with Bellavia in Fallujah, Iraq. I got to see firsthand their love for each other and hear their stories and speak to several of them individually. My trip to Washington, D.C., to witness David Bellavia receiving the Medal of Honor and be inducted into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon is the highlight of my journalism career.
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