Army PFC Stephen C. Sanford - Someone You Should Know

Posted By Blackfive • [May 09, 2007]

Read this and ask why this story hasn't been all over the media.  It was released more than 8 weeks ago...only the Army has information on it.  I found no media services have picked this up at all...from Army reports:

In late November, 2005, during an assault on a house in Mosul, Iraq, filled with terrorists, PFC Stephen Sanford of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, was hit in the leg.  The house erupted in rifle fire and grenades.  Soldiers were hit and dying on the first floor of the house.

Though wounded in the leg, Sanford charged back in with his team, laying down suppressive fire while his team mates evacuated the wounded.

On the second evacuation of wounded, Sanford again (bleeding) kept the terrorists at bay while the wounded were evac'd.  While assisting the last wounded soldier out of the house, a terrorist shot the soldier assisting the wounded troop.  The soldier dropped to the floor - shot through the neck.

Sanford ran back and began performing first aid, then CPR trying to keep the soldier alive. 

Terrorists sensed Sanford's weak position and tried to gun him down.  While performing CPR, he was shot twice in the back while trying to protect the wounded soldier with his body.  Sanford then turned and fought back, killing one terrorist, but getting hit twice more.

Sanford continued fighting, trying to save his comrade, when the loss of blood was too much and he lost consciousness...

PFC Sanford has been medically retired and on February 26th, 2007, he received the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, for his courage and valor.

From Armed Forces News Service:

...Sanford was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace, who traveled to Alaska to perform the ceremony. “As he was pinning the medal on, his hands kinda shook a little bit, and he said ‘Sorry, this is the first time I’ve given one of these out.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry General, it’s my first one too.’”...

The citation is included after the Jump.

You can hear about his experience in his own words in a piece put together by the Pentagon Channel's Recon program, and you'll hear from some other heroes that you heard about on military blogs:

The President of the United States
Takes Pleasure in Presenting
The Distinguished Service Cross
                                                                                                           To
                                                                                              Stephen C. Sanford
                                                                                        Private First Class, U.S. Army
                                                                               For Services as Set Forth in the Following

Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 2d Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172d Stryker Brigade Combat Team, on 19 November 2005, during combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Private Sanford displayed extraordinary courage during the evacuation of casualties from a home in Mosul, Iraq, while under intense enemy fire. Although shot through the leg during his squad’s initial assault attempt, he accompanied his squad during their second assault. Once inside the house, he provided a heavy volume of suppressive fire while the casualties were evacuated. He continued to engage the enemy while escorting the wounded Soldiers from the house. He returned to the house a second time to provide vital covering fire and security for the final withdrawal of the casualties. When the last Soldier leaving the house was shot in the neck, Private Sanford, with complete disregard for his own safety, moved to the Soldier and began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. While attempting to revive the other Soldier, he was shot twice more in the back. Protecting the fallen Soldier, Private Sanford returned fire and killed an insurgent while receiving two more potentially fatal gunshot wounds. He continued to return devastating fire on the enemy while helping his wounded comrade until he was incapacitated by his own loss of blood. Private Sanford’s gallant deed was truly above and beyond the call of duty and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service, reflecting great credit upon himself, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry, the United States Army, and the United States of America.

---

Comments

Army PFC Stephen C. Sanford - Someone You Should Know

Read this and ask why this story hasn't been all over the media.  It was released more than 8 weeks ago...only the Army has information on it.  I found no media services have picked this up at all...from Army reports:

In late November, 2005, during an assault on a house in Mosul, Iraq, filled with terrorists, PFC Stephen Sanford of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, was hit in the leg.  The house erupted in rifle fire and grenades.  Soldiers were hit and dying on the first floor of the house.

Though wounded in the leg, Sanford charged back in with his team, laying down suppressive fire while his team mates evacuated the wounded.

On the second evacuation of wounded, Sanford again (bleeding) kept the terrorists at bay while the wounded were evac'd.  While assisting the last wounded soldier out of the house, a terrorist shot the soldier assisting the wounded troop.  The soldier dropped to the floor - shot through the neck.

Sanford ran back and began performing first aid, then CPR trying to keep the soldier alive. 

Terrorists sensed Sanford's weak position and tried to gun him down.  While performing CPR, he was shot twice in the back while trying to protect the wounded soldier with his body.  Sanford then turned and fought back, killing one terrorist, but getting hit twice more.

Sanford continued fighting, trying to save his comrade, when the loss of blood was too much and he lost consciousness...

PFC Sanford has been medically retired and on February 26th, 2007, he received the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, for his courage and valor.

From Armed Forces News Service:

...Sanford was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace, who traveled to Alaska to perform the ceremony. “As he was pinning the medal on, his hands kinda shook a little bit, and he said ‘Sorry, this is the first time I’ve given one of these out.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry General, it’s my first one too.’”...

The citation is included after the Jump.

You can hear about his experience in his own words in a piece put together by the Pentagon Channel's Recon program, and you'll hear from some other heroes that you heard about on military blogs:

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bfadb53ef00d83506040d53ef

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Army PFC Stephen C. Sanford - Someone You Should Know:

» Who the people? from Clicked
There's a new crop of blog entries criticizing the media for misrepresenting "the people." Perhaps it's because the election season is heating up. But the Internet doesn't appear to have improved anyone's grip on the public mind so treat these piece... [Read More]