"SILVER STAR - Wyatt Mendes of Lancaster was decorated with the Silver Star, the military's second-highest honor, during a ceremony Thursday." RON SIDDLE/Valley Press
Posted on 07/28/2006 9:43:12 AM PDT by BenLurkin
LANCASTER - Wyatt Mendes remembers the morning of June 19, 2005, "like it was yesterday." He was a corporal in the Marine Corps on patrol in the Iraqi city of Falluja, then an insurgent stronghold. His unit comprised 17 men, divided among four Humvees armed with 50-caliber machine guns, MK-19 grenade launchers and anti-tank missiles. They were moving through an agricultural area, surrounded by small rises and palm trees.
His unit came under fire around 5:30 a.m. About 50 local fighters staked out positions on a berm to his right. Mendes recalls a half-mile of "nothing but guys with AK-47s and machine guns."
In his split-second reasoning, the insurgents were trying to drive the Marines back into a cluster of improvised explosive devices. So Mendes did the opposite, ordering his unit to charge the enemy positions. The platoon fired and maneuvered for 2½ hours, eliminating one threat then flanking another.
The fire fight, later dubbed the "Father's Day Massacre," earned Mendes the Silver Star, the military's third highest honor. He received the medal at a ceremony Thursday at the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, where he was stationed. Mendes spoke to a Valley Press reporter at the Lancaster home of his parents Steve and Valerie Wane later that day.
The commendation report recounts that Mendes ( Wyatt used his father's surname, Waldron, in the Marines, but has since reverted to his mother's maiden name of Mendes.)"led his section into the oncoming machine gun fire, "Cpl. Waldron dismounted his vehicle and personally destroyed two enemy machine gun positions, killing three insurgents. He then killed two more armed insurgents attempting to reinforce an adjoining enemy position.
"During the pursuit, his platoon killed an additional 17 insurgents, captured six, and found another six unexploded IEDs at the ambush site."
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
"SILVER STAR - Wyatt Mendes of Lancaster was decorated with the Silver Star, the military's second-highest honor, during a ceremony Thursday." RON SIDDLE/Valley Press
I see Corp. Mendes attacked into an ambush. Good thinking!
These men are well trained.
God bless Corp. Mendes and all of our troops. They are the best of us!
Retreat Hell!
"So Mendes did the opposite, ordering his unit to charge the enemy positions. "
Semper Fi!
It's been said that a Corporal in the Marine Corps is as qualified as a Staff NCO in the Army.
PING
The MSM reporters are such dorks. Akin to picking up a weapon and immediately looking down the barrel to see if it's loaded.
Mendes did what he had to do to keep his men alive the best he could. That's his job when in charge. Excellent split decision.
I heard it was a Captain in the Air Force.
Bullshit!
I heard Light Bird...
I thought it was a Colonel!
Oh, heck. General. Everyone knows that...
One thing I have been told about the Marines..they can all fight and are expected to not only do it, but know how to do it if the situation arises...from Generals at the top to Privates in a clerical role.
Any Marines confirm this for me?
That's it !
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