"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 !
"Valley Marine wins awarded Silver Star
There...fixed ! Morons...."
Thank you!! Nothing chaps my hide more than when media/or people say "won" a Silver/Bronze Star or Purple Heart. You win a pie eating contest not a military medal.
I wont quibble, as long as he didn't "win" it.
I've told this story before but since this appears to be a `red-thread', you jar-heads might enjoy.
A president (who shall not be named) was celebrating duping an entire country in late `93 and decided to have a big shin-dig at the Kennedy Center, Warshington DC. He wanted a Marine because Mrs. President thought their uniforms looked sharp.
Problem was, no one would volunteer for the assignment, to be an ornament, so the captain nominated an old gunny. He had almost 30 years in and reluctantly agreed.
His only job was to say to swells arriving, "A through L to the left", while crossing his right arm across his chest, or "M through Z to the right", etc.", with saber by his side.
No problems until the show was about to start and a very ugly old woman, draped with jewelry, out of breath listened to his little speech, then exclamed,
"I'm with the press! I have a mezzanine seat!"
He had not been instructed regarding this, so he paused, then repeated his directions.
She became excited and repeated, "Private! Are you hard of hearing? I said I have a mezzanine seat, and I know important people. All the way to the top!"
Sarge looked to the left and right, paused again, then slowly repeated his directions.
She opened her mouth a third time, and he stopped her:
"Lady, I don't care if you got brass tits. A through L to the left . . ."
I'm no Marine, but I recall the incident a few months where a Marine cook (now a civilian cook) sent 4 guys to the hospital when they tried to mug him.
LMAO!!! Sounds like Helen Thomas!
Yep. Even us 'Band Geeks'.
Thanks for the confirmation. I read the book "Cold As Hell" recently, and there were multiple references to it. I have also heard stories from Iraq and Afghanistan of support troops who went on patrols and missions to keep them sharp.
Not being a Marine myself, I could only speculate on what I had heard. Thanks for your service, even if it consists or consisted of playing a band instrument while wearing your dress blues.
One does not "win" the Silver Star - one might receive it, one might deserve it and not receive it, but one surely does not WIN it. Semper Fi.
All marines are riflemen no matter what the MOS designation or rank...Semper Fi.
I wish the Valley Press could make up its mind. The caption has the Silver Star as second highest honor while the article says third. Great work by the editor. (/sarcasm)
"Win" is a ridiculous term for such an earned award. This isn't the Olympics!
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