Posted on 10/14/2006 2:15:57 PM PDT by Axhandle
HILO » Army medic Ray Michael Fuhrmann II was calm under fire on the day that he and a unit of friendly Iraqi commandos ran into an ambush.
Fuhrmann saved six Iraqi lives in the firefight that followed on March 22, 2005.
For his bravery, Fuhrmann's father was presented with the Silver Star last night in a brief ceremony at Waiakea High School in Hilo. It is the third-highest military honor that the nation bestows on its military personnel.
Spc. Fuhrmann could not receive it himself. He and three other soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb destroyed their vehicle five months after the ambush, on Aug. 18, in Samarra. He was 28.
Born in Honolulu, Fuhrmann was raised in Volcano on the Big Island and in California, and had attended Waiakea High School.
He had served in Iraq as an ambulance driver for six months in 2003, then returned in January 2005.
"He was very calm when others were not," said Lt. Col. Mark Wald, his commander in Iraq.
On March 22, 2005, Iraqi commandos were moving to attack a suspected insurgent safe house when they were hit by fire, Wald said.
Fuhrmann went to the aid of the wounded while the commandos attacked the safe house. With bullets flying around him, Fuhrmann fired all the ammunition in his rifle and pistol, then picked up an Iraqi AK-47, loaded it and fired it until he again ran out of ammunition, Wald said.
He did so while providing aid to the wounded, saving the six Iraqis.
"Spc. Fuhrmann was a real hero," Wald said.
Fuhrmann knew before he was killed that he was going to receive the medal, his father said.
"I've been waiting to get it for a while," he said. "It helps to lay him to rest. It's the last thing to do."
Fuhrmann's grandfather Ray Michael Fuhrmann I said the death of his namesake was a tragedy, since the young man had finally found his calling and planned to become a doctor.
"You know you have to live with it. You know it's final. There's no alternative. Ray was a wonderful kid," he said.
Fuhrmann went to the aid of the wounded while the commandos attacked the safe house. With bullets flying around him, Fuhrmann fired all the ammunition in his rifle and pistol, then picked up an Iraqi AK-47, loaded it and fired it until he again ran out of ammunition, Wald said.
He did so while providing aid to the wounded, saving the six Iraqis.
Some other details not mentioned in the article:
- the ambush mentioned was a well-prepared L-shaped ambush and was initiated with accurate mortar fire, followed with heavy machine gun fire; much more intense than 99% of the firefights in Iraq
- Furhmann either did not hear the orders of his platoon leader or chose to disobey them when he exposed himself to fire from a .50 cal machine gun several times in order to give lifesaving aid (as opposed to simple first aid) to Iraqi Soldiers
- Fuhrmann's unit was greatly outnumbered and by the end of the fight everybody was firing AK's that they had picked up from the fallen after expending all 5.56mm ammo
Fuhrmann is a tremendous hero. I try to write something more but i'm having trouble- eyes tearing and choking up. Tremendous, self-less, honorable- what a brave, wonderful, thinking man. In awe of his heroism and we grieve, too.
You know what would be great? An Iraqi memorial to Spc. Fuhrmann and to the US and to all the Allies who have fallen in defense of Iraq. That would be uplifting. It would be a grateful acknowledgement of our heroes.
and a true and noble American hero.
We have plenty, but we this country still needs more men like him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.