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MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO -- A Silver Star Medal was
presented to Sgt. Miguelange G. Madrigal of 3rd Air Naval Gunfire
Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, at
a ceremony aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Jan. 31,
2013.
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Lt. Gen. Steven A. Hummer, commander of
Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, pins a Silver Star
Medal on Sgt. Miguelange G. Madrigal, a radio chief with Supporting
Arms Liaison Team G, 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, I Marine
Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, aboard Marine Corps Recruit
Depot, San Diego, Jan. 31, 2013. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl.
Marcin Platek)
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Lt. Gen. Steven A. Hummer, the commander of MARFORRES and
Marine Forces North, presented the medal and later expressed
the boldness of Madrigal's actions.
“I want to thank
Sgt. Madrigal for his gallant service and bravery, and
selfless sacrifice to his family and the Marine Corps,”
Hummer said. “We have some tremendous men and women in the
Marine Corps, and this is just another demonstration of what
I call our next great generation. To have these kinds of
young Americans and young Marines doing what they do, it's
just an honor to serve with them day after day. “
As a radio
chief for a Supporting Arms Liaison Team G, 1st ANGLICO, I
Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, Madrigal's
team and other Marine teams on patrol were attacked by
insurgents, Feb. 15, 2010. After fiercely fighting back the
enemy attack, that injured a nearby Marine, Madrigal dashed
out onto the battlefield to snatch the downed Marine who had
been shot in the thigh. Without regard for safety, Madrigal
dragged his fellow Marine to covered area and applied a
tourniquet to the Marine's bleeding wound.
“The
biggest thing that was going through my head was not to let
this guy down and to get him taken care of and patched up,”
said Madrigal, a Bakersfield, Calif., native.
After
the swift actions to save his fellow leatherneck's life,
Madrigal advanced to call in three successive
close-air-support missions by a section of AH-1 helicopters
onto the enemy positions.
Madrigal discovered some
of the insurgents had remained after he called in a casualty
evacuation; then realized that the incoming helicopter
started to receive enemy fire. With concern for the Marines
onboard, Madrigal got on the radio once again and guided the
aircraft away from the hot zone to come back and pick up the
wounded when it was safe.
“He took charge - that
leadership that we espouse in our (noncommissioned officers)
and it's a tremendous tribute to him and to the Marine
Corps,” Hummer said. “We train our Marines incredibly well
and to be a part of an elite unit. ANGLICO works in small
teams and everybody is highly trained. So when he found
himself in a jam, he applied his training, which is
contributed to him and the Marine Corps training program,
and took charge.”
Madrigal credits the Marine Corps
training to his quick actions. During preparation for
deployment an emphasis is put on small teams and
cross-training, so each member knows everyone's role and
job.
For this heroism and rapid engagement, he was
bestowed the nation's third highest medal, the 122nd since
the beginning of the global war on terror.
“It's
very humbling and it almost seems undeserving as everybody
else's actions on the team would have been the same as
mine,” said Madrigal, who is now a student and a civilian
maintenance and safety coordinator.
Another Silver
Star-recipient, Sgt. Maj. James E. Booker, sergeant major of
MARFORRES and MARFORNORTH, was alongside Hummer when
Madrigal received his award. He said that is a remarkable
thing when someone is presented an award for combat, as it
is the most violent event known to man.
“Sgt.
Madrigal's experience was incredible, not many fights have
that many layers to them,” Booker said.
The ceremony
took place in front of a building named after Madrigal's
senior drill instructor, Staff Sgt. Allan K. Walker, who was
killed in action in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004. Having this
personal connection made the pinning that much more
important to Madrigal.
“To witness a young guy like
that to get up in front of his family, in front of the
recruits, it's an emotional thing and that is some history
here,” Booker said. “My hat's off to him.”
By USMC Cpl. Marcin Platek
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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