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Faced with continual enemy
fire from more than 50
insurgents, Capt. Brent L.
Morel - by all accounts a
"Marine's Marine" - led an
assault across an open field
with a handful of Marines
following closely behind.
Where most would be looking
for cover, Morel's assault
was aimed at saving others -
not himself - according to
battlefield accounts.
Consequently, Morel, a
platoon commander with 1st
Reconnaissance Battalion,
1st Marine Division,
posthumously received the
Navy Cross - the
Department of the Navy's
second-highest award for
combat valor – May 21, 2005,
during a ceremony that drew
hundreds at the Marine
Forces Reserve Training
Center.
It was the second Navy Cross
awarded in less than two
months to a 1st Recon Bn.
Marine for combat actions
April 7, 2004, during the
first offensive in Fallujah
as part of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The two awards are
among nine Navy Crosses
awarded to U.S.
servicemembers for heroism
during Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
Morel's award was presented
to his wife, Amy. "Although
I would rather have him
receive the award in person,
I am glad to see that his
brave actions did not go
unnoticed," Amy said,
clutching the medal in her
hand.
Sgt. Willie L. Copeland III
and several other Marines
who fought alongside Morel
that day were on hand for
the presentation. |
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"That was the
type of Marine Morel was -
he led from the front," said
Copeland, a team leader with
2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st
Recon Bn, which Morel
commanded. "He was a
personal mentor of mine, so
I was constantly trying to
obtain knowledge from him
any way I could."
Morel's self-sacrifice came
as no surprise, Copeland
said. "No medal or award can
make up for the loss of a
good Marine, but as a recon
Marine, (Morel) knew that
his life was on the line
every day - and he was
always proud of it,"
Copeland added.
Although Morel, 27, of
Martin, Tenn., had been in
the recon community for only
a short amount of time, he
made his mark among an elite
crowd, Copeland said.
The award honored a "man
amongst giants," said Mike
Morel, Brent's father.
Also during the ceremony --
held at Morel's very first
unit after completing boot
camp--- a life-like bronze
bust of Morel in his helmet
and protective vest was
unveiled.
"The statue looked so real,
right down to the scar he
got while he was in boot
camp," said Molly Morel,
Brent's mother.
The statue will be placed in
the library at Morel's alma
mater, the University of
Tennessee at Martin.
"The library is where me and
my husband met, so it is
only fitting that his statue
be kept there to inspire
those who pass it by," Amy
said.
Excerpts from article by
Lance Cpl. Miguel A.
Carrasco Jr.,
MCB Camp Pendleton, May 21,
2005 |
