On one hot August morning
near Rawah, Iraq, Lance
Corporal Moses Cardenas of
the Marines 1st Light
Armored Reconnaissance
Battalion found his platoon
barraged by an insurgent
suicide bomb, numerous
rocket-propelled grenades,
and heavy machine gun fire.
In the chaotic moments that
followed, Cardenas would
have to decide between
attempting the rescue of his
wounded sergeant or remain
in his covered position
until reinforcements
arrived. The choice was
simple.
Cardenas thought, "He was my
sergeant; I had to do
something," and with that he
courageously charged 50
meters through the kill-zone
to his wounded comrade.
Running the gauntlet through
enemy fire, he was shot in
the neck by the spray of
weapons' fire. Undeterred,
he arrived at Sgt. Randy
Roedema's exposed position
and performed first-aid to
stop the flow of blood from
Roedema's severe wounds.
With both Marines wounded
and under the sights of
numerous insurgents,
Cardenas knew if he was to
save his friend he must
evacuate both of them to
safety. With his M249 Squad
Automatic Weapon charged and
a grip on his injured
sergeant, Cardenas rotated
between firing his machine
gun and pulling Roedema
across the battlefield.
Reaching the relative safety
of his platoon's convoy,
Cardenas continued laying
down suppressive fire until
the situation came under
control and medics could
tend to the wounded Marines.
Cardenas was awarded the
Silver Star, the third
highest military award.
Roedema would later reflect
"I owe him my life." Four
days after Cardenas saved
his life, Roedema's wife
gave birth to their first
child – a child that will
have a father because of the
selfless act preformed by
Cardenas on that summer
morning in Iraq. |
