 | June 16, 2005... Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, vehicle commander, 617th Military Police Company, Richmond, Ky., stands at attention before receiving the Silver Star at an awards ceremony at Camp Liberty, Iraq. The heroic facts... Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester (23), vehicle commander, 617th Military Police Company, Richmond, KY Hester's squad was shadowing a supply convoy March 20 when anti-Iraqi fighters ambushed the convoy. The squad moved to the side of the road, flanking the insurgents and cutting off their escape route. Hester led her team through the "kill zone" and into a flanking position, where she assaulted a trench line with grenades and M203 grenade-launcher rounds. She and Nein, her squad leader, then cleared two trenches, at which time she killed three insurgents with her rifle. When the fight was over, 27 insurgents were dead, six were wounded, and one was captured. (Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein and Spc. Jason Mike were also awarded the Silver Star, for valor in this action.) Photo by Spc. Jeremy D. Crisp |
