Jeremiah Church

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Jeremiah Church, Specialist, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a reconnaissance platoon machine gunner with Troop B, 5th Squadron, 73d Cavalry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, during combat operations in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, on 8 August 2006, in Iraq. Specialist Church was manning the .50-caliber machine gun in the turret of a Humvee during a mounted reconnaissance mission north of Baqubah, Iraq, when the patrol came under fire from a large-caliber machine gun and several insurgents in dug-in positions. Because of the terrain and placement of the other vehicles on a canal road, Specialist Church was the only gunner who could respond. During an intense firefight with more than 30 enemy, Specialist Church was shot through the left wrist but continued to fire, reloading and shooting repeatedly with one hand while another soldier applied a pressure dressing to his wrist. Ignoring the pain and bleeding, Specialist Church engaged and destroyed the enemy gunner, giving the rest of the platoon time to organize a resistance. After applying a tourniquet to his arm, he then dismounted to get more ammunition for his .50-caliber machine gun, firing his M4 to suppress continuous enemy fire. Although he subsequently passed out from loss of blood, upon regaining consciousness he resumed fighting, supplying ammunition to the soldier who had taken over the gun in the turret. The gallant actions of Specialist Church, without thought for his own safety, was in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 82d Airborne Division, and the United States Army.