Robert A. Stever

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Robert A. Stever, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, when his fuel and ammunition convoy that was resupplying soldiers during the second ‘thunder run’ south of Baghdad, Iraq, was attacked on 8 April 2003. Staff Sergeant Stever was a mechanic who should not have been in combat, but who had been sent to repair damaged combat vehicle. When the enemy attacked, he fired a full can of .50-caliber ammunition, reloading while speeding up the highway. He was killed when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. By exposing himself to danger and continuing to fire, he helped to save the convoy from being overrun.