Gary Villalobos

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Gary Villalobos, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Troop F, 2d Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 7 June 2005, in Iraq. During a squadron operation in Tal Afar, Iraq, Sergeant First Class Villalobos was tasked to follow and assist an Iraqi Army platoon and two members of the 1st Brigade Military Transition Team, one of whom was Lieutenant Colonel Terrence Crowe. After the first member of the team was injured during a raid on the platoon’s first target, Villalobos, Crowe and the Iraqi soldiers came under heavy attack from hand grenades, an improvised explosive device, rocket propelled grenades and machine gun fire. Both Sergeant Villalobos and Colonel Crowe maneuvered down an alleyway where five insurgents ambushed the squad. All but two of the Iraqi Army Soldiers retreated, leaving the two Americans cut off. Colonel Crowe was hit numerous times in the lower abdomen, and fell to the ground 10 feet in front of Sergeant Villalobos, who reported the downed officer and returned fire. He called for armor support and killed at least one insurgent with a grenade. Rather than leave his fallen comrade, Sergeant Villalobos risked his life to evacuate Colonel Crowe to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, preventing insurgents from capturing his body.