Thomas E. Vitagliano

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Thomas E. Vitagliano, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 17 January 2005, in Iraq. On that date, Staff Sergeant Vitagliano , led a squad of 5th Platoon, Company C soldiers on a patrol of the Slawa Market in Ramadi. While the platoon talked with shopkeepers and residents, Staff Sergeant Vitagliano and his squad set up a security perimeter on the west side of the market. Just before noon, a company after-action report reads, the platoon was hit with machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire. During the firefight, an orange-and-white taxi approached Staff Sergeant Vitagliano’s team. He and another soldier forced the car to a halt and ordered its occupants out. The passenger got out, but the driver refused. Staff Sergeant Vitagliano saw the driver make strange movements; immediately the troops thought the car was rigged to explode. Staff Sergeant Vitagliano placed himself between the vehicle and another soldier by pushing him out of the way of the vehicle. As the vehicle detonated, Staff Sergeant Vitagliano was killed instantly. Two other soldiers also were killed, but the soldier Staff Sergeant Vitagliano pushed out of the way survived with wounds and internal bleeding.