Larry Underwood

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Larry Underwood, Specialist, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI Freedom, on 21 July 2004, in Iraq. Specialist Underwood was aboard one of two Bradley fighting vehicles returning soldiers from dismounted operations on 21 July 2004, when a roadside bomb struck the other Bradley, setting it afire and instantly killing the driver. Specialist Underwood and his team dismounted their Bradley and, after a brief unsuccessful attempt to free the driver’s body, heard the screams of five soldiers trapped in the rear because the handle had jammed in the explosion. Hampered by heat, smoke and the sound of exploding ammunition, the men couldn’t un-jam the door until Specialist Underwood thought to use his rifle as a pry bar. He opened the stuck door and freed the trapped soldiers just seconds before the Bradley’s fuel cells exploded.