Christopher P. Dean

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Christopher P. Dean, First Lieutenant (Armor), U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company C, 2d Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 4 April 2004, in Baghdad, Iraq. When a patrol from 1st Cavalry Division was ambushed in the city, First Lieutenant Dean rolled out immediately with four tanks under his charge. Traveling at top speed, they headed to the grid coordinates given by the besieged patrol. As soon as they arrived, the Quick Reaction Force was hit by a barrage of gunfire and one man was killed. Lieutenant Dean then led a seven-tank attack back into the engagement area to find the ambushed patrol. The .50-caliber machine gun was taken out by enemy fire, leaving him atop the vehicle with only his M4 rifle. He was hit by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade blast. Reaching the ambushed patrol, the Quick Reaction Force dismounted to help get the patrol out. Under heavy enemy fire they pulled out the dead and wounded and put them inside the tanks, then used one of Lieutenant Dean’s tanks to push two damaged vehicles out of the area. First Lieutenant Dean’s leadership ensured the success of the company mission to evacuate 19 infantrymen isolated and surrounded by the enemy. First Lieutenant Dean’s exceptional bravery while under intense fire during a four-hour attack despite wounds is in the highest traditions of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the 1st Armored Division and the United States Army