Jerry Swope

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Jerry Swope, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Sergeant in Company C, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in Iraq during the period 4 through 8 April 2005. Sergeant First Class Swope distinguished himself during fierce urban combat on Route Delta, in Sadr City, Iraq, during Operation LANCER FURY, after his platoon encountered a deliberate ambush set by the militia near the slum’s Sadr Bureau on 4 April. While en route back to Camp Eagle, one of his platoon’s surviving vehicles got stuck on an enemy obstacle. Without hesitation and without concern for his personal safety, Sergeant First Class Swope dismounted from his own vehicle and assisted with its recovery under intense enemy fire, saving the lives of the three Soldiers inside. The following morning he volunteered to command a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and joined an ad hoc platoon in securing the Al-Thawra Iraqi Police Station in Sadr City. For the next two days, Sergeant First Class Swope controlled the elements maintaining the outer-cordon around the Iraqi Police Station, which was composed of two Abrams tanks and two Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The fields of fire he designated for his Soldiers enabled them to engage and destroy a large number of enemies who attempted to engage them day and night. Staff Sergeant Swope was in command of the security force of the Al-Afreeden Iraqi Police Station when he called in air support to neutralize a group of enemy rocket propelled grenade gunners on 8 April. Because of the precision of Sergeant First Class Swope’s coordinates, the RPG gunners were destroyed and collateral damage was kept to a minimum.