Raymond Dakos

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Raymond Dakos, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Platoon Sergeant in 2d Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, in April 2003, in Iraq. On that date, during the attack in Al Hillah, Iraq, an enemy soldier lifted his hands as if to surrender, while another enemy soldier appeared and quickly threw a grenade. Sergeant First Class Dakos shot the grenade thrower and then jumped on a medic who was administering aid to another man, to shield him from the grenade’s explosion.