Richard Ghent

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Richard Ghent, Specialist, U.S. Army, for exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy as a HMMWV (humvee) gunner for Bravo Troop, 1st Battalion 104th Cavalry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, (1st Battalion, 172nd Armor), Camp Ramadi, Iraq, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 1 March 2006. While on patrol, Specialist Ghent was the first to notice the dismounted attack on a bridge and subsequently alerted the crew when he yelled, “Grenade!” Before being able to traverse his machine gun to engage the insurgent assault force, Specialist Ghent was ejected from the turret of his HMMWV by the blast force of the grenade hurled at his vehicle. This blast left him the only soldier capable of continuing the fight with the vehicle commander severely wounded and the driver killed instantly. Initially dazed and having sustained wounds to his face, back and extremities, Specialist Ghent quickly regained situational awareness and recognized and sized up the threat at hand. Demonstrating great courage and intrepidity of action, Specialist Ghent drew his 9-mm. pistol, having been ejected from the vehicle without his M-4 carbine, and engaged the insurgent forces that had attacked his HMMWV. Specialist Ghent charged the insurgents and drove them away from the Observation Post without any benefit of cover and concealment. He held his ground, expending nearly all his ammunition, until relieved by elements of his platoon which had been patrolling MSR Mobile. Specialist Ghent’s His heroism and bravery under enemy fire was directly responsible for preventing the annihilation of his crew and the break up of a complex enemy attack against his position.