Wentz Jerome Henry Shanaberger III

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Wentz Jerome Henry Shanaberger, III, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 21st Military Police Company, 16th Military Police Brigade, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 24 March 2004, in Iraq. On that date, Sergeant First Class Shanaberger and two other soldiers were escorting a convoy when they came upon a group of Iraqis gathered around a truck on the side of the road. While approaching the vehicle on foot as a security check, the Iraqis opened fire with AK-47s and threw homemade grenades at the three men. Sergeant First Class Shanaberger distinguished himself by his personal gallantry in this action.