A Story of Heroes – Just Doing Their Job
Commentary by Steve Yuhas
May 25, 2004

Whenever bad news breaks in Iraq politicians and talking heads fight for television time to get their reactions out to the American people.  When prisoner abuses were all the rage every member of Congress took to the floor of their respective chamber to pound on the podium to blame President Bush for misdeeds of a few soldiers. 

Little is reported about the progress being made on the ground by American servicemen and women and civilian contractors, but even less is reported on the full scale heroics of American forces.  Electricity, water and oil production now exceed pre-war levels of production and people in Iraq are unshakable when it comes to the fact that they want to live in a democratic nation where everyone has rights that can never be taken away. 

What is missing in much of the reporting are the stories of courage and bravery that allow Iraqis to be able to voice that opinion and to help that dream become reality.

Take, for example, Marine Captain Brian Chontosh assigned to 3^rd battalion 5^th Marines, Camp Pendleton, California.  While a lieutenant serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom Chontosh was a platoon commander for the weapons company of 5^th Marine Regiment. 

During a convoy traveling near the town of Ad Diwaniyah his platoon was ambushed by heavily armed Iraqis – Chontosh and his men were surrounded by enemy fighters and blocked in a “kill zone.”  Knowing his platoon was in grave danger the 29-year-old from Rochester, New York directed his driver to take their HUMVEE directly into enemy fire.  With bullets blazing and grenades and rockets exploding around him, Lieutenant Chontosh risked his life to save the lives of his Marines.

Armed with an M-16 and a Beretta, Chontosh and his men fought until they ran out of ammunition.  When they ran out they picked up the weapons belonging to the Iraqis who made the mistake of taking on a platoon of Marines and used those weapons to finish off the ambush.

For this act, Marine Corps Captain Brian Chontosh was awarded the Navy Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, for heroism and bravery.  The other Marines fighting that day were awarded medals for bravery as well.

Those who believe that gallantry and bravery are reserved for officers couldn’t be more wrong as Operation Iraqi Freedom is a prime example of men old enough to be in college distinguishing themselves in a manner not seen since Vietnam and World War II.

Most impressive are those who refuse medical attention after being wounded in order to complete their mission and to save their fellow Marines, as in the case of Marine Corps Corporal Timothy Tardif, 22, of Huntington Beach, California.

Tardif’s platoon was pinned down in an ambush about 30 miles north of Baghdad.  After accessing the situation this young Marine charged into enemy fire in order to take out the enemy position that was firing at his men.  Wounded by shrapnel from a grenade Tardif continued fighting, killing the enemy and providing his Marines a way out of the ambush.  For this action Tardif received a Silver Star, the third highest award for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity.”

Special Forces troops have been involved in the war against terrorism from the beginning.  Their special skills and sacrifice are often overlooked, but in the confines of military installations even soldiers whose duty is secret and whose accomplishments are often unnoticed are being recognized for their bravery.

Master Sergeant Anthony Prior of the 5^th Special Forces Group is such a soldier; awarded the Silver Star for assaulting an enemy position near Kandahar, Afghanistan after being injured and while under heavy fire.  Prior’s actions helped his men overcome the enemy fire and to continue on their mission which would have failed had the ambush been successful.

It is important for the media to report on bad things when they happen during the world war against terrorism, but it is equally important that America realize that Generation X has provided us with a new generation of heroes. 

Men hardly old enough to drink a beer volunteer to serve in our armed forces and are proof that America produces good and decent men who are willing to give their lives to secure our nation.  For every soldier facing court martial for their personal failures there are twenty more lining up to watch as a Navy Cross or Silver Star is pinned on the uniform of their brother in arms. 

Some people say that America is going in the wrong direction, but they’re wrong.  America is doing what she always does when people in the world are living in tyranny – producing men who are willing to risk their lives to liberate strangers half a world away.  Men willing to face enemy fire straight on without regard to themselves or their own safety are the norm in our military, not the few who shamed themselves and their service by acting selfishly at one prison in Baghdad.

The next time the news leads with something bad coming out of Iraq I ask you to think about the men who risked their lives to save their friends.  Think about the courage it takes for a man to run though gun fire with rockets and grenades exploding around him in order to save his Marines or his soldiers.  Then ask yourself why it is that the media doesn’t show the heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.

If you answer the question honestly you’ll agree that the media has a stake in the war that isn’t the same as the men on the ground, but I’ll leave it to you to think about the heroes and to thank God that in a nation bogged down in politics that there are still soldiers and Marines who believe that there is something more important than themselves.