SECNAV awards Navy Cross to Combat Center Marine

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

04.18.2014

Courtesy Story

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, will award the Navy Cross to Gunnery Sgt. Richard A. Jibson, infantry advisor, Georgian Liaison Team, Regimental Combat team 6, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), during a ceremony held at Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field Tuesday at 11 a.m. for his brave and selfless actions in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

His award citation reads as follows:

For extraordinary heroism as Infantry Advisor, Georgian Liaison Team, Regimental Combat team 6, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. On 28 May 2012 Gunnery Sergeant Jibson was advising a 53 man coalition force of Georgian, Afghan, and United States personnel during the clearing of an Afghan village. When some Marines who were reducing an improvised explosive device came under small arms fire, Gunnery Sergeant Jibson unhesitatingly placed himself between the Marines and the enemy, returning fire and allowing them to safely reach cover.

Throughout the multiple engagements over the ensuing five hours, he bravely left covered positions and crossed open terrain many times under withering small arms and machine gun fire to provide suppressive fire, inspire his comrades, and direct the fire and maneuver of the entire coalition force. When a fellow Marine was shot in the head by an enemy sniper, Gunnery Sergeant Jibson fearlessly charged into a hail of enemy machine gun fire, pulled the exposed wounded Marine to cover, and then assisted a corpsman in rendering emergency measures to stabilize him.

Amid the chaos, he arranged for reinforcements, casualty evacuation, and close air support. His courageous leadership, composure under fire, and tactical expertise led to successful extraction of the force with minimal loss of life. By his bold and decisive actions, undaunted courage, and complete dedication to duty, Gunnery Sergeant Jobson reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Combat Center Public Affairs will be providing a live webcasting of the event. This webcast can be accessed by going to http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/4102.

Media coordinating instructions
Media interested in covering this event must call the MCAGCC Public Affairs Officer at [phone] and must RSVP no later than 4:00 p.m. on MONDAY, April 21. Members of the media who have RSVP’d will meet at MCAGCC’s MAIN GATE located on Adobe Rd. at 10:30 a.m. on TUESDAY, April 22 to be escorted to the event. Please plan to remain on base for at least two hours.

• Date Taken: 04.18.2014
• Date Posted: 04.18.2014 15:07
• Story ID: 126676
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US