3rd LAR Marine receives Purple Heart in Afghanistan

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Ross | The Purple Heart medal is the oldest decoration still awarded by the U.S. military. It is awarded to service members killed or wounded in action.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, AFGHANISTAN

03.05.2011

Story by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Ross 

Regional Command Southwest

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Afghanistan – A scout with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion received the Purple Heart medal during a ceremony at Patrol Base South Station, Helmand province, March 5.

Lance Cpl. Samuel Martin Jr., 20, a rifleman and scout with Apache Company, was wounded by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in southern Helmand province, Jan. 26.

“It’s an overwhelming feeling,” Martin said of receiving the award. “It makes you think about all the guys who have lost their lives.”

Martin was on patrol with his platoon to check out a suspected insurgent weapons cache when he stepped on the IED. The blast broke his jaw and he sustained shrapnel wounds to the face.

After a month-long recovery at a military hospital in Afghanistan, Martin now hopes to rejoin his platoon.

“I hope they’re being safe out there, and I can’t wait to get back out there with them,” he said.

“When I found out Martin was hit it was a little bit of a gut check,” said Staff Sgt. Ronnie Jimenez, a platoon sergeant with Apache Company. Jimenez was at the company operations center when Martin was wounded and helped call in a helicopter to evacuate him.

“He has a heart of steel and he cares about the Marines that are around him. He gives it 100 percent all the time,” Jimenez said of Martin.

Apache Co. and the rest of 3rd LAR Battalion have been deployed in southern Helmand province since November.

The Purple Heart medal is the oldest decoration still awarded by the U.S. military. It is awarded to service members killed or wounded in action.

• Date Taken: 03.05.2011
• Date Posted: 03.06.2011 02:16
• Story ID: 66548
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, AF