Courage Under Fire Cavalry troop receives valor award, Combat Medical Badge

Photo By Spc. Courtney Marulli | Pfc. Josh R. Schrader, a native of Charleston, W.Va., with 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, based out of Colorado Springs, Col., received his Army Commendation Medal with 'V' device for valor and his Combat Medical Badge for his actions during a firefight in which he saved a fellow Soldier's life.  

RUSTAMIYAH, IRAQ

07.28.2007

Story by Spc. Courtney Marulli 

2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division

By Spc. Courtney Marulli
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq—Being a line medic is more than just being the "doc" in the group. It takes a person who knowingly goes into a hailstorm of bullets to come to the aid of a fallen comrade.

One Soldier with 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, made his mark on Operation Iraqi Freedom through courage and a caring hand.

Pfc. Josh R. Schrader, a native of Charleston, W.Va., is a line medic with Troop B, and was awarded with the Army Commendation Medal for Valor and the Combat Medical Badge for his actions during an engagement in Salman Pak on Dec. 14, 2006. His troop was carrying out a 24-hour operation. They were one day and 12 hours into it when they heard gunshots coming from an Iraqi army checkpoint down in Dureda.

They were being engaged and firing back so they moved to where they thought the gunfire was coming from. The gunfire was coming from two locations. So, they made their way down the canal and had two trucks go down one part of the canal and two down another. The third truck stayed to report.

Schrader said gunfire was coming from all sides. One of the non-commissioned officers, who had just pulled his truck up, dismounted not realizing they were taking fire from all sides.

"He went back to get in his vehicle and was hit in the back of the neck," Schrader said. "I saw him go down and thought it was his leg."

Schrader said his platoon sergeant dragged the wounded NCO over to the vehicle he was in.

"I jumped out in the midst of everything," he said. "He was saying he was hit and saying he felt it in his chest. I didn't see anything so I ripped off his vest and saw his back was all bloody."

Schrader had his patient secured only by a Humvee tire. A bullet came toward them and missed the wounded Soldier. Schrader said the Soldier's plates stopped the bullet from going into his knee, but it grazed the rubber of another Soldier's boot.

The wounded Soldier was talking and then couldn't feel his legs and eventually couldn't talk and was having difficultly breathing. He was larger than Schrader, so he said they had a hard time getting him into the vehicle. Once he was secure, they drove in reverse out of the enemy's fire.

"We went fast until the engine blew," he said.

Someone called up that there was a casualty being brought in and Schrader said 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment already had a landing zone set up for them. They sat with the patient at the flight line for 20 to 30 minutes until the birds came.

"The guy helping me was an EMT," Schrader said. "One-8 had a medic on the ground to help."

Schrader said he made sure the fallen Soldier didn't go into shock while the EMT trained Soldier kept the casualty's airway open. The Soldier from 1-8 ensured the bandage stayed secure. Another troop was lifting the casualty's legs to enable blood to go back into the chest.

Checking his vitals, Schrader said the casualty was slowly crashing.

"I put in five needle decompressions in his chest," he said. He also gave the Soldier an IV that would help with the blood loss.

Schrader said he doesn't remember all the details, but they got the casualty on the bird and he is alive today. His wound caused a lot of internal damage, but he is recovering in New Mexico. The doctor's have said he is temporarily paralyzed due to swelling around the spinal cord.

"He's part of a 12 step rehabilitation program that takes two years to complete," Schrader said. "Last time I heard he was six steps into it."

Schrader said he isn't looking for awards because he was just doing his job.

"I feel pretty decorated," he said. These are the first awards he has received in the Army and he said it feels good and he's glad he received them. "But, I can't be selfish. My guys helped me get it."

• Date Taken: 07.28.2007
• Date Posted: 07.30.2007 11:17
• Story ID: 11514
• Location: RUSTAMIYAH, IQ