Photo By Cpl. Dalton Precht | Lieutenant Col. John C. Osborne, the battalion commander for 2nd Combat Engineer...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - On the night of Aug. 11, 2013, Sergeant Johnathan Gould, a combat engineer with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and his team were out on a recovery patrol when his AMK-36 wrecker struck an improvised explosive device causing him and three others to suffer traumatic brain injuries.
Gould received the Purple Heart for wounds he suffered in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 11, 2014.
The Purple Heart, established on April 5, 1917, is the oldest military award still presented to military members in the name of the President of the United States. Service members receive the medal when they are injured, killed or later die from injuries sustained during their service in combat operations.
“The area had been swept, so we moved our wrecker up, and after moving about ten feet we triggered another IED and shrapnel went flying,” said Gould of Lexington, Ohio. “It’s the loudest thing you’ll ever hear. I immediately took cover and protected my face the best I could. Then we ran back and posted security by our truck.”
The patrol was outside of a small village in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when the explosion happened.
“The first thing we did after the explosion was treat the casualties,” explained Gould. “We didn’t know if the IED was command detonated, so we searched the surrounding area for insurgents to ensure safety.”
The Purple Heart recipient said five Marines were within close proximity to the blast and four members of the team received traumatic brain injuries, including the 22-year-old. While three of the Marines required immediate, medical evacuation from the area, Gould remained with his team and later received treatment upon returning to Camp Leatherneck.
The 2009 graduate of Lexington High School stayed at Camp Leatherneck for 10 days for medical reasons, and was back on patrol just one month after the incident.
“The incident was surreal, it was kind of scary at first, but we had to act, so we did what we all are trained to do,” said Gould.
After the ceremony ended, Gould received a challenge coin by the 2nd Marine Division Sergeant Major, Sgt. Maj. Bryan K. Zickefoose, who expressed his gratitude to the Purple Heart recipient for his actions in OEF.
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2014 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 122031 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | LEXINGTON, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 1,069 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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