Photo By Cpl. Darien Wright | From left, Sgt. Domenic Ferlaino, Capt. Kevin Jarvis and Maj. Warren Kyle, all retired...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – Three U.S. Marines were awarded a Certificate of Commendation for life-saving actions of a U.S. Agency for International Development worker by the 20th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, at the Marine Corps Embassy Group on base, Dec. 13, 2024.
In May of 1977, Dr. Albert Henn, a USAID worker with the American embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon, was brutally assaulted during a robbery. He was in bed with his wife, Juliana, when the intruders entered his home. The three Cameroonian nationals were armed with metal pipes, which they used to harm him. Juliana quickly called the Marine Security Guard Detachment Yaoundé, where Sgt. Jim Loewing, the Marine on duty at the time, answered. Loewing called off-duty Marines to respond to the situation.
Marine Security Guards Sgt. Kevin Jarvis, Sgt. Warren Kyle, Sgt. Alex Covarrubias, and Sgt. Domenic Ferlaino all responded to Loewing’s call, but by the time they arrived at Henn’s house, the assailants had already fled the scene.
“When we arrived, we found the doctor unconscious laying in a pool of his own blood,” said Jarvis.
Henn had suffered a fractured skull and laceration to his head – life threatening injuries. While on the scene, the Marines attempted to stop the bleeding and took him to the nearest medical facility.
“The hospital was too far so we drove him to the American clinic where Kevin and I had to hold him down while they operated on him,” Jarvis said.
Thanks to the actions of the Marines and medical professionals, Henn lived, and he continued his service as a USAID worker for the next 30 years in Africa. Henn even opened his own clinic in Kenya during his continued time in service.
The Marines continued their service, too. Some stayed in the Corps or even became an officer, like Jarvis, who retired as a captain. The Marines who performed life-saving actions remained close friends, though.
“That’s one of the unique things about that detachment that I didn’t experience with my other posts in the Marine Corps,” said Ferlaino. “We stayed extremely close like Marines are supposed to. It’s been special to me to be able to know these guys and share this experience.”
Only three of the five Marines involved in the incident were present to receive their Certificates of Commendation: Jarvis, Kyle and Ferlaino. The other two, Loewing and Covarrubias were unable to make the ceremony.
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2024 07:52 |
| Story ID: | 487855 |
| Location: | QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 136 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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