They are on the Summit

AKGovSarahPalin"Just spoke w/Marc Hoffmeister & Operation Denali climbing team – they called from the mountain’s summit! So proud of their courage & spirit!11 minutes ago from web" Army Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister, top left; Army Spc. Dave Shebib, top right; retired Marine Capt. Jon Kuniholm, bottom left; and retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Nyman -- all wounded veterans -- on the summit of North America's highest peak, Courtesy photo

Silver Star for Navy Corpman Juan M. Rubio for Actions On Euphrates River

photo/story Bill W. Love
Naval Hospital Corpus Christi Public Affairs

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan M. Rubio, 32, of San Angelo, Texas, was awarded the Silver Star Medal April 27 for conspicuous gallantry against the enemy Jan. 1, 2005, while serving corpsman with 4th Platoon, Small Craft Company, 1st Marine Division.

The citation accompanying his Silver Star Medal detailed how a well-emplaced and determined enemy ambushed Rubio and members of his team along the Euphrates River in a complex attack. As Rubio and an assault element swept through the ambush site, insurgents detonated an improvised explosive device. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun and small-arms fire followed immediately after the explosion, wounding three Marines.

Realizing the severity of the Marines’ wounds, and bleeding profusely from his own, Rubio low-crawled across open terrain, exposing himself to enemy fire to provide triage. Simultaneously taking care of three urgent surgical casualties, Rubio coached his fellow Marines who were assisting other casualties as incoming enemy fire intensified.

After stabilizing the wounded for casualty evacuation, Rubio directed the platoon to provide covering fire as he and several Marines began moving the casualties towards safety.

Without regard for his own life, he once again exposed himself to the heavy and accurate enemy fire, moving the Marines from the ambush site to the shoreline.

Rubio’s Silver Star Medal elevates him to a distinctively exceptional category of valor among Navy corpsmen since the commencement of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Only two others have been awarded the Silver Star, none have received the Medal of Honor, and only one hero has been presented the Navy Cross.

ORC Hunters--After a Clean Sweep of the River banks DSU-3

Jan 29th was a cold foggy morning and the Orcs plan to cross the Nasser Canal was under way. Everyone knows that Air can't fly in the fog. Even Orcs. Orcs are not Stupid. Under the cover of fog the morning was perfect time to transfer a load of weapons and supplies. But the law of the Unknown Knowns caught up to the Ocs that cold foggy morning. And what the Orcs didn't know was a killer : When the Fog rolls in and hides the canal from the Air---the canals are still OWNED by DSU-3 Marine Riverines. The look on Orc faces when DSU 3 came flying up the canal to intercept the transfer of RPG's, AK-47's, bombs must have been Priceless. All the Orcs knew is one second they are alone on the canal unloading boats and next the Pillars of Heaven start shaking, Poison arrows falling from the sky and some of them are being roughly introduced to the Hell of Ruling the Universe from the Grave. The ones that could---ran.