Artifact of the Month
SPC Jeremy Church uniform.
SPC Jeremy Church.
Seventeen years ago Specialist (SPC) (then Private First Class) Jeremy Church became the first Transportation soldier to earn the Silver Star for bravery while in Iraq. On the morning of 9 April 2004, the convoy in which he was driving was ambushed by Iraqis. The initial attack wounded the convoy commander, 1LT Matthew Brown, at which point SPC Church, who was 1LT Brown’s driver, drove his vehicle to a secured perimeter formed by a company of the 2d Squadron, 12th Cavalry. After he saw to the medical care and evacuation of 1LT Brown, SPC Church rallied several soldiers for a relief mission and quickly returned to the scene of the ambush.
When the relief column reached the ambush site, the insurgents were still firing at the convoy. SPC Church proceeded to locate the assistant convoy commander’s vehicle, found two wounded soldiers and four civilians. He provided first aid and carried one soldier to the recovery vehicles while exposing himself to more enemy fire. The recovery and removal of the wounded filled the vehicles so SPC church volunteered to remain at the ambush sight to provide cover and await the return of the relief column. After climbing into a damaged HMMWV he continued to fire at the enemy unto removed from the ambush sight ten minutes later.
For his bravery and courage under fire, SPC Church was awarded the Silver Star Medal.