Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show.
Tonight, Bruce told us an amazing story about about an amazing Marine, Silver Star rceipient SGT Leandro Baptista, USMC,
In terms used to describe generations of heroes of American wars, the citation recounted how on April 7, 2004, 60 insurgents in fortified positions ambushed Baptista’s 25-man platoon while they rode in a five-vehicle convoy just south of Fallujah.
With six men wounded and two vehicles out of action, Baptista “sprinted across a shallow canal, climbed a 10-foot berm, and charged towards the enemy.”
Under fire, he knocked out one gun emplacement and grabbed three other Marines to help continue his charge.
After disarming an improvised bomb that threatened backup forces, Baptista split his men up, and the ad hoc team charged a group of 11 insurgents from two angles. Baptista killed at least four of them himself “at close range,” while his team attacked the other seven, the citation said.
Marines at the ceremony said at least one Marine was killed during the 30-minute ambush and firefight.
The citation concluded that by his “bold leadership, wise judgement and complete dedication to duty” Baptista upheld the “highest traditions of the Marine Corps.”
After pinning the heavy star on Baptista’s shirt pocket during the ceremony Friday, Maj. Gen. Richard Natonski, the 1st Marine Division’s commanding general, said that hearing the events of that day recounted “brings chills to my spine.”
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