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U.S. Marine Corps 1Lt. Ellitt Ackerman of 1st Battalion,8th Marine Regimaent, on 12 January 07, accepted the Silver Star, the nations third highest military award for valor.
"From that position that day, we were a little exposed," he recalled. "Insurgents came out and slowly tried to surround us."
For Ackerman, the fighting was just beginning. As the battle ensued, he recognized that his Marines on the rooftop of the building were exposed. He ordered them to seek cover in the building and headed to the roof himself. His actions prompted a hail of enemy fire on his position.
According to his citation, Ackerman took heavy enemy fire on the rooftop but still "coolly employed an M240G machine gun to mark targets for supporting tanks, with devastating effects on the enemy."
In all, Ackerman was able to simultaneously direct tank fire, coordinate four separate medical evacuations and continually attack with his platoon, all the while suffering from his own shrapnel wounds.
Ackerman said he was only doing what he saw others around him doing.
"I think we all go out there and know what our job is and what's expected of you he said. "There is only one alternative; it is to do it or not do it. You have to do what needs to be done in a situation. That's what all the Marines were doing. I feel this award doesn't represent something for myself; it represents what I saw everyone doing out there.
The citation summarizing then 2Lt. Ackerman's actions covers a six day period that bega on 10 Nov 04, when his platoon came under fire from a heavy enemy counterattack.
"We had a mission to get a foot-hold for the battalion," said Ackerman. "We saw that the original building we intended to go into just wouldn't work to get that mission done. We pushed a little bit deeper than it probably would have been prudent to do."
Pushing deeper ensured his unit would accomplish its mission, but the advance lft him and his Marines more exposed to enemy fighters, who responded by pouring heavy fire on the Marines position.
As his Marines began to take injuries, Ackerman sprang into action, twice pulling his Maines to safety and coordination their evacuation. The amphibious assault vehicle sent to retrieve his Marines had trouble finding them, lost in the fog of war. Ackerman again risked his life, charging into the open from a covered position to flag down the vehicle and direct it to his Marines' location. His actions took him through a "gauntlet of deadly enemy fire".
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