REAL AMERICAN FIGHTER:

ARMY CPL.
STEPHEN C. SANFORD (RET)

The cool morning of Nov. 19, 2005, started too early for then-Private First Class Stephen Sanford. But nothing about an early rise to duty was unusual. The soldiers of Sanford's platoon, in their fourth month in Iraq, "sniped" at each other on the way to their tracks, teasing and jibing as they did constantly. But not an hour after starting their day's mission, things took a turn for the worse.

The call came to provide backup for Iraqi police who were engaging an enemy safe house in Mosul. Sanford's squad was the second to enter the sprawling residence, and immediately encountered fierce enemy gunfire. The initial push to assault the enemy had left the soldiers overwhelmed. The first squad to enter was pinned down and suffered a number of casualties.

Sanford's body armor absorbed several direct hits from the enemy on the drive into the building. "Resistance was fierce. Every time we'd go in, we'd put down suppressive fire and cover to exit the casualties," Sanford said.

On the second push, a burst from an enemy's weapon found its way past the private's body armor. "Before that, I didn't even feel it when I was getting shot. But when I got shot in the groin, well, I felt that. They [the enemy] had a couple of guys down the hall that were a little trigger happy. The bullet snuck in under my body armor right at the junction where all the important stuff is," recalled Sanford.

"I kept returning fire. I killed the guy that shot me and kept going."

When the last U.S. soldier leaving the house was shot in the neck, Sanford stormed back into the line of fire to provide lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He was shot twice more at that point, but refused to leave. Instead he returned fire and killed another insurgent fighter. He continued to repel and assault the enemy until he passed out from the loss of blood.

"People have asked me why I kept going. I guess I did it for the same reason everyone else did it. Our job is to close with and destroy the enemy--and never leave anyone behind. So, there was no other option," Sanford said.

After being medically evacuated from Iraq, Sanford took the usual route for wounded soldiers to Landstuhl, Germany. From there, he went to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he spent nearly two months in intensive treatment and recovery. With plenty of time left to heal, he returned to his hometown of Muskegon, Mich., with his wife. He was medically retired as a corporal and returned to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he'd been stationed before leaving for Iraq.

On Feb. 22, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, awarded Sanford the Distinguished Service Cross at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Sanford said that when Gen. Pace presented the medal, his hands were shaking. When asked why he was nervous, the general said it was the highest medal he'd ever pinned on a soldier. "Don't worry about that, sir," Sanford replied, "It's the first time I've received a medal this high too."

"I've heard the damn 'h' word [hero] a few times. Honestly, it's an honor to receive the award. I'm humbled by it. But at the same time, in reality, it's just a two-ounce piece of bronze," Sanford said. "If it means anything, I think, it means that I have a responsibility to use this time in the spotlight to help my fellow soldiers and veterans who've also been wounded or become disabled through their service."

On the day his actions earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the highest honor unique to soldiers, Sanford said 11 of his fellow platoon members were injured and one was killed. Three, like Sanford, were medically retired as a result of their combat service.

With DAV representation, Sanford received a disability rating from the VA and is working on establishing a business in Michigan where he creates slings and military accessories to help active duty soldiers.

"I'm glad there's a DAV out there to help people. I think that every organization that is focused on helping veterans is a good thing," Sanford said. "We need to continue fighting for these things that really should be a given."