Silver Star for US heroine

By Sgt Sara Wood, US Forces Press Service

FOR the first time since World War II a US woman soldier has been awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Sgt Leigh Ann Hester, 617th Military Police Company (National Guard), received the Silver Star along with Staff Sgt Timothy Nein and Spc Jason Mike for their actions during an ambush on their convoy.

Hester’s squad was shadowing a supply convoy on March 20 when fighters ambushed the convoy. The squad moved to the side of the road, flanking the insurgents and cutting off their escape route. Hester led her team through the “kill zone” and into a flanking position, where she assaulted a trench line with grenades and M203 grenade-launcher rounds. She and Nein, her squad leader, then cleared two trenches, at which time she killed three insurgents with her rifle.

When the fight was over, 27 insurgents were dead, six were wounded and one was captured.