U.S. Nicholas Eslinger ,Silver Star , Iraq

[bobdina]

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third highest U.S. combat-only award. Established in 1918 as the Citation Star, in 1932 a provision allowed servicemen to receive it retroactively. It has been awarded for actions as far back as the Spanish-American War.




Nicholas Eslinger

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Awards and Citations

1.
Silver Star

Awarded for actions during the Global War on Terror

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Nicholas M. Eslinger, United States Army, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving as a Platoon Leader in Company C, 2d Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, on 1 October 2008, in Samarra, Iraq, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM VII. Without regard for his own personal safety, during a grenade attack on his dismounted patrol, Second Lieutenant Eslinger saved the lives of the soldiers under his command by moving to the grenade, covering it with his body and throwing it back in the direction of the enemy. Second Lieutenant Eslinger's actions prevented at least six soldiers from being severely wounded or killed. Following these actions, Second Lieutenant Eslinger continued the pursuit of the enemy combatant, leading to his detention. Second Lieutenant Eslinger's bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflects distinct credit upon him, the Multi-National Corps Iraq, and the United States Army. NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD: Second Lieutenant Nicholas M. Eslinger distinguished himself by exceptional gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States as a Platoon Leader, Charlie Company, 2d Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Multi-National Corps--Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, on 1 October 2008 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Under limited visibility conditions, while moving dismounted through heavily populated streets of the historic city of Samarra, Iraq, in the Hiberia II neighborhood, 1st platoon was attacked with a single anti-personnel hand grenade thrown into the middle of their movement formation. The attack came from an enemy combatant, hidden behind a courtyard wall, who waited for the center of the patrol to pass in front of him. This enemy action took the entire patrol by surprise and had the potential to severely wound or kill up to six members of the platoon. After the grenade landed within the formation, Second Lieutenant Eslinger quickly assessed the situation, realizing that if the grenade detonated where it landed, it would kill or injure at least six Soldiers that were in the blast radius. With complete disregard for his personal safety and well-being, Second Lieutenant Eslinger ran towards the grenade located approximately six feet in front of him, and covered it with his body. When the grenade did not immediately go off, he threw it back over the wall in the direction of the enemy. Second Lieutenant Eslinger did this fully knowing that there was a high probability that the grenade could detonate and kill him as he tried to save his Soldiers. Upon throwing the grenade, Second Lieutenant Eslinger immediately yelled for all of his men to get down and take cover from the pending blast. As they were following his order, the grenade detonated; no Soldiers were wounded or killed by the grenade's explosion. Following the blast, Second Lieutenant Eslinger took immediate action to eliminate the enemy threat. He directed one squad to move to the position where the grenade had been thrown and organized another squad to move to the enemy's most likely egress route. His element found the point of origin for the attack and began tactical questioning of individuals in the area. The intelligence gained from his site exploitation led to the detention of the individual that threw the grenade in less than twelve hours from the time of the incident. Despite the incredible danger, Second Lieutenant Eslinger took actions under extreme circumstances that saved the lives of his Soldiers. His initial instinct to sacrifice himself for his comrades is truly valorous. He demonstrated unsurpassed determination, courage, and small unit combat leadership in saving the lives of his Soldiers and then aggressively pursuing the enemy. His incredible bravery inspired all of his Soldiers, as well as the entire company, to continue the pursuit of dangerous enemy elements remaining in Samarra. Second Lieutenant Eslinger's bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflects distinct credit upon him, the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and the United States Army.

Service: Army

Rank: Second Lieutenant

[bobdina]

It wasn’t until he got back from patrol that 2nd Lt. Nicholas Eslinger realized how close he came to death.

On Oct. 1, Eslinger, 25, was leading a dismounted patrol through Samarra to gather intelligence on recent attacks.

When an insurgent tossed a grenade at them, Eslinger dove on it to protect his troops.

"I knew in my mind for a fact that if I did that, there wouldn’t be enough time, because it was so close to my SAW gunner and my RTO [radio operator], that regardless of how fast they were or how long that grenade fuse lasted, it would still at least wound them — I couldn’t have that," he said.

That night, the patrol was waiting outside a home as the unit’s interpreter asked for permission to enter.

Eslinger, now a first lieutenant, wasn’t using his night-vision goggles at the time because he could see better with the ambient light.

"As I was pulling security, I saw out of the corner of my eye in the back left corner of the open lot a hand come over the wall with some sort of a projectile," he said.

Based on recent attacks, Eslinger knew it was a grenade.

"The grenade landed, I’d say six to eight feet to my right front," Eslinger said. "I was on a knee at the time, and it landed and started to roll into the middle of our formation towards the far wall where our soldiers were positioned."

Eslinger has thought about that moment several times and he remembers his only thought was that if he didn’t do anything, the grenade was going to hit his troops.

By the time the grenade hit the ground, Eslinger was already moving.

"As it hit and continued to roll, I dove right on my right side, and the grenade rolled into me kind of simultaneously as I landed. It was pinned in between, kind of, my right torso and the ground," he said.

Once he was on top of the grenade, he braced for it to go off.

"There was no preparation," he said. "It was complete adrenaline and focus on covering that thing so that if it went off, it wasn’t going to hit my RTO or my medic or my SAW gunner that was right around me."

But after a split second, the grenade had still not gone off — much to Eslinger’s relief.

"My right hand was already off my weapon, reaching for the grenade," he said. "I quickly grabbed it and from kind of just laying on my side there kind of just did a side throw towards the wall it came from."

Eslinger had just enough time to get the grenade out of his hand and yell "grenade!"

"By the time I got it out of my mouth, it was off," he said.

No one was hurt.

U.S. troops began investigating, and within 12 hours, the man who allegedly threw the grenade was arrested at work.

Eslinger, of the 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, was awarded the Silver Star for his actions that night.

While he was grateful for the award, Eslinger also felt it was too much recognition.

"I think honestly that any leader in that situation would have done the same thing, I would like to think that, and I think that I was just doing what my company commander and my soldiers would expect of me as a platoon leader."

[bobdina]

It’s the stuff about which too few movies are made and not enough books are written: 1st Lt Nicholas Eslinger’s willingness to give his own life in order to save the lives of his fellow soldiers earned the West Point graduate the Silver Star for gallantry in action on Oct. 1, 2008, while in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Unfortunately, his heroism received little coverage from journalists.

Gen. George W. Casey Jr, Army chief of staff, presented the award to Lieutenant Eslinger, a platoon leader from the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, during ceremonies March 16 at Fort Campbell, Ky.

“(Eslinger) was walking on a patrol in the city of Samarra when the enemy threw a grenade over the wall right in the middle of his platoon,” General Casey explained. “He knew people would be killed if he didn’t do something. He jumped on the grenade, and it didn’t go off, so he reached and grabbed it and threw it back over the wall, and it went off.”

The San Jose Mercury News appears to be the largest media outlet to devote space to Lieutenant Eslinger’s heroics.

“I’m a firm believer that acts of heroism are occurring everyday even as we speak right now,” the 25-year-old lieutenant told the California daily in what seems an attempt to deflect the attention form himself and onto other soldiers, including six others honored during the same medals ceremony.

A report by WPLN, a public radio station in Nashville, provides one with a better understanding of this soldier’s true fortitude:

“I quickly did a hop, skip and a jump and landed on my side, pinning the grenade against the ground and my chest. In kind of one motion, as quickly as I could, I grabbed the grenade and I threw it towards the wall where it came from, and it detonated about a second later.”

Perhaps the most-touching coverage appeared in an article by Angela Diaz. Under the headline, Grass Valley grandparents proud of Silver Star winner, the article features a photo of the lieutenant in his West Point cadet uniform and begins this way:

Donald Eslinger and Leona Gonterman of Grass Valley are the proud grandparents of a man recently awarded the Silver Star, one of the nation’s highest military honors.