U.S. Brian Chontosh, Navy Cross , Iraq

[bobdina]

Navy Cross

Authorized February 4, 1919, the Navy Cross was the Navy's third highest award for combat heroism and other distinguished services. On August 7, 1942, Congress made the Navy Cross a combat only decoration with precedence over the Distinguished Service Medal, making it the Navy's second highest award ranking below only the Medal of Honor. It shares its position with the Army's Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross

Brian Chontosh

* Home of record: Rochester, N.Y.
*

Brian Chontosh graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and was honored as that institution's 2005 Outstanding Alumnus. He was made an honorary alumnus of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 2006.

Awards and Citations

1.
Navy Cross

See more recipients of this award

Awarded for actions during the Global War on Terror

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Brian R. Chontosh, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Weapons Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, First Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 25 March 2003. While leading his platoon north on Highway I toward Ad Diwaniyah, First Lieutenant Chontosh's platoon moved into a coordinated ambush of mortars, rocket propelled grenades, and automatic weapons fire. With coalition tanks blocking the road ahead, he realized his platoon was caught in a kill zone. He had his driver move the vehicle through a breach along his flank, where he was immediately taken under fire from an entrenched machine gun. Without hesitation, First Lieutenant Chontosh ordered the driver to advance directly at the enemy position enabling his .50 caliber machine gunner to silence the enemy. He then directed his driver into the enemy trench, where he exited his vehicle and began to clear the trench with an M16A2 service rifle and 9 millimeter pistol. His ammunition depleted, First Lieutenant Chontosh, with complete disregard for his safety, twice picked up discarded enemy rifles and continued his ferocious attack. When a Marine following him found an enemy rocket propelled grenade launcher, First Lieutenant Chontosh used it to destroy yet another group of enemy soldiers. When his audacious attack ended, he had cleared over 200 meters of the enemy trench, killing more than 20 enemy soldiers and wounding several others. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Chontosh reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Service: Marine Corps

Rank: First Lieutenant

[bobdina]

The Story:

In the face of danger, the mark of a great warrior is he who values his country above his own safety. Caught in a kill-zone with no clear exit or relief, then-1st Lt. Brian Chontosh chose to meet numerous threats head-on, willing to risk his life in order to save his Marines.

Operation Iraqi Freedom I was underway, and U.S. troops were pushing hard toward the heart of Iraq. On March 25, 2003, Chontosh was leading his platoon north on Highway 1 toward Ad Diwaniyah when suddenly, his unit was attacked. They had fallen into a well-laid ambush – enemy fighters had surrounded the Marines and quickly began directing mortar, RPG, and gunfire toward the trapped platoon. With enemy fire raining down on their position and Coalition tanks blocking the road ahead, there was no exit.

Chontosh realized the only way out of the trap was to meet the enemies head-on. He ordered his driver to advance directly on the location of an entrenched enemy machine gun. The Iraqis, seeing Chontosh’s bold move, began firing at him in earnest. With bullets flying past, Chontosh and his driver continued toward their target. Firing as they approached, Chontosh’s deadly accuracy with his .50 calibar machine gun silenced the enemy’s weapon.

Chontosh scanned the area, seeing where the biggest threat lay. He saw a group of enemies firing from a trench, and shouted to his driver to move that way. As they approached, Chontosh leapt from the vehicle and single-handedly began clearing the trench using his M-16 rifle and 9mm pistol. He continued advancing, even when his ammunition began to run low. Instead of returning for more ammo or calling for help, Chontosh used anything he could find – enemy rifles, RPG launchers, grenades – to continue his ferocious attack.

When the battle finished, Chontosh had cleared more than 200 meters of enemy trench, killing some 20 insurgents and wounding several others.

For his leadership and actions, Chontosh was awarded the Navy Cross on May 6, 2004.

[bobdina]

Husband and about-to-be father. First lieutenant (now Captain) in the United States Marine Corps.

And a genuine hero, the secretary of the Navy said so yesterday.

At 29 Palms in California Brian Chontosh was presented with the Navy Cross, the second highest award for combat bravery the United States can bestow.It was a year ago on the march into Baghdad. Brian Chontosh was a platoon leader rolling up Highway 1 in a humvee.
When all hell broke loose.

Ambush city.

The young Marines were being cut to ribbons. Mortars, machine guns, rocket propelled grenades.
And the kid out of Churchville was in charge. It was do or die and it was up to him.
So he moved to the side of his column, looking for a way to lead his men to safety. As he tried to poke a hole through the Iraqi line his humvee came under direct enemy machine gun fire. It was fish in a barrel and the Marines were the fish. And Brian Chontosh gave the order to attack.
He told his driver to floor the humvee directly at the machine gun emplacement that was firing at them. And he had the guy on top with the 50 cal unload on them.

Within moments there were Iraqis slumped across their machine guns and Chontosh was still advancing, ordering his driver now to take the humvee directly into the Iraqi trench that was attacking his Marines.
Over into the battlement the humvee went and outthe door Brian Chontosh bailed, carrying an M16
and a Beretta
and 228 years of Marine Corps pride.
And he ran along the trench, with its mortars and riflemen, machine guns and grenadiers. And he killed them all.
He fought with the M16 until it was out of ammo.
Then he fought with the Beretta until it was out of ammo. Then he picked up a dead man's AK4 and fought with that until it was out of ammo.
Then he picked up another dead man's AK47 and fought with that until it was out of ammo.
At one point he even fired a discarded Iraqi RPG into an enemy cluster, sending attackers flying with its grenade explosion.
When he was done Brian Chontosh had cleared 200 yards of entrenched Iraqis from his platoon's flank. He had killed more than 20 and wounded at least as many more.

But that's probably not how he would tell it. He would probably merely say that his Marines were in trouble, and he got them out of trouble. Ooh-rah, and drive on.