Marine of the week

SgtMaj. Bradley Kasal

3rd Battalion, 1st Marines
Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 13, 2004
Award: Navy Cross

In late 2004, then-1stSgt. Kasal was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. After 1stSgt. Kasal learned that Marines were pinned down inside the house by an unknown number of enemy personnel, he joined a squad making entry to clear the structure and rescue the Marines inside. He made entry into the first room, immediately encountering and eliminating an enemy insurgent, as he spotted a wounded Marine in the next room. While moving towards the wounded Marine, 1stSgt. Kasal and another Marine came under heavy rifle fire from an elevated enemy firing position and were both severely wounded in the legs, immobilizing them. When insurgents threw grenades in an attempt to eliminate the wounded Marines, he rolled on top of his fellow Marine and absorbed the shrapnel with his own body. When 1stSgt. Kasal was offered medical attention and extraction, he refused until the other Marines were given medical attention. Although severely wounded himself, he shouted encouragement to his fellow Marines as they continued to clear the structure. (AP photo by Lucian Reed)