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Marine of the Week: Gunnery Sgt. Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez

Marine of the Week: Gunnery Sgt. Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez

Assigned to the security element while other members of his team led two platoons of Afghan National Security Forces into Ganjgal Village for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Then-Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez heard over the radio that the dismounted patrol was ambushed by roughly fifty enemy fighters in fortified positions. With four members of his team in immediate danger of being surrounded, he drove a gun-truck, with one other Marine as his gunner, forward into the kill zone of a well prepared ambush. With only the machine gun fires of his gunner to suppress the enemy, he ignored heavy enemy fires and drove the vehicle into the kill zone three times to cover the withdrawal of the combined force and evacuate two dozen members of the Afghan National Security Forces. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he made a fourth trip into the deepest point of the kill zone in another gun-truck with three other U.S. personnel to recover the bodies of the fallen team members. He positioned his vehicle to shield the U.S. members from the intense enemy fire as they dismounted to recover their bodies. By his decisive actions, bold initiative, and selfless dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Comments

Manuel Castro Jr. - May 4, 2020

Ooohrahh Marine!!! Job damn well done, damn well done!

TopSully - May 4, 2020

In reply to Ron Schroeder.
Aviator. 🙂

Robert H Bliss - May 4, 2020

An excellent job Marine! Here is too you and too our Corps which we proudly serve…..continue to set the kind of example that those who follow might also reach for— Semper Fi my brother

Thomas Gray - May 4, 2020

Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez proudly wear that Navy Cross. You are a credit to your Marine Corps.

Ray Burrington - May 4, 2020

In reply to Larry Whittington.
AH, no wonder this writeup sounded familiar! Anyhow, OOH-RAH to both. As to the SHARPSHOOTER Gen – I shot EXPERT 5 times, and one SHARPSHOOTER, at Qual-day in PI ’68 … guess who got the SS badge -me ! The DI’s got their ribbon for me replacing the 5 PIT_BIRDS that day!

Larry Whittington - May 4, 2020

This is the man that was driving the vehicle that Dakota Meyer was serving as the gunner on! Everyone knows who Dakota is, having been awarded the Medal of Honor, but SSGT. Chavez, not so much! I don’t understand why he wasn’t also awarded the MOH..

Stanley Kruljac - May 4, 2020

Gunnys are the backbone of the Corps. They are leaders and examples of what a Marine should be Semper Fi Gunny Rodriguez. Well Done. Chesty Puller looks down on you and is certainly smiling!!!!

Stanley Kruljac - May 4, 2020

Ginny’s are the backbone of the Corps. They are leaders and examples of what a Marine should be Semper Fi Gunnr Rodriguez. Well Done. Chesty Puller looks down on you and is certainly smiling!!!!

Enrique “Rick” Escarcega, Cpl USMC (sep) 1961-1965 - May 4, 2020

Outstanding Gunny Rodriguez ! Silvestre Herrera is smiling at you from above. Silvestre was born in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico in 1916 and although he was not officially a US citizen, he served in the Army in WWII and was awarded the US Medal of Honor by President Truman in August, 1945. He also received Mexico’s highest award for valor, was the first Arizonan to be awarded the Medal of Honor and later became a naturalized US citizen.

Donald Key [68-72] - May 4, 2020

In reply to Sgt. Ray Camarillo Jr..
I don`t know about you others but I don`t see a Hispanic all I see is two MARINES. Semper Fi Marines

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