Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search

    Second Battal ion,    Seventh Iviar ines   te gan combat operati c'n~ on
     Februarj 1~3I.      The ~attalion ~ominand Post received nu'ierous
adjusted piortar~ounds.       Puffs of smoke and a group of suspected
enemy   observers~ere located four kilometers north of the                 Iraqi
*~ontrolled   ~in~b~~t.     LCpl  Stephens1      attached       to  the    Heavy
Machine ~uns              was sent out to~destroy the enemy position.
              .Pra~9o~n,
~lthough   exposed'    to `enemy direct fire     `and i"6'rtar'~~~roQnd'~,te
nevertheless       fired for effect after only one adjustiient            round,
causing   one secondary explosion and ten         enemy  casualties.          He
remained remarkably calm and collected during this action,                 never
seeking cover fro~ enemy fire.       His actions' allowed a section of
heavy   machine     guns  to engage the enemy with MK-19           and    tvia-s~
caliber rounds.
    On  ~3  February l~?1,     LCpl Stephens once again           engaged    the
enemy   from      the vicinity of   the     Iraqi  minebelt.        Using    tw,o
~dJu~ting rounds,      he fired for effec? and caused the destruct ion
of   two mortar tubes and the elimination of four enemy personnel.
While   exposed     to enemy fire   and without regard           for  his    own
safety1   LCpl     Stephens cal~ly called for and adjusted           artillery
fire   to des t r iy t~ie enemy p ~~ it i on.   His C it'~f i denc e and   V a). or
under   fire wre an inspirati':n to all present,         and allowed         Task
Force   6r i = z 1> to  conduct a deli berate     mi nef i e 1 d  tire ach  with
minimum   risk and casualties.      LCpl Stephens1     courage and         skill
were   in ke e p i ng With the highest standards and traditions of the
Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search