Part I - 2003 Invasion of Iraq (HA Luis Fonseca, Battle of Nasiriyah)

23MAR2003: Serving as a corpsman with 1/2 Marines during the invasion of Iraq, Hospital Apprentice Luis Fonseca and his men were tasked with moving through Nasiriyah and taking the Saddam Canal Bridge.

Having faced little enemy resistance in the first few days of the invasion, the Marines RCT-2 found themselves in a pretty steady fight as soon as they entered Nasiriyah. Rather than turning to run, the Iraqi military and paramilitary units here decided to fight. The city was divided by three bridges along the critical highway 7. Despite the enemy resistance, the Marines cleared the first and second bridge and set their sights on the Saddam Canal.

Now between two bridges in an urban environment, the enemy sprung their trap. Firing from all directions, Iraqi fighters hammered the Marines with machine gun fire as mortars and artillery rounds found their mark. Armed with heavy machine guns and tanks, the Iraqi units held their ground and quickly began destroying American armored vehicles. Soon, the call went out, 'Corpsman up!'.

Without hesitation, HA Luis Fonseca ran to a burning vehicle that had been struck by enemy fire. Under fire, he administered aid two the five wounded Marines, two of which were amputees. He organized their movement to a casualty collection vehicle and stabilized the patients until that truck was disabled by enemy fire. Fonseca again organized their movement and under continual fire, directed patient care and helped to load the casualties into a new vehicle. Not able to carry all five, Fonseca stayed behind keeping his fellow Marine alive until someone could return to take him to the aid station.

Fonseca returned to his unit and continued to treat the wounded all the while, eventually making yet another trip with a casualty to the rear before moving back into the fire to be with his fellow Marines.

For his bravery under fire, HA Luis Fonseca would be awarded the Navy Cross.