David Bellavia

"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

The actions for which Bellavia earned a Silver Star Medal took place on his 29th birthday.

As a member of Company A, Task Force 2-2, 1st Infantry Division, his platoon was assigned during Operation Phantom Fury to clear a block of twelve buildings from which insurgents were firing on American forces.

The platoon began searching house-to-house.

At the tenth house, Bellavia fatally shot an insurgent preparing to load a rocket-propelled grenade.

A second insurgent fired at him, and Bellavia wounded him in the shoulder.

When Staff Sergeant Bellavia entered a bedroom, the wounded insurgent followed, forcing Bellavia to kill him.

When another insurgent began firing from upstairs, Bellavia returned fire and killed him.

A fourth insurgent then jumped out of a closet in the bedroom, yelling and firing his weapon as he leaped over a bed trying to reach Bellavia.

The insurgent tripped and Bellavia wounded him.

Bellavia chased the insurgent when he ran upstairs.

He followed the wounded insurgent's bloody footprints to a room on the left and threw in a fragmentation grenade.

Upon entering the room, Bellavia discovered it was filled with propane tanks and plastic explosives.

He did not fire his weapon for fear of setting off an explosion and instead then engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the insurgent, which led to Bellavia killing the insurgent by stabbing him in the collarbone.

David Gregory Bellavia (born November 10, 1975) is a former United States Army soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah.

Bellavia has also received the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, and the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross.

Bellavia enlisted in the United States Army in July 1999 and deployed to Iraq after serving in Kosovo.

Bellavia's actions in Fallujah were first documented in the November 22, 2004 Time magazine cover story, "Into the Hot Zone", by journalist Michael Ware, who was attached with Bellavia's unit during the fight.

Partial video capturing the event can be seen in Michael Ware's documentary Only The Dead.

Bellavia was awarded the Silver Star for actions clearing houses during the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004.

Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on November 10, 2004, while serving as squad leader in support of Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq.

While clearing a house, a squad from Staff Sergeant Bellavia's platoon became trapped within a room by intense enemy fire coming from a fortified position under the stairs leading to the second floor.

Recognizing the immediate severity of the situation, and with disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Bellavia retrieved an automatic weapon and entered the doorway of the house to engage the insurgents.

With enemy rounds impacting around him, Staff Sergeant Bellavia fired at the enemy position at a cyclic rate, providing covering fire that allowed the squad to break contact and exit the house.

A Bradley Fighting Vehicle was brought forward to suppress the enemy; however, due to high walls surrounding the house, it could not fire directly at the enemy position.

Staff Sergeant Bellavia then re-entered the house and again came under intense enemy fire.

He observed an enemy insurgent preparing to launch a rocket-propelled grenade at his platoon.

Recognizing the grave danger the grenade posed to his fellow soldiers, Staff Sergeant Bellavia assaulted the enemy position, killing one insurgent and wounding another who ran to a different part of the house.

Staff Sergeant Bellavia, realizing he had an un-cleared, darkened room to his back, moved to clear it.

As he entered, an insurgent came down the stairs firing at him.

Simultaneously, the previously wounded insurgent reemerged and engaged Staff Sergeant Bellavia.

Staff Sergeant Bellavia, entering further into the darkened room, returned fire and eliminated both insurgents.

Staff Sergeant Bellavia then received enemy fire from another insurgent emerging from a closet in the darkened room.

In 2005, Bellavia was inducted into the New York Veterans' Hall of Fame.

He has subsequently been involved with politics in Western New York State.

After serving for six years, Bellavia left the service with the rank of staff sergeant in 2005.

Upon being awarded the Medal of Honor on June 25, 2019, Bellavia became the first, and currently only living recipient of the Medal of Honor for service during the Iraq War.

On June 7, 2019, it was revealed to the media that Bellavia's Silver Star would be upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor awarding ceremony took place at the White House on June 25, 2019, and was awarded to Bellavia by President Donald Trump.

The ceremony was also attended by former members of Bellavia's platoon in Iraq.