Project Hero

QandO has the next Silver Star recipient tribute up on their site.



Our hero this week is 1LT Brian Stann, Silver Star

“This award represents my guys,” the Scranton, Pa. native explained. “It’s an insight to what my men did over there. There were a lot of our guys who received awards from our group when we were out there, not just me.”

Stann was the 2nd Mobile Assault Platoon leader with Weapons Company when everything started happening during the operation. From May 8 to 14, 2005, Stann led his men into battle, where their mission was to seize a bridge near Karabilah, Iraq. Three different times, he negotiated four kilometers to maintain their position from enemy attacks. However, on the third time through, the enemy had set up an ambush for the Marines.

Although ambushed, Stann called in close air support and direct fire from tanks while taking on over 30 rocket-propelled grenade attacks, multiple machine guns firing, and improvised explosive devices detonating.

“When we began, it was a big fight, but as the days went on, we began to use more of our assets,” Stann explained. “We called in close air support and used tanks and dealt a big blow to the enemy.”

Stann was in a 360-degree fight and was setting up casualty evacuation points after they were hit by suicide IEDs. All of this would not have been possible if it were not for the hard work of his men in the sheer face of danger, explained Stann.