Wounded corpsman awarded Silver Star

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Jake Emmott receives the Silver Star from Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jon Greenert during the third annual Safe Harbor awards ceremony July 14. Photo: MC3 Matt Dickinson / NAVY.

Helmand province, April 20, 2010. When he saw a Marine in his squad fall, then-Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jake Emmott rushed into gunfire to reach him. While kneeling down tending to a second wounded Marine, Emmott was shot in the face.

When Emmott came to, blood was running from the entry wound on the side of his nose. He was choking on the blood and having difficulty speaking, but he refused morphine so he could direct the treatment of his Marines. He refused two stretchers, choosing to stagger to the helicopter on his own power so his wounded comrades in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, could be carried out.

A year later, Emmott, now an HM2, was presented with the Silver Star. Emmott was honored, along with fellow service members and caregivers, at the annual Navy Safe Harbor awards ceremony July 14 outside Washington.

Please take a moment to read the story about one of the Heroes you probably won't hear about on the news.