The Washington Free Beacon brings us eight amazing stories of heroism from Iraq, where American valor seems to be a common virtue.
Here’s one of the eight. Take a moment to view the other remarkable stories.
Outside a house of insurgents, and facing casualties, Cpl. Javier Alvarez moved toward the danger in November 2005. During that sprint, insurgents shot him three times in the leg. During treatment on his leg, more enemy fire came, so Alvarez grabbed his rifle and returned fire. At this point, Alvarez heard calls of an incoming grenade. He grabbed the grenade and threw it away—saving six Marines and losing his hand in the process. “I lifted up my arm to see what happened, and my hand was completely missing,” he told Stars and Stripes in 2009. Alvarez was awarded a Silver Star for his efforts. “I didn’t mourn over my losses or injuries,” he said in 2009. “I had a mission to accomplish and I had other stuff that was going on. I had Marines I had to take care of.”
