Leigh Ann Hester

Infobox Military Person
name=Leigh Ann Hester
born= Birth date and age|1982|1|12
died=
placeofbirth=Bowling Green, Kentucky
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|United States United States of America
serviceyears=April 2001—?(Currently no longer serving in the ARNG)
rank=Sergeant
branch=Army National Guard
commands=
unit=617th Military Police Company
battles=
awards=Silver Star
relations=
laterwork=__NOTOC__
Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester (born January 12 1982) [ [http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/12252?c=search&first=Leigh+Ann&last=Hester&spelling=Exact&8_year=&8_month=0&8_day=0&4=&9=&11=&SubmitSearch.x=66&SubmitSearch.y=22 Kentucky Births, 1911-1999] ] of the 617th Military Police Company, a National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, received the Silver Star for her actions on March 20, 2005 during an enemy ambush on a supply convoy near the town of Salman Pak, Iraq.cite web|url = http://www.defenselink.mil/home/dodupdate/heroes/50heroes/KY.html|title = 50 Heroes for 50 States - U.S. Department of Defense Update|accessdate = 2006-12-30|publisher = United States Department of Defense]

Hester was the first female soldier to receive the award for exceptional valor since World War II and the first ever to be cited for valor in close quarters combat.cite web
url=http://www.army.mil/women/hester.html
title=SGT Leigh Ann Hester
author=Sergeant Sara Wood
publisher=Department of Defense
accessdate=July 12
accessyear=2007]

Ambush

Hester's squad of two women and eight men in three Humvees was shadowing a 30-truck supply convoy when approximately 50 insurgent fighters ambushed the convoy with AK-47 assault rifle and RPK machine gun fire, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). The squad moved to the side of the road, flanking the insurgents and cutting off their escape route. Hester maneuvered her team through the "kill zone" and into a flanking position, where she and her squad leader, Staff Sergeant Timothy F. Nein, assaulted a trench line with hand grenades and M203 grenade launcher rounds. Hester and Nein assaulted and cleared two trenches. During the 25-minute firefight, Hester killed at least three enemy combatants with her M4 assault rifle.cite news
url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/25/AR2005062501263.html
title = Silver Stars Affirm One Unit's Mettle
publisher= Washington Post
date = 2005-06-26
accessdate = 2008-03-12]

When the battle was over, 27 insurgents were dead, six were wounded, and one captured. Sergeants Hester and Nein were both awarded the Silver Star. Nein's was later upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross.

Also awarded the Silver Star in this ambush was platoon combat medic Specialist Jason Mike, who took up and simultaneously fired an M4 assault rifle and M249 SAW light machine gun in defense of his comrades.

U.S. decorations and badges

ee also

*Monica Lin Brown

References

External links

* [http://www.cgsc.army.mil/carl/download/csipubs/robertson_contact.pdf Chapter "Palm Sunday Ambush", pages 59-81 of In Contact! - Case Studies from the Long War (PDF, 167 pages)]
* [http://www.ausa.org/webpub/DeptGreenBook.nsf/byid/KHYL-6GMESR Complete text of Sergeant Hester's citation for conspicuous gallantry in action]
* [http://www.army.mil/women Women in the U.S. Army]