In the movie, “Unbreakable,” Mr. Glass tells David Dunne that superheroes tend to work in security, since they have a need to protect other people. That was a movie. This is the story of a real life protector named Sgt. Scott Montoya, U.S. Marine Corps.
Sgt. Motoya, a Deputy Sherrif in California, joined the Marines to do his part. In April of 2003, during the battle for Baghdad, he did just that. Assigned as one of two snipers in support of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, he and his fellow warriors began to take heavy small arms fire. Seeing that there were injured Marines pinned down and caught in the crossfire, Sgt. Montoya sprang into action.
“With his firearm in one hand engaging the enemy and a badly bleeding Marine in the other, he fought their way 500 yards to safety. He returned to the cross-fire again and dragged another – who’d been dazed by the concussion of a grenade blast – to a casualty collection point. In all, he rescued four injured Marines and one Iraqi civilian out of harm’s way, according to his citation.” (DefenseLink)
He was later awarded the Navy Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, for his heroic and selfless actions. He is back in service now as a Deputy Sherrif. The Sherrif of Orange County, Michael S. Carona, was at his award ceremony and said, “These things happen in the blink of a second, and an individual has to decide to be a hero or not. He decided to be one.”
Later, during an interview with the Pentagon Channel, Sgt. Montoya said that he had learned a lesson to pass on to his children and grandchildren: “There is a saying that evil prevails when good men do nothing. I’d tell them, ‘Do something.'”
Sgt. Montoya is our Hero of the Week.
For the complete story and audio, read the DefenseLink article.
