HONORED BY A LEGEND

  • Published
  • By Will Alexander
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  Navy lieutenant receives Bronze Star pinned on by Medal of Honor recipient Col. Lewis Millett. During the Korean War, Millett led America's heaviest bayonet charge since the Civil War.

Navy Lt. Ed Giron, executive officer, Naval Operational Support Center (NOSC) Moreno Valley, was presented a Bronze Medal, Nov. 20, by Army retired Col. Lewis L. Millett, a legendary Medal of Honor recipient. 

Lt. Giron received the award for his service as an electronic warfare advisor to the Marine Corps' 1st Bn., 7th Marines in Western Iraq between August 2007 and June 2008. He trained Marines on how to use a device that was designed to counter an insurgent's ability to trigger Improvised Explosive Devices. 

"Instead of staying back in regimental headquarters and doing the EW thing and training people," said Commander Steven Hartsel, NOSC commander officer, he became very interested in going out doing the post-action analysis of the actual explosion, which required him to do a lot of patrols with the Marine Corps. That is where things were quite dangerous." 

Although Lt. Giron was supposed to be the center of attention, he was easily upstaged
by the soldier who pinned on his Bronze Star. 

"Col. Millett epitomizes the American fighting spirit," Cmdr. Hartsel enthusiastically told the audience after a long introduction. "I have never seen so much fighting packed into one human being in all my life." 

Col. Millett, who began his career in 1939, fought in World War II, the Korea War and Vietnam War. 

As an artilleryman with the 1st Armored Division in WWII, he received a Silver Star for driving a burning ammunition half-track out his battery's firing position. He received the Distinguished Service Cross as a company commander in Korea, and received the Medal of Honor for leading what has been called the largest bayonet charge in American history since Cold Harbor in the Civil War. 

"I wanted to put the focus on him and let everybody have the opportunity to meet him," said Lt. Giron. "It's an honor for me to receive an award from him. There are not many Medal of Honor survivors left - less than a hundred or so." 

Lt. Giron also had praise for the Marines he worked with. 

"It was a great experience working with the Marine Corps," he said. "Nothing but professionalism; great group of guys and good friends. I have nothing but good things to say about the folks I worked with.