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Hero hailed by men he saved

Nov- 4-2005 » Filed Under: 1/25 SBCT

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By ROGER W. HOSKINS, Modesto Bee

"We had an angel watching over us, and his name was Oscar."

That was the sentiment of the buddies Oscar Sanchez saved and of their families, who gathered about 500 strong at the Fort Lewis amphitheater in Washington state to honor their fallen comrade one more time last week.

Sanchez's cousins, Vincente and Martha Padilla of Modesto, and their three children were the guests of honor for welcome-home and medals ceremonies for members of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, just back from Iraq.

Sanchez's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Erik Kurilla, cited the fallen soldier's bravery. He related how on Dec. 29, Sanchez had stood up from behind the protection of a barrier in order to fire his weapon at a suicide bomber bent on crashing an explosives-laden truck into the Army compound in Mosul, Iraq.

Sanchez kept firing and the bomber blew up virtually in front and below him. But the bomb was outside the barrier instead of inside the base. Fourteen soldiers were wounded. Sanchez died.

Padilla said one part of Kurilla's tribute always will be etched in her mind and heart.

"He said how 'Oscar chose to give his life to save his buddies knowing he had another choice' where he could have saved himself." [...]


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