CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Sgt. David A. Harper, an air ambulance medic, wasn’t expecting to be involved in major situation on Christmas Eve. He and his flight crew found themselves responding to a call none of them ever wanted to hear.
Harper and his crew were the second on call medical evacuation helicopter Dec. 24, 2008. His crew received a MEDEVAC call for three urgent litter patients involved in a rollover 15 miles north of the town of Diwaniyah, Iraq. What he didn’t know was the vehicle and its occupants were in six feet of water.
Harper and his crew, from 1st Battalion 52nd Aviation Regiment, under Task Force 449, responded immediately. Despite a warning of possible enemy activity in an area historically known for ground to air attacks against helicopters, he and his crew flew into the area minutes after receiving the call.
They were the only ones to respond to the call. As they approached the site of the crash, Sgt. Harper kept the pilots informed of the ground conditions.
Once on the ground they were able to see the situation was far worse than they had expected. All three Soldiers involved were submerged in more than six feet of water along with the vehicle. Harper swam under the water and spent several minutes using some medical tubing as a hasty snorkel while he cut a Soldier free from his restraints. He was able to load the critically injured Soldier in minimal time.
Harper performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the Black hawk for 25 minutes as the helicopter raced to the hospital.
“I was just doing what I was told to do,” Harper said.
Harper said he was only doing his duty, but he used his head and was able to improvise in order to accomplish his mission. For this, he received the Soldier’s Medal, the highest award a Soldier can receive during a peaceful operation.
Harper, a native of Rosenberg, Texas, was awarded the commendation in a ceremony on Contingency Operating Base Adder Aug. 12.
“I wasn’t expecting that much for what I did, I was just doing my job, I was happy (to receive the award),” Harper said.
The Soldier’s Medal is “awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy,” according to Army Regulation 600-8-22.
Harper was presented the award by Brig. Gen. Gerald E. Lang, Multi-National Division – South Deputy Commanding General of Support.
“I want to thank Sgt. Harper from the bottom of my heart for his actions and what he did for these Soldiers,” Lang said during his speech, prior to pinning the Soldier’s Medal on Harper’s chest.
