Five EOD troops recieve Bronze Star Medals for actions downrange Published Dec. 16, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Five Airmen from the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordinance Device Flight were presented Bronze Star Medals for their performances supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. "Tech. Sgts. Jennifer Burch, Josh Gidcumb, Master Sgt. Danton Humphries, Senior Master Sgts. Dale Moser and Shawn Witten joined the ranks of Airmen who have earned Bronze Stars Medals for heroic or meritorious achievement or service by ground forces. "The Bronze Star is significant as it is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service," said Lt. Col. Kathryn Kolbe, 52nd CES commander. "It was originally conceived as a ground equivalent of the Air Medal to improve morale of soldiers on the ground during World War II and has been awarded ever since." All of these Airmen came away from their deployment with many memories. "There were so many memorable events," said Sergeant Burch, EOD journeyman. "Once after rending safe an improvised explosive device in the city of Kirkuk, Iraq, on Referendum Day the local Iraqis cheered and applauded my team chanting, 'USA.' It was a great feeling to make such a difference." For Sergeant Humprhies, EOD technician, working with and being recognized by the Army is an experience he will never forgot. "Being recognized for performing the most vital mission in Iraq (was rewarding)," Sergeant Humphries said. "Additionally, so was writing Army Bronze Star and Commendation Medals for my troops and having the opportunity to work with Army leadership who emphasized kicking butt and mission accomplishment." Sergeant Gidcumb, EOD team leader, also found his deployment very satisfying because he was able to do what he loves to do, disable IEDs, blow up weapons caches and really save lives. "The lives that I impacted were the front line troops who spend their entire year on the streets in a very hostile environment," Sergeant Gidcumb said. "This mission was made easier by working for the Army who understood how EOD operates and gave us the tools to work effectively against the enemy." The Airmen all realized that the Army support they received was critical to their success. "I could not have accomplished any of this without the support of my fellow EOD teammates or the Army security teams who were assigned to us," Sergeant Burch said. "I am both blessed and honored to have worked with such outstanding professional Soldiers." The home station leadership has noticed the hard work and dedication these Airmen put forth downrange. "It's an honor to have just one Bronze Star recipient, let alone several," Colonel Kolbe said. "I am extremely pleased and very proud of each individual in the 52nd CES, who has earned this honor. Our EOD Airmen are very deserving of this honor as the duties they perform are not only critical, but also dangerous -- disarming and destroying improvised bombs, the insurgent's weapon of choice. Each of these Airmen has been deployed for six to eight months and regularly put themselves in harm's way to accomplish the mission. I am honored to serve with these truly great Americans." Some of the accomplishments of these Airmen which lead to their receipt of a Bronze Star include: Sergeant Burch, EOD journeyman Sergeant Burch demonstrated superior professionalism during a multiple improvised explosive device mission on Alternate Supply Route Minneapolis. A four vehicle U.S. convoy, on the way to Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, ran over a pressure actuated IED that did not detonate and then spotted another one 100 meters in front of them. Unable to move forward or backup, the convoy's only option was to wait for EOD assistance. Upon arrival to the scene, Sergeant Burch performed a reconnaissance of the area and promptly identified two additional IEDs. She then utilized personnel and robotic resources to separate hazardous components, move them to an open field and counter charge them reopening the route to convoys. Sergeant Gidcumb, EOD team leader During a cache mission near Main Supply Route Tampa, Sergeant Gidcumb was responsible for neutralizing the stores of ordnance used for IED emplacement on a Tier 1 hotspot. After detonating the first shot, additional caches were found. While gathering up the additional items for destruction and facing a shortage of explosive supply, one of Sergeant Gidcumb's team members injured his hand requiring a ground evacuation. Sergeant Gidcumb coordinated the transportation to Sather Air Base, Iraq, for the injured Airman and a resupply of explosives. After the resupply he returned to the site, completed the 12-hour mission and successfully took 139 ordnance items out of the hands of enemy bomb makers. Sergeant Humphries While responding to a rocket threatening Forward Operating Base Gains-Mills Sergeant Humphries identified the rocket as a booby-trapped device. His team defeated the device without collateral damage, preserved and collected evidence to aid investigators and biometrics analysis. While at the site, another IED was discovered. He quickly refocused on the new threat and employed robotics to remotely dismantle a victim operated IED. His team successfully removed the triggering device and destroyed two 130 mm projectiles and a two-liter bottle of diesel fuel accelerant. His team's actions eliminated the threat to the FOB and allowed for reopening of the Brigade supply route. Sergeant Moser, EOD superiendent Sergeant Moser was responsible for disarming and destroying roadside IEDs targeting coalition convoys on a 27-mile selection of MSR Tampa, the most heavily used north to south supply route. His leadership was essential for his flight's success in conducting 437 EOPD emergency response missions including 226 IEDs, 47 UXO responses, 24 post blast analyses, 52 weapon caches and three vehicle-borne IED incidents. Sergeant Witten, infrastructure superiendent When Iraqi insurgents attacked FOB Abu Ghurayb, Iraq, April 20, 2004, killing 22 detainees and injuring 97 others, Sergeant Witten was one of 16 Combat Life Savers who immediately began assisting medical personnel. He treated six patients, starting intravenous solutions, cleaning, bandaging and dressing wounds. As deputy operations chief Sergeant Witten oversaw all combat convoy operations, personally conducting 24 convoys across some of Iraq's most dangerous highways. He assisted in transporting more than 60 tons of mission critical supplies, enabling his unit to execute 200 total engineering work orders, which significantly improved the quality of life for 1,800 collation forces and 3,000 detainees.