CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) — Navy Secretary Ray Mabus has honored four members of a Marine special operations team in a rare public ceremony for the covert forces.
In a ceremony Monday at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Mabus awarded Marine Sgt. William Soutra Jr. the Navy Cross, the Navy's highest honor, for rallying his platoon for 70 minutes after a blast fatally wounded his team's assistant leader in Afghanistan's Helmand Province in July 2010.
Mabus said Soutra fired his weapon while tending to the wounded and directing the team to safety.
Maj. James Rose, Staff Sgt. Frankie Shinost Jr. and Navy Corpsman Patrick Quill were given Silver Stars for their actions that day.
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