Saturday, June 2nd, 2012 | Posted by

Marine saved after Army Staff Sergeant pulls LIVE GRENADE out of leg

By
Daily Mail Reporter


PUBLISHED:

23:15 EST, 1 June 2012

|

UPDATED:

23:31 EST, 1 June 2012

When Lance Corporal Winder Perez was injured in Afghanistan, no one rushed to be by his side.

The 22-year-old had a live rocket-propelled grenade lodged in his leg.

Knowing the danger, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Lieutenant Commander James Gennari heroically helped the wounded Corporal Perez, saving his fellow soldier’s life while risking his own.

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Hurt: When Lance Corporal Winder Perez was injured in Afghanistan, no one rushed to be by his side. The 22-year-old had a live rocket-propelled grenade lodged in his leg

Hurt: When Lance Corporal Winder Perez was injured in Afghanistan, no one rushed to be by his side. The 22-year-old had a live rocket-propelled grenade lodged in his leg

Hero: Knowing the danger, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Lieutenant Commander James Gennari, pictured, heroically helped the wounded Corporal Perez, saving his fellow soldier's life while risking his own

Hero: Knowing the danger, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Lieutenant Commander James Gennari, pictured, heroically helped the wounded Corporal Perez, saving his fellow soldier’s life while risking his own

‘I think the reason that I did it — I didn’t give it more than a thought or two — but I knew that I’m sent out there by the Marine Corps to save lives, and he was in danger, and I looked at it as my duty and job to go do that,’ Lieutenant Commander Gennari said to CNN.

After Corporal Perez was wounded, a Black Hawk helicopter transported him from the field to a makeshift operating room surrounded by blast walls.

‘Not only did we know we had to make a soft landing, we had to fly at whatever air speed caused the least amount of vibration,’ Captain Kevin Doo said to Fox.

‘We had to alert the other crews, the tower, the airfield and the hospital that we didn’t want anyone rushing toward the aircraft because if anything happened, everyone would be taken out.’

Miracle: Army Staff Sgt. Ben Summerfield, left, and Lt. Cmdr. James Gennari, right, successfully removed the grenade

Miracle: Army Staff Sgt. Ben Summerfield, left, and Lt. Cmdr. James Gennari, right, successfully removed the grenade

The helicopter landed and Lieutenant Commander Gennari and Army Staff Sergeant Ben Summerfield, an explosives expert, met him while wearing body armor.

The navy nurse held the marine’s hand, dosing him with enough pain medicine so that Sergeant  Summerfield could pull out the grenade.

He attempted to remove it three times, tugging at the dangerous device, before he finally got it out.

‘I said a prayer, and I thanked God for everything I had…’ Lieutenant Commander Gennari told CNN.

‘Whether or not the grenade was gonna blow up, I left it to Him, and I just worried about keeping Lance Corporal [Perez's] airway open.’

Miraculously, Corporal Perez survived the January 12 incident. 

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oh! the old live grenade in the leg trick. the enemy is getting sneaky

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Now THAT is true heroism!

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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2153593/Marine-saved-Army-Staff-Sergeant-pulls-LIVE-GRENADE-leg.html

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