Ellsworth Airman receives Purple Heart

  • Published
  • By Airman Hrair H. Palyan
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  "We were coming out of the area around Tikrit in the lead navigation vehicle," said Wiedmer. "We'd just gone around a roundabout, and the front gunner truck had already passed the IED, when BOOM!"

Staff Sgt. Christopher Wiedmer, a 28th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds received during the final months of the U.S.'s presence in Iraq. He and his driver, Airman 1st Class Daniel Clark, from the 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K., were transporting equipment out of Iraq when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device hidden in a pile of trash.

"We'd been on a lot of these trips since the drawdown started.... looking for things that just don't fit," said Clark. "Even though we were leaving Iraq, we weren't out yet."

What at first glance seemed to "fit," turned out to cause the "Boom" that took Wiedmer by surprise.

"It must have been really buried under that trash pile," said Wiedmer. "While that wasn't the first IED I've seen go off, it was definitely the closest!"

Although the explosion was close, the truck was still drivable.

On the ride back to base with the rest of the convoy, concern for Wiedmer grew even further when he couldn't even remember his own birthday. Upon arriving, he was rushed to the clinic and soon after his doctor diagnosed him with a ruptured eardrum.

Clark was quickly released after sustaining minor injuries. Wiedmer, however, spent three weeks recovering from headaches and ear popping. Though both had experienced first-hand such a close encounter with an IED, they both returned to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

Here at Ellsworth, the news of Wiedmer's safety was a relief to his team, but his heroic service came as no surprise.

"We here are extremely proud of Staff Sgt. Wiedmer, he has always been an outstanding airman and non commissioned officer," said Lt. Col. Derek W. Harris, the 28th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander. "This award, in our mind, solidifies what we already knew about him."

Harris said Wiedmer is an outstanding American who loves his country and takes pride in what he does, whether it be training other maintainers or mastering his job.

Both Wiedmer and Clark received the Army Combat Action Badge and Commendation Medals, as well as the Air Force Combat Action Medal.

"The characteristics you find in Staff Sgt. Wiedmer are the same characteristics you find in many airmen here at Ellsworth," said Harris. "Our airmen are masters of their trade, and accomplish the mission state side and overseas."

Information in this article was originally published in an article on af.mil