A new generation of bravery
RICHARD GOULD, HERALD STAFF WRITER
WELDON - Chief Warrant Officer 4 James B. Herring is a modest man who found himself in the spotlight of honor Saturday.
He explained his presence on the stage of The Centre and his performance on the battlefield with a quote from his commander-in-chief:
“The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time now depends on us.
“Our nation, this generation, will lift the dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail.”
- George W. Bush, Sept. 20, 2001
Those words encapsulated the mission he found himself charged with while serving in Iraq from August 2006 through April 2007 with Company B, Third Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, (Airborne), headquartered in Roanoke Rapids .
On Saturday, Herring was awarded a Silver Star at a presentation ceremony at The Centre at laceName w:st="on">HalifaxlaceName> laceType w:st="on">Community CollegelaceType> to commemorate his decisive, heroic actions on Dec. 23, 2006, that saved the lives of the men under his command.
On that day, while Herring's patrol was searching an Iraqi village, approximately 20 insurgents caught them in a complex ambush with well-aimed small arms and machine gun fire and a volley of rocket-propelled grenades.
The Army has said his heroism and bravery under intense enemy fire swung the tide of the engagement and was directly responsible for the safety and well-being of a 23-man combined U.S.-Iraqi force.
After a series of laudatory speeches by mayors, state representatives and generals, Herring's wife, Michelle and their children, Michael and Samantha, joined him on the stage and the Adjutant General of the North Carolina National Guard Maj. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr. pinned the Silver Star to his chest as thunderous applause filled the auditorium.
Then a soldier brought out a stool and placed it behind the podium so that Samantha, 7, could reach the microphone and read a speech of her own. She said, “Every kid should have a hero to look up to. Thanks for being ours.”
When the applause died down and it was Herring's turn to speak, he invited the members of his Operational Detachment Alpha team to join him. They stood near the front of the stage and as Herring looked out on an auditorium filled with his family, friends, co-workers and fellow soldiers, he went down the line and introduced each of the nine men to the audience, told anecdotes of their time together in Iraq and recognized them for the service and sacrifice, saying, “Every single one of them is a hero - I know that.”
Sgt. First Class John Masson, who was the medic in the Humvee with Herring during the attack, addressed the crowd and said, “The only reason I knew I was going to get out of there and see my kids again was because Jim was there with me,” and added, “It would be an honor to serve with Jim Herring again. I love you, brother.”
Maj. Gen. Ingram noted that winning the Silver Star puts Herring in the company of men like Oliver North, George S. Patton, Wesley Clark and John McCain and added, “Chief, you're among a very select few.”
After the ceremony Michelle smiled and said, “Jim's always been my hero, so now it's nice that he can be everyone else's as well.”