MILLINGTON, Tenn.—Two Tennessee guardsmen were honored for risking their lives for the sake of their fellow soldiers during a 2005 reconnaissance mission in Iraq.
Tennessee Army National Guard 1st Lt. David J. Tiedeman, of Watkins, Colo., was awarded a Silver Star at a ceremony at National Guard headquarters Saturday for making his way through enemy fire to rescue Sgt. Robert W. Betterton Jr.
Tiedeman served with the 278th Regimental Combat Team, based in Tennessee.
Betterton, of Memphis, was awarded a Bronze Star with a “V” for valor for first advancing through the enemy fire to kill an enemy gunman during an ambush.
“The Silver Star is the third-highest they give,” said their commander, Capt. Mitch Murray. “The Bronze Star, anything with valor, kind of speaks for itself. This is grandkids’ and great-grandkids’ kind of stuff.”
The team of 12 soldiers was searching for weapons on April 4, 2005, south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, when it came under heavy fire from insurgents.
Betterton was critically wounded by a sniper as he advanced, shot a total of eight times in the hand, leg and stomach.
After he was shot, Betterton managed to lay down enough fire to keep insurgents from hindering Tiedeman and other soldiers from rendering aid to Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Kennedy, who was killed in the attack.
“I’m embarrassed that this young man has to receive a Silver Star because he had to come back and get me,” Betterton said of Tiedeman.
But Tiedeman said, “To me, what matters most is that I can look over there and see Bob.”
The team killed 17 heavily armed insurgents, captured weapons and destroyed an insurgent cell, according to the National Guard.
Betterton’s father, Robert Betterton of Nashville, said he and other family members are concerned that Betterton volunteered to return with his unit to Iraq late this week.
The sergeant said he believes in the war and feels citizens should do whatever they can for their country.
“I think it’s something we need to do,” said his father. “I personally feel he did his part already.
“I’m concerned that Tiedeman’s not going back with him to help pull him out next time.”
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Information from: The Commercial Appeal,
