Photo By Sgt. Austin Long | Cpl. Kyle Sepeda, a motor t operator with Charlie Company, 2nd AA Battalion, receives...... read more read more
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Camp Lejeune, N.C. –The Purple Heart Award was presented to Cpl. Kyle Sepeda, a motor transport operator with Charlie Company, 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, April 1, at the 2nd AA Battalion maintenance bay.
Brig. Gen. James Lukeman, commanding general of 2nd Marine Division, presented Sepeda with the award for injuries sustained from a roadside bomb during a convoy movement in Afghanistan. He was deployed with Regimental Combat Team 6 for a year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sepeda was standing in the turret of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle (MATV) behind an M240 machine gun. He was filling the position of gunner for the three-man crew aboard.
The convoy was traveling from Forward Operating Base Nolay to FOB Sabit Qadam for re-supply and to brief the following mission. As their MATV turned onto a paved road, a roadside bomb exploded. Sepeda was knocked down into the vehicle.
“As soon as we hit the hardball, the IED exploded,” said Sepeda, from Stevens Point, Wis. “I didn’t black out or get knocked out, but it knocked me down into the vehicle from the turret.”
Petty Officer 1st class Sean Reeves, a corpsman from Havertown, Penn, was on the quick reaction force that moved from the FOB to support Sepeda’s convoy. Once Reeves saw the blast he moved towards the hit vehicle. Reeves’ first mission was to check the Marines to make sure no one was seriously injured and in need of immediate treatment.
“After Doc Reeves checked me, I got back into the turret, I had to shoot a green flare to signal everyone was ok because our comm. (radios) went out,” said Sepeda. “Once I shot the flare I was back on the 240 helping to suppress the enemy’s small arms fire, while the rest of the convoy moved downhill to help suppress the enemy.”
Sepeda’s vehicle had damage to the front but it could still operate, however the trailer attached was destroyed and unable to be moved. Through the smalls arm fire, the other Marines with Sepeda exited the MATV to disconnect the trailer, so the convoy could move back up the hill to Nolay.
“Once we were back at the top I checked the Marines again,” said Reeves, “[I] noticed Sepeda had blood in his ear, he was nauseous, and had vomited three times since getting out of the vehicle. All signs of a possible concussion.”
Reeves had Sepeda evacuated by ground to FOB Sabit Qadam. After staying 24 hours for observation, Sepeda was cleared and able to return to FOB Nolay and finish the last two months of his deployment with RCT-6.
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.03.2013 14:23 |
| Story ID: | 104542 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | STEVENS POINT, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 469 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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