Photo By Staff Sgt. Mike Norris | Staff Sgt. Hudson Costa and Pfc. Dana Corona, from the 4th Brigade Special Troops...... read more read more
EL PASO, Texas - Two soldiers from the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, were recognized for their actions in Iraq at the Don Haskins Center during a University of Texas at El Paso men’s basketball game Feb. 22.
Staff Sgt. Hudson Costa, from Newark, N.J., and Pfc. Dana Corona from Yuba City, Calif., both engineers with Company C, 4th STB, stood center-court during UTEP’s Military Appreciation Night as the announcer recapped their story.
The two "Strike Force" soldiers were selected by their battalion command team based on their actions during a routine route clearance mission when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
“It was our job to find IEDs every night we went out there (streets of Iraq),” said Costa.
On an October night, while clearing a route for an upcoming supply convoy, Costa and his crew’s vehicle hit a hidden object, which exploded on impact.
Their vehicle, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected type vehicle called a Panther, struck what Costa believed to be a very large, deep-buried IED.
Corona was driving the Panther at the time of the explosion.
“Corona stopped the vehicle from going in to a rollover with his quick actions,” said Costa. “He not only saved me but the two other people in the vehicle,” he said.
The IED was large enough to completely disable the Panther and injure three of the four crewmembers.
“I couldn’t feel my legs,” said Costa, “I didn’t know how badly I was hurt.”
Corona remained calm and gave aid to his injured crew members, and continued to communicate with the other vehicles on the patrol.
“It’s kind of hazy when I think about it now,” said Corona, “but my training, and things that my squad leader (Costa) taught me, got me through it.”
The injured members of the crew were evacuated from the location for medical attention. Corona stayed and finished the patrol.
“If there is a way a solider should act, it would be like Pfc. Corona,” said Costa, “I’m proud to be his squad leader.”
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2012 16:00 |
| Story ID: | 84450 |
| Location: | EL PASO , TX, US |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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