MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Sergeant Matthew T. Woodall will be awarded the Silver Star Medal Aug. 2, for his actions while deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan, during 2011. Woodall, a native of Paducah, Ky., displayed conspicuous gallantry while conducting combat operations in Helmand’s Sangin district during a close-quarters firefight, July 10 through 11, 2011.
The ceremony is scheduled to be held at the 5th Marine Regiment parade deck on Camp San Mateo at 12 p.m. Maj. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, commanding general of 1st Marine Division, will present the award.
Woodall was honorably discharged from his active duty service during December 2012.
Attached is a link to a photo of Woodall during his deployment:
http://www.dvidshub.net/image/408863/operation-zapoonki-guzaroona-1-5-clears-pushes-fighters-north
MEDIA COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS: Media interested in covering this event should RSVP with 1st Marine Division Public Affairs Office at (760) 725-8766, or send an email to Sgt. Alfred V. Lopez at alfred.lopez@usmc.mil, no later than 3 p.m. Thursday, July 31. Members of the media who are attending will meet at Camp Pendleton’s CHRISTIANITOS GATE no later than 11 a.m., on Friday, August 2. 1st Marine Division PAO is slated to webcast the ceremony on DVIDS at http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/3237
Sgt. Matthew T. Woodall Silver Star Medal Award Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy as a Squad Leader with 3rd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division (Forward) on 10 and 11 July 2011, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Corporal Woodall led his squad on a security mission in the insurgent stronghold of Kotozay Village when a platoon-sized enemy force initiated a firefight from several fortified positions. Corporal Woodall rushed his squad forward when enemy fire wounded the Marine directly in front of him. Exposed and under a hail of enemy fire, he laid down suppressive fires and shielded the wounded Marine with his body until a Corpsman arrived. After ensuring his wounded Marine was properly cared for, he led an assault on the nearest enemy compound and repelled repeated enemy assaults from his flank with light anti-armor weapons and small arms fire. When the enemy engaged and pinned down the squad sent to reinforce Corporal Woodall, he again led his men in a counterattack through multiple compounds. After receiving several reports of an enemy force massing to attack, Corporal Woodall led his men as they crawled through a cornfield for more than an hour to ambush the enemy force. Taking the enemy by surprise, the withering fire from Corporal Woodall’s squad drove the enemy from the village after more than seven hours of combat. Corporal Woodall’s daring actions soundly defeated the enemy attack while ultimately killing four insurgents and wounding many others. By his bold initiative, undaunted courage, and complete dedication to duty, Corporal Woodall reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.