Among the many noblest heroes in wartime is the soldier who sacrifices his life to save lots of a comrade-in-arms. A U.S. Military Ranger in 2018 went past that in an effort to guard not solely his wounded companion, however the medical staff and the helicopter crew evacuating the person from a still-hot battle zone.
Born in Summerville, South Carolina on Jan. 12, 1986, Christopher Andrew Celiz set his sights on a army profession early on. Whereas in Summerville Excessive College, he joined the Junior Reserve Officers Coaching Corps. He attended The Citadel from 2004 to 2006, however he didn’t graduate earlier than enlisting within the Military in January 2008.
After primary and superior coaching at Fort Leonard Wooden, Missouri, he turned a fight engineer. From then on, he added extra army occupational specialties, beginning with Firm E, 2nd Battalion, seventh Cavalry Regiment at Fort Cavazos, Texas (previously named Fort Hood) – then to Firm C, 1st Battalion 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division as a staff chief for the 530th Engineer Clearance Firm, 92nd Engineer Battalion. Lastly, he turned a a mortar platoon sergeant with Firm D, 1st Ranger Battalion, seventy fifth Ranger Regiment.
Whereas Celiz pursued his Military profession, he married Katherine, with whom he’d labored in a neighborhood grocery retailer, in 2009. Their daughter, Shannon, was born to them in 2010. Alongside the best way, the household transformed to Judaism. Celiz additionally spent a few of what remained of his free time driving a Harley-Davidson bike and enjoying his guitar.
In 2008, Celiz was deployed to Iraq. He then did excursions of responsibility in civil war-wracked Afghanistan, the place his unit carried out operations alongside troopers loyal to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and allied contingents in opposition to the Taliban and different hostile Afghan teams. He served in help of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011, 2013 and 2014, and in Operation Freedom Sentinel in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
On the morning of July 12, 2018, Sgt. 1st Class Celiz was main a particular unit made up of Rangers and pro-government Afghan troops. They had been tasked with clearing an space in Paktia Province and securing it in opposition to future enemy actions. Once they reached the ruins of an previous storage shelter, nevertheless, they got here underneath assault by at the very least 20 insurgents.
Their fireplace drove Celiz’s unit to the bottom and prevented them maneuvering into place for a counterattack. Within the ensuing gunfight, one of many allied troops was grievously wounded.
Celiz’s first response was to run within the open, exposing himself to enemy fireplace till he reached a heavy weapon system, with which he and his males returned fireplace. As an HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter arrived to evacuate the casualty, the insurgents turned their gunfire skyward. Some troops put the injured Afghan in a litter and ran him to the helicopter, whereas Celiz ran out into the open to make himself as giant a goal as he may between them and the enemy’s fireplace.
As soon as their ally was aboard the chopper, the unit members rushed again to their positions. Celiz didn’t run for canopy till they had been all accounted for. As he lastly did so, he was shot within the chest. The helicopter was simply departing, however Celiz waved it off, involved that it and the medevac staff could be shot down, rendering his efforts in useless. Because the medevac departed, Celiz tried to crawl to cowl, however gave out.
At that time, the medevac had returned, and Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Six led a staff to get well Celiz. The helicopter then rushed the 2 casualties to a ahead surgical procedure staff at Camp Dahlke, however Celiz died quickly after. (For his or her efforts, Six and helicopter pilot Capt. Ben Krzeczowski had been later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross).
Celiz’s actions turned the speak of the unit.
“He actually was selflessly physique blocking that litter staff and that helicopter crew as they had been loading the casualty on the chicken underneath super quantity of fireplace,” 2nd Lt. Garrett White informed the Military Information Service. White was a fellow Ranger taking part within the operation. “He put himself final and all people else first.”
Krzeczowski agreed, saying, “Braveness to me is placing your life on the road to save lots of the lifetime of one other, as demonstrated by [Sgt. 1st Class] Chris Celiz, who died defending my crew.”
Though Celiz had not accomplished his research there, The Citadel made him an honorary graduate and put him on the Citadel Battle Memorial in 2018. At Fort Leonard Wooden, the two-story Warrior Restaurant within the Engineers Barracks was devoted in his reminiscence.
Celiz’s spouse and daughter acquired his posthumous Medal of Honor from former President Joe Biden on Dec. 16, 2021. As well as, Celiz had acquired, amongst others, the Bronze Star, Purple Coronary heart and Meritorious Service Medal.
