MARSOC corpsman to get Navy Cross for braving bombs to save Marines

Chief Petty Officer Justin Wilson, 36, a special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman attached to MARSOC's 1st Marine Special Operation Battalion, will receive the Navy Cross in a Nov. 25 ceremony at Camp Pendleton, California, according to an official release. In the same ceremony, fallen Bronze Star with Combat DMedals will be awarded posthumously to Staff Sgts. Christopher Diaz, 27, and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Sprovtsoff, 28, will be posthumously awarded Bronze Star with combat distinguishing devices. Diaz and Sprovtsoff who were killed in the same blast that wounded Wilson.

On Sept. 28, 2011, Wilson was on serving his third deployment to Afghanistan with Marine Special Operations Team 8113 on Sept. 28, 2011, the day he earned his Navy Cross. He had volunteered to accompany Sprovtsoff, the team's explosive ordnance disposal technician, to remove an improvised explosive device from a nearby checkpoint manned by the Afghan Local Police in the Upper Gereshk valley of Helmand province — a dangerous and sensitive task.

Sprovtsoff was just beginning his task of inspecting the device when there was a large explosion. The EOD tech was severely wounded, and Wilson was disoriented by the blast. Even though he knew it was likely the likelihood that insurgents had placed more IEDs nearby, Wilson knew what he had to do.

According to his medal citation, the corpsman immediately left his safe position and searched around the checkpoint until he found Sprovtsoff. While he was tending to the wounded Marine with the help of Diaz and another team member, another IED detonated. The blast wounded Wilson severely, and ultimately led to the death of the two Marines. inflicted inflicting damage that would cost Wilson his right leg and dealt ing mortal wounds to the two Marines. In the chaos, and despite the shock of his injuries, Wilson became single-minded.

"Ignoring the pain of his own injuries, [Wilson] focused solely on treating his fellow team members," his citation states reads. "He dragged one outside the checkpoint and rendered aid until he succumbed, and then searched for the other casualties, who had been blown over the barriers by the second blast. Only after confirming they were already dead did he allow treatment of his own wounds."

Diaz, who was a military working dog handler with team 8113, will be honored posthumously with the Bronze Star with combat "V" alor device for selflessly working to save Sprovtsoff after the initial IED blast, even though he knew there were likely more explosives hidden at the site.