Marine awarded Bronze Star

Heather Rawlyk

Monday, March 8, 2004 | 9:38 a.m.

Friends, family and fellow U.S. Marines gathered under a striped tent Sunday at the Armed Forces Reserve Center at Nellis Air Force Base to honor Marine Reservist Cpl. Robert G. Tomczak as he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Tomczak was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroic achievement in connection with combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Tomczak was assigned as the machine gun team leader for Weapons Platoon, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines.

During an urban patrol in southeast Baghdad on April 8, his company came under heavy enemy fire, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

Tomczak's platoon received a hail of fire, including rockets, machine guns and small arms, the majority of which was directed at Tomczak's machine gun team, it said.

"Realizing that his position was critical to the platoon's security, Tomczak remained in place and countered the heavy volume of fire with his own highly accurate and effective fire, disrupting an attempted flank assault," according to the citation.

"Under the barrage of fire, Tomczak maneuvered from his sandbag fortifications and deployed an AT-4, silencing a position that was delivering effective rocket-propelled grenade fire.

"When an armed gunman in a vehicle rammed his position, Tomczak remained in place, firing his remaining rounds and ultimately dodged the closing vehicle by inches as it cross the curb and impacted his position."

Due to falling sandbags from the vehicle's crash into his position, Tomczak lost hold of his machine gun, but he did not give up, the citation says.

"While under enemy fire, Tomczak once again bravely crossed into this fire-swept area to retrieve his weapon and redeploy it in the secondary position."

Fox Co. Commander John E. Kirkpatrick congratulated Tomczak and his fellow U.S. Marines.

"I will remember this day forever," Kirkpatrick said. "It's what the Marine Corps is all about -- brave men, brave tasks and being recognized for that bravery."

Capt. Ben O'Rourke noted the company's strength and camaraderie illustrated by Tomczak.

"We have a real sense of family and comradeship," O'Rourke said. "Corporal Tomczak had the courage to take action, give us the strength of family and it was under his leadership that our bond developed."