Introduction to the Medal of Honor Recipient David G. Bellavia:

David G. Bellavia served in the United States Army and received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah in Iraq in 2004. Bellavia was born on November 10, 1975, in Buffalo, New York, in a working-class family. After he graduated from Lyndonville Central High School, he joined the U.S. Army.

Bellavia was deployed to Iraq in 2004 as a member of the 1st Infantry Division. Bellavia along with his platoon was ordered to clear some houses in Fallujah during Operation Phantom Fury on November 10, 2004. During the operation, his team was surrounded by a large group of enemies from a fortified location. Knowing that they were in a dangerous position, Bellavia retrieved an automatic weapon and opened fire at the enemy. His action allowed his squad to break contact and exit their dangerous situation by exiting from the facility. He put his life in danger by re-entering the house two more times to eliminate the enemies. As a result, the enemies were eliminated by clearing the entire building and saving his fellow soldiers from casualties. (Department of Defense, 2005)

Bellavia was awarded the highest military honor in the United States, the Medal of Honor, for his bravery during the operation. He left the Army in 2005 and went on to become a radio talk show host, author, and businessman. He has also remained involved with veterans’ advocacy organizations and continues to speak publicly about his experiences in combat and the importance of supporting and honoring America’s service members. Bellavia’s bravery in the course of the operation is a demonstration of the excellent qualities the U.S. military tradition has. His heroic story was widely applauded in the United States. His award ceremony speech received more than 2.5 million views on YouTube, once again demonstrating his popularity among the American people.

Introduction to the Second Battle of Fallujah and Operation Phantom Fury

Operation Phantom Fury was operated by a joint force including the U.S., British, and Iraqi military forces. The operation was an offensive move against the anti-collation forces on November 7, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq. The city was used as an important hub for terrorist fighters. The operation aimed to eradicate the enemies and helped the Iraqi government to regain control over the city. (Department of the Army, 2007)

The battle first began with a massive bombardment by the joint force army and air force, and the city then was assaulted by the U.S. and Iraqi military to further capture the city. The battle lasted nearly more than a month and both sides suffered significant casualties as they both wanted to control the city. During the battle, the joint force faced great resistance from the insurgents.

Overall, the Second Battle of Fallujah was part of the larger war on terrorism following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. The battle aimed to crack down on a hub for anti-coalition forces, and it demonstrates the U.S. determination to combat terrorism across the globe.

Operation Phantom Fury was a symbol of success and a significant turning point in the Iraq War. The operation helped the Iraqi government to capture Fallujah from the terrorists. It was ultimately successful to counter the insurgency in Iraq. (Congressional Medal of Honor Society, n.d.)

Introduction to David G. Bellavia in Operation Phantom Fury:

During the operation, Bellaivia along with his squad was given the task to clear a block of houses. As mentioned earlier, they were attacked by a group of insurgents. They were attacked under the stairs that led to the second floor. However, the walls were too high, making it hard to fire directly at the enemy’s position.  Immediately after realizing how dangerous the situation is, Bellavia quickly entered the doorway and fought the enemies. He had to use someone else’s weapon to fire because he did not have a suitable weapon in his hand as he mentioned: “I could not use my rifle, I look down and I had a round that hit the magazine, couldn’t have asked for worst luck.” Covering fire he provided gave his squad enough time to exit the dangerous zone. (Friedman, 2019)

Bellavia saw that the enemy was ready to launch a rocket at his position, so he quickly went back to the building. Then, Bellavia was attacked by another enemy who was hiding in a closet in a room. Fortunately, he was not injured and was eliminated later. Bellavia said: “I hit blood. I lose my entire footing and I just fall. And then the guy shoots a round right where I was standing.” His description of the battle showed how intense it was. After this engagement, he encountered another enemy on the second floor, and this enemy was wounded by Bellavia. At the same time, he was engaging with an enemy through the window. (Lamothe, 2019)

His actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah were instrumental in helping to secure the city, and his leadership and courage served as an inspiration to his fellow soldiers.

Overall Operation Phantom Fury was one of the bloodiest of the Iraq War. By the end of the battle, the United States military suffered causalities with 95 killed and more than 500 wounded. On the other hand, the enemy estimated 1,200-1,500 casualties and more than 1,500 captured. (Garamone, 2019)

After getting his award the Medal of Honor for his valor during the Second Battle of Fallujah, David G. Bellavia delivered a speech to commemorate the occasion. During his speech, he paid respect to the warriors who fought beside him and talked about the sacrifices made by military people as well as the families of those serving in the military. During his speech, Bellavia said, “I wear this medal for my brothers in arms, who suffered and bled beside me. On that day, we fought for each other, we fought for our families back home, and we fought for our country. And I would do it all again, for this great nation.” (Bellavia 2019) He also discussed the need of acknowledging the sacrifices made by all members of the armed forces, including those who were awarded medals for their service as well as those who were not. Bellavia exhorted his fellow troops to continue serving their country with dignity and devotion, and he reminded them of the significance of brotherhood and working together. At the end of his speech, he expressed gratitude for the recognition of his actions but emphasized that the true heroes were those who gave their lives for their country. (Naylor, 2019)  He said that they were the ones who were true heroes.

Medal of Honor Citation:

“Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on November 10, 2004, while serving as a squad leader in support of Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq. While clearing a house, a squad from Staff Sergeant Bellavia’s platoon became trapped within a room by intense enemy fire coming from a fortified position under the stairs leading to the second floor. Recognizing the immediate severity of the situation, and with disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Bellavia retrieved an automatic weapon and entered the doorway of the house to engage the insurgents. With enemy rounds impacting around him, Staff Sergeant Bellavia fired at the enemy position at a cyclic rate, providing covering fire that allowed the squad to break contact and exit the house. A Bradley Fighting Vehicle was brought forward to suppress the enemy; however, due to high walls surrounding the house, it could not fire directly at the enemy position. Staff Sergeant Bellavia then re-entered the house and again came under intense enemy fire. He observed an enemy insurgent preparing to launch a rocket-propelled grenade at his platoon. Recognizing the grave danger the grenade posed to his fellow soldiers, Staff Sergeant Bellavia assaulted the enemy position, killing one insurgent and wounding another who ran to a different part of the house. Staff Sergeant Bellavia, realizing he had an un-cleared, darkened room to his back, moved to clear it. As he entered, an insurgent came down the stairs firing at him. Simultaneously, the previously wounded insurgent reemerged and engaged Staff Sergeant Bellavia. Staff Sergeant Bellavia, entering further into the darkened room, returned fire and eliminated both insurgents. Staff Sergeant Bellavia then received enemy fire from another insurgent emerging from a closet in the darkened room. Exchanging gunfire, Staff Sergeant Bellavia pursued the enemy up the stairs and eliminated him. Now on the second floor, Staff Sergeant Bellavia moved to a door that opened onto the roof. At this point, a fifth insurgent leapt from the third floor roof onto the second floor roof. Staff Sergeant Bellavia engaged the insurgent through a window, wounding him in the back and legs, and caused him to fall off the roof. Acting on instinct to save the members of his platoon from an imminent threat, Staff Sergeant Bellavia ultimately cleared an entire enemy-filled house, destroyed four insurgents, and badly wounded a fifth. Staff Sergeant Bellavia’s bravery, complete disregard for his own safety, and unselfish and courageous actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States.” (Congressional Medal of Honor Society, n.d.)

U.S. Army. (n.d.). Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia. [Photograph]. Army.mil. https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/bellavia/

Citation:

Bellavia, D. (2019). Medal of Honor: Staff Sgt. David Bellavia. NCO Journal, 24(6), 48-52. https://www.armyupress.army.mil/journals/nco-journal/archives/2019/june/medal-of-honor-staff-sgt-david-bellavia/

Congressional Medal of Honor Society. (n.d.). David G. Bellavia. https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/david-g-bellavia

Department of Defense. (2004). Operation Phantom Fury Begins. https://www.defense.gov/News/Archive/Archive-News/Article/614742/operation-phantom-fury-begins/

Department of Defense. (2005). After the Battle: Operation Phantom Fury. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/Story/Article/600231/after-the-battle-operation-phantom-fury/

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Second Battle of Fallujah. https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Battle-of-Fallujah

Fallen Heroes Memorial. (n.d.). David G. Bellavia. https://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/bellaviadavidg.html

Glantz, A. (2019). This is a Soldier’s Medal of Honor: A conversation with David Bellavia. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/opinion/david-bellavia-medal-of-honor.html

Hogan, C. (2019). The incredible story behind David Bellavia’s Medal of Honor. American Military News. https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/06/the-incredible-story-behind-david-bellavias-medal-of-honor/

Jennings, G. (2019). Staff Sgt. David Bellavia on the power of the Medal of Honor. PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/staff-sgt-david-bellavia-on-the-power-of-the-medal-of-honor

LaPorta, J. (2019). Inside the Medal of Honor: Staff Sgt. David Bellavia’s heroic story. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/inside-medal-honor-staff-sgt-david-bellavias-heroic-story-1444608

Medal of Honor Society. (2019). Sergeant David G. Bellavia’s Medal of Honor ceremony. https://www.cmohs.org/news-events/moh-ceremonies/medal-of-honor-ceremony-staff-sergeant-david-g-bellavia

Military.com. (2019). Staff Sgt. David Bellavia. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/06/25/medal-honor-recipient-staff-sgt-david-bellavia.html

National Museum of the United States Army. (n.d.). David G. Bellavia Medal of Honor Citation. https://www.thenmusa.org/david-g-bellavia-medal-of-honor-citation/

NBC News. (2019). Staff Sgt. David Bellavia awarded Medal of Honor for heroism in Iraq. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/staff-sgt-david-bellavia-awarded-medal-honor-heroism-iraq-n1021511

New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. (2019). Sgt. David Bellavia becomes first living Iraq veteran to receive Medal of Honor. https://dmna.ny.gov