American Valor Quarterly Issue 5 - Winter 2008/09 | Page 38

Mike received the Silver Star for one of these operations. A SEAL
had been shot through the leg as he exited a house, leaving him
immobilized and open to machine gun fire. Mike and another
SEAL ran out into that fire and dragged the guy out of the street
while at the same time returning fire. Thanks to them, the guy
ended up living.

Joe Portnoy/American Veterans Center

This is how Mike was. Nothing got under his skin, ever. He was
a cool head, and could be in the middle of a firefight, totally
relaxed. Some guys, as many veterans will know, start to lose their
bubble a bit when they have seen so much combat. After awhile,
they just don’t want to do it anymore. Th ]