on the radio, hardt spoke to sergeant justin gallegos, still trapped in the humvee. >> i remember listening to him on the radio, the conversation between him and gallegos and gallegos just, you know, telling him, this -- this isn't a good spot. you can't do a whole lot. you know, stay away. stay away. >> hardt was determined and continued on until a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his vehicle. faulkner tried to back up, but the humvee was stuck. insurgents targeted them with more grenades. >> i mean it seemed like an eternity, but such a moment that just passed in an instant that hardt came across the net and

on the radio, hardt spoke to sergeant justin gallegos, still trapped in the humvee. >> i remember listeningo him on the radio, the conversation between him and gallegos and gallegos just, you know, telling him, this -- this isn't a good spot. you can't do a whole lot. you know, stay away. stay away. >> hardt was determined and continued on until a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his vehicle. faulkner tried to back up, but the humvee was stuck. insurgents targeted them with more grenades. >> i mean it seemed like an eternity, but such a moment that just passed in an instant that hardt came across the net and said, i've got an rpg pointed right at me, and that was the last we heard from hardt. >> hardt and chris griffin were killed. as faulkner scrambled back to the barracks. romesha went to the aid station to get an assessment of the dead and wounded. he grabbed a russian sniper rifle that had belonged to an afghan soldier and walked outside. >> i remember seeing three guys walk right by the entry control point. >> three taliban? >> three enemy fighters. i mean, like they thought they

on the radio, hardt spoke to sergeant justin gallegos, still trapped in the humvee. >> i remember listeninge conversation between him and gallegos and gallegos just, you know, telling him, this -- this isn't a good spot. you can't do a whole lot. you know, stay away. stay away. >> hardt was determined and continued on until a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his vehicle. faulkner tried to back up, but the humvee was stuck. insurgents targeted them with more grenades. >> i mean it seemed like an eternity, but such a moment that just passed in an instant that hardt came across the net and said i've got an rpg pointed right at me, and that was the last we heard from hardt. >> hardt and chris griffin were killed. as faulkner scrambled back to the barracks. romesha went to the aid station to get an assessment of the dead and wounded. he grabbed a russian sniper rifle that had belonged to an afghan soldier and walked outside. >> i remember seeing three guys walk right by the entry control point. >> three taliban? >> three enemy fighters. i mean, like they thought they'd already won. strolle

on the radio, hardt spoke to sergeant justin gallegos, still trapped in the humvee. >> i remember listeningadio, the conversation between him and gallegos and gallegos just, you know, telling him, this -- this isn't a good spot. you can't do a whole lot. you know, stay away. stay away. >> hardt was determined and continued on until a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his vehicle. faulkner tried to back up, but the humvee was stuck. insurgents targeted them with more grenades. >> i mean it seemed like an eternity, but such a moment that just passed in an instant that hardt came across the net and said i've got an rpg pointed right at me, and that was the last we heard from hardt. >> hardt and chris griffin were killed. as faulkner scrambled back to the barracks. romesha went to the aid station to get an assessment of the dead and wounded. he grabbed a russian sniper rifle that had belonged to an afghan soldier and walked outside. >> i remember seeing three guys walk right by the entry control point. >> three taliban? >> three enemy fighters. i mean, like they thought they'd already won.

staff sergeant justin gallegos. staff sgt vernon martin. sgt joshua heart.nd a specialist steffan mace. each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other in a battle that raged all day. that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again. soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire to pull a comrade to safety. tending to each other's wounds, performing transfusions, giving each other their own blood. if you seek a measure that day, you need to look no further than the ribbons and medals that grace their chests. 37 army commendation medals. for their wounds, 27 purple hearts. for their valor, 18 bronze stars. before their gallantry, nine silver stars. these men were outnumbered, outgunned, and almost overrun. looking back, one of them said, i'm surprised that we made it out. but here they are today. and this -- i ask this band of brothers to stand and accept the gratitude of our entire nation. [applause] there are many lessons from this event. one of them is that our troops should never, ever be put in a position where they have

today, sergeant michael scusa, sergeant joshua kirk, sergeant christopher griffin, staff sergeant justin gallegos, staff sergeant vernon martin, sergeant joshua hardt, specialist stephan mace. each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other in a battle that waged all day that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again. soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire, to pull a comrade to safety, tending to each other's wounds, performing buddy transfusions, giving each other their own blood. if you seek a measure of that day, you need to look no further than the medals, ribbons that grace their chests. for their sustained heroism, 37 army commendation medals. for their wounds, 27 purple hearts. for their valor, 18 bronze stars. for their gallantry, nine silver stars. these men were outnumbered, outgunned, and almost overrun. looking back, one of them said i'm surprised any of us made it out. but they are here today. and i would ask these soldiers, this band of brothers, to stand and accept the gratitude of our entire nation. >> there were many lessons from cop kea

staff sergeant justin gallegos. staff sgt vernon martin. sgt joshua heart. a specialist steffan mace. each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other in a battle that raged all day. that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again. soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire to pull a comrade to safety. tending to each other's loans, -- wounds, performing transfusions, giving each other their own blood. if you seek a measure that day, you need to look no further than the ribbons and medals that grace their chests. for their sustained terrorism,37 army commendation medals. -- for their sustained heroism, , 37 army commendation medals. for their valor, 18 bronze stars. before their gallantry, nine silver stars. these men were outnumbered, outgunned, and almost overrun. looking back, one of them said, i'm surprised that we made it out. but here they are today. and this -- i ask this band of brothers to stand and except the gratitude of our entire nation. -- accept the gratitude of our entire nation. [applause] there are many

justin gallegos. shosh what hart. joshua kirk. michael scuza. christopher griffin.in kevin thompson. now we ask your blessing upon all of our servicemen and women at home and abroad as they support and defend our constitution. grant wisdom and guidance to those who need our nation as sergeant romesha's example guide our service and inspire our devotion, we ask this and pray in your holy name, amen. >> please be seated, everybody. good afternoon. and on behalf of michelle and myself, welcome to the white house. every day at the white house we receive thousands of letters from folks all across america, and at night upstairs in my study i read a few. about three years ago i received a letter from a mom in west virginia. her son, stephan, a specialist in the army, just 21 years old, had given his life in afghanistan. she had received the condolence letter that i sent to her family, as i send to every family of the fallen, and she wrote me back. mr. president, she said, you wrote me a letter telling me that my son was a hero. i just wanted you to know what kind of hero h

staff sergeant justin gallegos. staff sgt vernon martin. sgt joshua heart. specialist steffan mace. each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other in a battle that raged all day. that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again. soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire to pull a comrade to safety. tending to each other's loans, performing transfusions, giving each other their own blood. if you seek a measure that day, you need to look no further than the ribbons and medals that grace their chests. 37 army commendation medals. for their bones, 27 per parts. for their valor, 18 bronze stars. before their gallantry, nine silver stars. these men were outnumbered, outgunned, and almost overrun. looking back, one of them said, i'm surprised that we made it out. but here they are today. and this -- i ask this band of brothers to stand and except the gratitude of our entire nation. -- accept the gratitude of our entire nation. [applause] there are many lessons from this event. one of them is that our troops try never, ever be