Leigh Ann Hester

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Leigh Ann Hester
1982—

Place of birth	Bowling Green, Kentucky
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Army National Guard
Years of service	April 2001—
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	617th Military Police Company
Awards	Silver Star

Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester (born 1982) of the 617th Military Police Company, a National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, received the Silver Star for her actions on March 20, 2005 during an enemy ambush on a supply convoy near the town of Salman Pak, Iraq.^[1]

Hester was the first female soldier to receive the award for exceptional valor since World War II and the first ever to be cited for valor in close quarters combat.

[edit] Ambush

Hester's squad of two women and eight men in three Humvees was shadowing a 30-truck supply convoy when approximately 50 insurgent fighters ambushed the convoy with AK-47 assault weapon and RPK machine gun fire, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). The squad moved to the side of the road, flanking the insurgents and cutting off their escape route. Hester maneuvered her team through the "kill zone" and into a flanking position, where she and her squad leader, Staff Sergeant Timothy F. Nein, assaulted a trench line with hand grenades and M203 grenade launcher rounds. Hester and Nein assaulted and cleared two trenches. During the 25-minute firefight, Hester killed at least three enemy combatants with her M-4 assault rifle.^[2]

When the battle was over, 27 insurgents were dead, six were wounded, and one captured. Sergeants Hester and Nein were both awarded the Silver Star.

Also awarded the Silver Star was platoon combat medic Specialist Jason Mike, who took up and simultaneously fired an M-4 assault rifle and M-249 SAW light machine gun in defense of his comrades.^[2]