The sun had just set on Goltry and his platoon’s routine mounted patrol in Samarra. He noticed the brightness of the full moon as his convoy turned south on 20th Street, because it gave the enemy an advantage of extra visibility on the U.S. patrol, he said.

The five up-armored humvees progressed south, when they began taking automatic weapons and sniper fire from the south and west.

“It was an ‘L-shaped’ ambush,” said the Bakersfield, Calif., native. “(Insurgents) engaged, we identified every position we could, and returned fire.”

The lead humvee was disabled immediately, so Goltry had his driver pull their vehicle perpendicular and in front of it to provide cover. Goltry spotted a shooter to his right, opened his door, and returned fire. He received two gun shot wounds to his left leg but continued fighting until the shooter was killed.

Goltry took cover and gathered his men; like him, some of them were wounded. It is unknown how many attackers were involved, but Goltry led his men south on foot with suppressive fire and basically ran through the objective until the enemy was constrained. The ability to gain fire superiority allowed for his more seriously wounded Paratroopers to receive medical care.

“I’m real proud of my men,” Goltry said. “They fight real hard for me, and they’ve saved my (rear) more than once.”

Goltry’s commander and fellow Paratroopers said this was just another day for him. He’s a tough, no nonsense type of leader, but at the same time, though one may never see it, he’s extremely compassionate about his platoon, said Capt. Buddy Ferris, commander, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.