HAWAII Itat MarineServing MCAS Kaneohe Bay, 1st MEB, Vol. 22 No. 32 Camp H.M. Smith and Marine Barracks. August 19, 1993 Marine risks life to save Chaplain from grenade during training Chaplain of 3d Battalion, 12th By Cpl. Wanda D.G. Schaner Marines, had ventured onto the slag Writer line and had not sought protection "Pit one prepare to throw! ... behind the wall. THROW!" The grenade sails "I didn't have time to think, I through the air... and falls short. just reacted to the situation. The It is only 15 meters away. As Chaplain was over at Pit 3, which you duck down behind the wall was about 10 meters away. As you notice something out of the I ran at him, I yelled for him to corner of your eye. Someone is get down. When he didn't react still standing on the line! How I tackled him. As I yanked him do you react? down I felt something like hard "On instinct," replies SSgt. Juan rock hit me, a very hard rock. In D. Rivera. fact, that is what I thought it On Friday, LtCol. Lee W. was, just a rock from the blast," Freund, the commander of Rivera stated. Weapons Company, 3d Battalion, The Chaplain was saved from 3d Marines, was proud to present being seriously injured or possibly the Navy and Marine Corps Medal killed, but Rivera suffered a to Rivera for his heroic actions fragmentation wound below his and selfless dedication to duty. left eye. "By his courageous and prompt "I had one hand over my eye actions in the face of great and was wrapping a pressure personal risk, he saved the dressing around my head. Chaplain from being seriously Everyone on the line was freaking thereby out. I yelled at them to stay in Valerie M Glosco injured or possible death, Cpl. reflecting great credit upon himself the pits and to relax, I was O.K., LCpl. Eric Haataja was recognized by the mayor of Honolulu for sating the life of a Korean visitor July 21. Pictured are (left to right) LtGen. and upholding the highest so just calm down. I was hurt, H.C. Stockpole ill, commander, Marine Forces Pacific, BGen. R.F. Vercauteren, commanding general, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Haataja, traditions of the Marine Corps but since I was in charge of the and Mayor Frank Fasi. and the United States Naval line, it was still my responsibility Service," said his citation from to calm everyone down so no one the Commandant of the Marine else got hurt," Rivera explained . Corps, Gen. C.E. Mundy, Jr. "I didn't think it was serious. The incident happened Oct. 27, I was ready to get back to work, Marine recognized by Mayor for me to go to 1992. Rivera was serving as staff but they ordered noncommissioned officer-in-charge medical. There they probed around of the hand grenade range in for about 45 minutes to an hour saving Korean visitor Okinawa during Exercise Eastern and eventually found the fragment Thunder. He was responsible for below my left eye. They had a fast as he could. the elderly gentleman, no one acted collar during a promotion visually ensuring that all grenades hard time finding it because it By Sgt. Paul Schneider "I was embarrassed because except Haataja. ceremony at the BGen. were thrown into the designated had glanced off hone a couple of sal Weer people were clapping and I just In a, few short weeks the Vercauteren's office. impact area. times," Rivera said. wanted to get out of there," the Marine's actions were known by "This whole experience was "I was in Okinawa for a year "I have a lot of experience with 21-year-old said. some of the top military and really motivating. It's a good with Battery L, 3d Battalion, 12th weapons. I was an instructor at Lance Cpl. Eric Haataja was. If Haataja would have had his political leaders in Hawaii. thing not just for me, but for the Marines. While there, I was in the School of Infantry for three enjoying an evening at the way, only the people at the hotel "Every day it was getting bigger Marine Corps" he explained. "I charge of all weapons and years. This is only the second Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki that night would have known and bigger," explained the will probably never go through explosives training," Rivera said time I have been in a situation July 21 when he heard a faint cry about his actions, but before he Milwaukee native. "I was really anything like this again while I'm Upon observing a thrown where someone could have been from the pool area. left, a hotel security guard took surprised because I didn't think I in the Marine Corps." grenade, he ducked behind the seriously injured. I am just glad At first he didn't think much down his name and address in would get all the publicity I was With all the attention he has protective wall, but from the comer I was there to prevent it," Rivera of it, but then he heard it again. case anyone needed to ask him getting." received, many people have asked of his eye he noticed that the concluded. He left the lobby and started any questions. During a ceremony at Honolulu him why he did it. His reply to heading for the pool. As he got There weren't any more mayor's office at Honolulu Hale, those who ask is he doesn't know. closer and the cries grew louder, questions for him, but about a Mayor Frank Fasi presented He said he just did it. he was able to see what was week after the incident the military Haataja with an Award of Merit "I just went through WS1 (water going on. liaison for the hotel, Mildred from the City and County of survival training) in May or June. "There was a guy in the middle Courtney, called him and said the Honolulu. In addition, LtGen. All I was 'thinking about was of the pool and he was drowning," hotel was very impressed with his Stackpole and BGen. R.F. where to grab him," Haataja said. Haataja explained. "I jumped in heroic act and wanted to recognize Vercauteren, commanding general, When Haataja told one staff and pulled him to the side of the him in some way. 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, sergeant it was only a matter of pool:' She wrote Honolulu Mayor were at the ceremony to being in the right place at the To him, that was the end of the Frank Fasi and LtGen. H.C. congratulate him. right time, he said the staff story. It was no big deal, in fact Stackpole III, commander, Marine Later that same day, BGen. sergeant replied, "No you weren't. the artilleryman from Forces Pacific, and explained Vercauteren and LtCol. Thomas There were one hundred people in Headquarters Battery, 1st although there were about 100 Kelly, commanding officer, 1st the right place at the right time Battalion, 12th Marines said, he people around the pool that Battalion, 12th Marines, pinned and they didn't do anything. You just wanted to leave the hotel as witnessed the pleas for help from corporal chevrons on Haataja's d id. " Accident doesn't dampen Marine's spirit Sgt. Paul Schneider Byjg KIM Buckner above the knee. lying next to me giving me blood refusal to lie in bed to be promoted. AC PAO The optimistic, 9%ft-spoken and telling me to stay motivated." "He absolutely refused to be LtCol. Lee W. Freund congratulates SSgt. Juan D. Rivera after receMng Bonner now faces life armed with And he has. Throughout the his Navy and Marine Corps Medal. A routine training day at a his faith in God and the steadfast ordeal his main concern was not awarded while lying in a hospital Camp Fuji firing range forced a support of his fiancee, Laureene for himself, but for his friend who bed. He had a starched set of young Marine to face an Claus. The two Colorado Springs, shot him. "As soon as I could, utilities on and used crutches," unparalleled challenge when an Colo., natives spoke easily about I started calling Japan to check LtGen. Stackpole said. M-16A2 round penetrated his thigh. the accident from his room at the on him. I was worried about him His fiancee, who had been On the morning of July 21, PFC Tripler Army Medical Center at and how he felt emotionally about staying at the medical center for Nicki A. Bonner Jr. stood in a Honolulu, Hawaii, Aug. 11. the accident," Bonner said. some time, said she was impressed four-foot deep trench alongside "All I could remember was a His positive appreciates Inside attitude and concern with the ceremony and fellow members of Yokosuka's sharp pain and then I saw blood for others prompted SSgt. Jack D. what the Marines in Japan and Marine detachment who had been rushing everywhere," Bonner said. Baxter, who accompanied Bonner in Hawaii have done. training at Kamiseya, Japan. A From that moment Marines and here from Japan, to add Bonner's "The people in Japan were great hot brass casing hit the neck of sailors began doing their best to name to a meritorious corporal to my family, calling and giving a Marine to his left, causing the take care of him. board being held at his unit in us updates," Claus said. "They Marine to jerk and shoot Bonner "My blood type is 0 negative, Japan.