Training had prepared US Army Specialist Kristopher Atherton to respond in unexpected situations. But on July 26, 2003, Atherton would find himself suddenly responsible for the safety of others – and he would have to act to insure this safety while critically injured.
This 23-year-old tank driver with the 2nd Battalion 70th Armor Regiment, Bravo Company, was stationed with his unit in AbuGraib near Bagdad. In the early hours of the morning Atherton left his unit's compound on a volunteer mission: drive one of two Humvees to transport a prisoner from AbuGraib to the east side of Baghdad. They set out with Atherton’s Humvee in the lead, carrying the prisoner, an interpreter, another soldier and a second lieutenant.
At about 4:30, Atherton heard a big explosion to his left front. The explosion blew his arm into his lap and blew his gunner on the roof into the hole created by the explosion.
Atherton’s Humvee had just been ambushed, and he lost his arm in the attack.
Atherton’s vehicle was outside the visible range of the Humvee behind them and the attack had destroyed his radio, leaving no way to warn the others of the danger that lay ahead. And then Atherton made a momentous decision: to continue to drive despite the loss of his arm.
Refusing help from the lieutenant who wanted to tourniquet his arm to stop the bleeding, Atherton argued that they did not have time. He then turned his vehicle around and proceeded to return to the compound in AbuGraib. Seeing the damaged Humvee coming their way, the second vehicle was effectively alerted to the situation and followed Atherton back to the base. The trip was slow going. With all four tires flat it took Atherton nearly 20 minutes to travel the four miles back to the compound.
Bleeding this entire time, Atherton even stopped at the gates of the compound to let the prisoner out for security purposes. When they finally reached medics, Atherton recalls carrying his left arm in his right one into the operation area. The last two things Atherton remembers were seeing chunks of his arm and asking the medics to please take his wallet out of his pants.
A soldier is expected to be brave, but to pick up your arm, put it in your lap and risk bleeding out in order to drive others to safety goes far beyond the call of duty for any solider. In the face of great pain and horror, Kris responded to the unexpected attack with the courage and conviction of a true hero, making the conscious decision to risk his life for the safety of others.
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