COB BASRA, Iraq –As the Soldiers of the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division return home from southern Iraq, there are those among them who will carry knowledge only experience can speak to.
One Soldier in particular, Spc. Jacob Benson, 34th Military Police Company, discovered the kind of personal strength that most people, if they are fortunate, will never have to discover.
The night of July 16, an indirect fire attack struck Contingency Operating Base Basra, injuring Benson and taking the lives of three other 34th MP Co. Soldiers: Spc. Daniel Paul Drevnick, Spc. James David Wertish, Spc. Carlos Eduardo Wilcox IV.
The night began much like any other night for Benson, Wilcox, Drevnick and Wertish, Benson said. The four friends would often “hang-out” near the tent they shared and smoke tobacco from a hookah and talk. “Just talking about life, talking about what we wanted to do. Talking about the situations here, girls, cars, houses, everything.”
“Wilcox was always a great listener, and he was a great talker,” Benson said. “Wertish had these big dreams of him being successful and rich and starting his own career.”
“And Drevnick was all about his fast cars,” Benson said. “He was especially excited because he just came back from leave, and he had great news: He had just gotten this place in Wisconsin on a lake, a small little cabin that he wanted to fix up, and he had asked for our three to help when he got home.”
That night, Benson, an Eden Prairie, Minn., native, noticed he had forgotten to put his bag away, and was cleaning his area while the other three hung out.
“I just forgot something, and I was just going to put it away,” Benson said. “And that’s when it caught me.”
“I got thrown a little bit. When I got knocked down, I knew something was wrong, I was blacking out for a couple of times,” he said.
“I fell on the [radio] room floor, and there was a lot of blood, there was blood all over me,” Benson said. “And I remember, at that point, nothing mattered to me and I just ran out and put my own [interests] away for as long as I could.”
Next door, separated by a concrete barrier, sat Staff Sgt. Blake Hayden, squad leader, 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon.
“We heard the wail. We told everyone to get down,” Hayden said. “I just remember there was a flash off to my left.”
Hayden said he didn’t really know what happened, but he could guess.
In the radio room, Benson lay on the floor covered in blood. Hayden immediately went to Benson and grabbed his arm, right by the wrist.
“I could just see him, staring,” Hayden said. “We both locked eyes. Right then and there, I knew it wasn’t good.”
In the tumult, Soldiers were everywhere, Hayden said, running around, gathering medical supplies and ripping up their shirts to tie up wounds.
Hayden said from then on, his training and instincts took over.
“I don’t think I even knew what I was doing,” said Hayden, a St. Paul, Minn., native, “but I knew that we were doing everything we could.”
Hayden saw Benson running around and grabbing medical supplies. Hayden knew Benson was injured, and Hayden almost grabbed him and screamed at him, but he stopped.
“I knew his courage, his strong will,” Hayden said. “Regardless of his injuries, he wanted to help out his buddies.”
Screaming and hollering for help, the MPs did all that they could, until finally there was nothing else they could do but wait for help.
Benson was flown to Kuwait, where he received medical care for three days.
While in Kuwait, he was given a choice.
“The thing just came up,” Benson said. “’Do you want to come back?’ And it’s just like, ‘yeah, of course.’”
Once Benson knew he was going back, he spent his last day looking into a mirror, building up his mental and emotional strength.
“I was just working on it,” Benson said, “trying to get everything I can out, so I can gain the strength to come back.”
He knew it was going to be tough. He knew that it was going to hurt, but he also knew that he needed to get back in time for his friends’ memorial ceremony, July 20.
“It was a devastating thing for all of us, and being back for the ceremony means a lot,” said Benson. “It’s like, this platoon that I’m with here with is really, truly a great family, and it’s hard for all of us.”
Benson’s return spoke to his fellow MPs louder than any words.
“I think it brought out more emotions to have him there,” Hayden said. “He was wounded, but he returned back to the mission. He showed strength. He was injured, but he wanted to continue the mission.”
Benson returned to his unit, continuing to work on a limited basis, but unfortunately, his wounds were too great.
He returned home three months early. When he went home, he carried not only his experiences, but also a little heart-shaped medal, cast with a purple field and surrounded by a gold border.
The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been wounded or killed, or who has died after being wounded.
The award was established by George Washington -- then head of the Continental Army -- to reward gallantry on the battlefield, and his original orders read: "Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the Purple Heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen."
America’s history has been filled with such men and women; Soldiers who sacrificed their bodies and did all they could for their country, for their unit, for their friends.
Awards like Purple Hearts commemorate this sacrifice, but ultimately, the best memorials are in the heart.
“My boys, my brothers, they’re going to be deeply missed,” said Benson.
COB BASRA, Iraq –