Christopher Deans graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 2002. During the Vietnam War his father Jeffrey W. Dean received two awards of the Silver Star.
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Christopher Deans graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 2002. During the Vietnam War his father Jeffrey W. Dean received two awards of the Silver Star.
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The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Armor) Christopher Peter Dean, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company C, 2d Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 4 April 2004, in Baghdad, Iraq. First Lieutenant Dean’s exceptional tactical skills and actions were directly responsible for defeating the enemy and saving lives of many soldiers. His actions on the battlefield were truly inspiring to his comrades, and set a great example for the others to follow. His actions truly uphold the highest traditions of military history and reflect great credit upon himself, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment, the 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Force Iraq, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD
First Lieutenant Dean distinguished himself with great gallantry on 4 April 2004. First Lieutenant Dean served as the quick reaction force platoon leader of four M1A1 tanks attached to 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment during the Mahdi Army attacks on coalition forces in the Sadr City Portion or Baghdad. First Lieutenant Dean fought two separate but continuous actions over the period of four hours in densely populated and constricted urban terrain in Sadr City with no dismounted support. First Lieutenant Dean led an initial platoon attack northeast along Route Delta to relieve 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 2-5 CAV which had suffered 1 KIA and 4 WIA and was isolated and without means to exfiltrate from the battle space. First Lieutenant Dean’s initial platoon attack inflicted grievous casualties on Mahdi Army elements in the center of Sadr City in an intense action during which First Lieutenant Dean’s platoon lost 1 soldier KIA and 2 WIA. First Lieutenant Dean was one of the wounded. Despite his wounds to the neck and left arm and after his commander’s .50 caliber machinegun had been destroyed by enemy fire, First Lieutenant Dean fought tenaciously from his open hatch personally destroying enemy troops within 15 meters of his tank with his M4 carbine. First Lieutenant Dean consolidated his platoon with arriving elements of Charlie Company and prepared the company for a company attack 7 kilometers through severely compartmented urban terrain. First Lieutenant Dean fought the entire subsequent company attack out of hatch in the forward most tank during more than three hours of constant attacking in Sadr City. First Lieutenant Dean killed a number of attackers on rooftops and in alleyways. First Lieutenant Dean assisted the company commander with recommendations relative to tactical employment of tanks and weapons systems while fighting and as his tank was hit by a large volume of small arms fire and several RPGs, two of which detonated. First Lieutenant Dean organized the defense upon arrival at the isolated location of 1/C/2-5 CAV and led the attack by fire that destroyed numerous enemy troops who were firing at his company commander and U.S. infantrymen on the ground trying to organize the casualty evacuation effort. First Lieutenant Dean dismounted his tank without regards for his personal safety during an intense defense of the casualty evacuation site of the isolated infantry platoon and ensured accountability of all personnel from both his unit and the infantry platoon that C/2-37 AR was evacuating. First Lieutenant Dean’s leadership ensured the success of the company mission to evacuate 19 infantrymen isolated and surrounded by the enemy. First Lieutenant Dean’s exceptional bravery while under intense fire during a four-hour attack despite wounds is in the highest traditions of the 2d Cavalry Regiment, the 1st Armored Division and the United States Army.