The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 2, 1926 (as amended July 6, 1960), takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Staff Sergeant William T. Rose, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious heroism in the performance of outstanding service to the United States in the conduct of combat operations as a Squad Leader, Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, Samarra, Iraq, on 16 December 2003. On the evening of 16 December 2003, Soldiers from Attack Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment were returning from conducting combat operations in Samarra, Iraq as part of Operation Ivy Blizzard. Following several days of significant precipitation, the local road network had deteriorated, lazy canals had swollen to fast moving streams, and, in general, the conditions were highly unfavorable for vehicular operations. The Arrowhead Brigade arrived in Iraq only two weeks prior and had never experienced the ever-changing climate of Iraq or the treacherous conditions it created. During exfiltration off of the objective, the Company carefully maneuvered over a small dirt bridge spanning a prominent irrigation canal. As more and more vehicles traveled over this dirt bridge, it began to erode the edges of the soft roadway, making Stryker vehicle traffic all but impossible to negotiate, causing a number of vehicles in the tactical movement to halt movement. Accordingly, the Company Commander instructed the remainder of the Company to find an alternate route and proceed to an alternate link up point. While executing this bypass, the element encountered an elevated trail that connected back into the Main Supply Route (MSR). In the course of negotiating this bypass, the Company Executive Officer’s Stryker slid off of the elevated berm, rolled, and landed upside down in a 9 foot deep irrigation canal. As the initial reports of “Rollover” came over the vehicle communications system, Staff Sergeant William T. Rose and one of his Team Leaders, Corporal Brett M. Moore, had already dismounted from their Stryker, three vehicles to the rear of the imperiled crew of 6. In the absence of orders, and with complete disregard for his personal safety, he rushed to the scene of the accident. Staff Sergeant Rose, with all of his individual equipment still strapped to his body, in pitch darkness, jumped into the canal, pried open the rear hatch of the vehicle, entered the vehicle, and pulled two of his comrades to safety. With additional Soldiers still inside, Staff Sergeant Rose held open the heavy troop door against the swift moving water, allowing Corporal Moore to enter the flooding vehicle and extract the remaining Soldiers. Without question, Staff Sergeant Rose’s personal example of selfless service and unhesitating, decisive actions are consistent with the greatest traditions of our uniformed services and played a pivotal role in saving the lives of 5 American Soldiers. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect distinct credit upon himself, this Command, and the United States Army.