Marine awarded Silver Star for heroism

Gen. James Conway presents SSgt. Evers with his Silver Star

Silver Star

Staff Sgt. Charles M. Evers, a platoon sergeant with 3^rd Battalion, 5^th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, was awarded the Silver Star Medal during an evening ceremony here, Nov. 23, by Gen. James T. Conway, the 34^th commandant of the Marine Corps. 

Evers, a native of Lewiston, Idaho, was presented the award for his actions against insurgents during Operation Iraqi Freedom while serving as platoon commander with third platoon, Company I, 3^rd Battalion, 5^th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward during June, 2006.

On June 8, 2006, Evers’ platoon endured a four-day assault on their observation post when enemy forces attempted to close in on his Marines from three different directions. Due to Evers’ combat leadership, the Marines held their position and defeated the attacks.

With disregard to his own safety, Evers valiantly maneuvered through enemy machine gun and small arm fire to assess enemy positions and direct his platoon’s fire. 

The fighting positions constructed under Evers’ leadership and supervision protected his Marines’ lives while holding up against a barrage of rocket propelled grenades, thousands of small arm fire rounds and a vehicle borne improvised explosion device detonation.

Evers’ decisive actions to coordinate fire superiority with his platoon and employ air support and tank fire overwhelmed his enemy allowing his Marines victory.

Conway pinned the medal on Evers with a smile, a firm handshake and applauding the warrior’s achievement.

Evers’ gave a few short words about his accomplishment.

“I was just doing my job,” said Evers. “I’m proud of my Marines. I led them and they did their job.” 

The Silver Star is the nation’s third-highest award, after the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, respectively.