FORT POLK, La. - A company commander in the 162nd Infantry Brigade has
received the Purple Heart.
Capt. Jon Silk of A Company, 1st Battalion, 353rd Infantry Regiment,
received the medal on Dec. 17, 2009, for injuries sustained in combat in
2004.
Silk served as a Scout Platoon Leader for K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd
Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) while deployed in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom from September 2003 to July 2004. On April 9, 2004, his
platoon was involved in a three-hour firefight to seize a bridge in Al
Kut.
During the mission, an RPG skipped off the pavement 10 to 15
feet in front of Silk and hit him in the chest. The RPG failed to
detonate but the impact knocked him down. The only visible injury from
the firefight was a large bruise in the center of his chest.
After the unit redeployed to Fort Polk, an echocardiogram of Silk's
heart revealed his mitral valve was torn and the tendons surrounding it
were ruptured. He underwent surgery in June 2005 to repair his mitral
valve. However, due to the extent of damage, the valve and tendons
could not be repaired. The surgeon performed mitral valve replacement
surgery and inserted a mechanical valve.
Despite the injury and surgery, Silk has continued to participate in
triathlons, and he raises money for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Silk's current job is to help train combat advisors for deployment to
Afghanistan and Iraq.
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