M2A1 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (D21) 2/D/1-41INF, 2AD(FWD)

Crew:

• SSG Joseph Moriera (Commander)
• SPC Steven Christen (Gunner)
• SPC James Murray, Jr. (Driver) (KIA)

Seconds after D-26 (the other vehicle in 2nd Platoon's Alpha Section) was hit and destroyed by M1A1's from 1/34 AR, 1ID, on the morning of 27 Feb 91, SSG Joseph Moriera of D-21 pushed 2LT Larry Chaney off of the turret to get to safety. As he was yelling orders to his crew to get the ramp up and try to ID targets, he was also frantically trying to reach Delta Co.'s Commander on the radio to let the company know that the section was under attack. As 2LT Chaney picked himself up to look at D-21, it exploded wounding SSG Moriera and killing SPC Murray instantly. For his actions, SSG Moriera was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. The Photo shows the exit hole from the sabot round being pointed to by the company medic (SPC George). The Vehicle did not burn initially as D-26 did due to on-board halon fire extinguishers set on automatic when the platoon went into combat. After Murray's body was recovered and it was determined that the vehicle was unrecoverable, it was set on fire to prevent it from falling into Iraqi hands. The green paint at the bottom of the photo is the original woodland paint scheme from the vehicle's German-based unit. Some of the tan paint (applied in Saudi Arabia) is still visible. Murrays's wife gave birth to the only child, Larissa, two days later. A tragic loss for all.