Army Spc. Russell Johnson Bronze Star V

As with other soldiers in Iraq and other wars, Johnson still had some intangible reminders of the trauma of war. A soldier may leave the war, but the war does not always leave the soldier.

"When he first came home, he was having nightmares," said Harold Johnson, Russell's father. "He was taking medication."

Deltona soldier decorated for saving comrade

BEACON PHOTO COURTESY SPC. RUSSELL JOHNSON

Honored for heroism —U.S. Army Spc. Russell Johnson receives the Bronze Star with a V for valor, along with a certificate for his heroic service in rescuing a fellow soldier from a burning vehicle during an attack in Iraq last spring. He was decorated Jan. 19 at Fort Hood, Texas, home of the 1st Cavalry Division. Johnson's family lives in Deltona.

Published 2-29-2008

By Al Everson
BEACON STAFF WRITER

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

— John 15:13


June 3, 2007, is a day Army Spc. Russell Johnson will never forget.

While Americans at home were enjoying their Sunday, Johnson had to act quickly to save a fellow soldier when their Bradley fighting vehicle was heavily damaged by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.

For that act of gallantry, the Deltona GI would win the Bronze Star, one of America's highest honors for bravery in battle. His Bronze Star also has a "V" for valor.

"We were out on our second patrol of the day, and we kept passing this one checkpoint. My Bradley was hit by an IED [improvised explosive device]. The Bradley was burning. I drove the Bradley about 100 meters outside the kill zone," Johnson told The DeLand-Deltona Beacon.

He was serving in the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, and the division was about halfway through its 15-month deployment in Iraq.

Of the three soldiers in the flaming vehicle, Johnson was the only one not hurt. The machine-gunner was injured by the blast that had killed their commander.

Johnson had to act quickly amid multiple dangers: The Bradley fighting vehicle was ablaze, and the machine-gun ammunition was "cooking off" as the flames came into contact with the bullets. There was also hostile fire from Iraqi insurgents.

To save the gunner, Spc. Robert Cresanto, Johnson lifted the body of his dead commander, Sgt. Caleb Christopher, off Cresanto, and pulled Cresanto out of the Bradley.

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