Sgt. James M. Treber died to save the life of his "brother"

Special Forces soldier died saving colleague

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Aug 27, 2008 19:50:08 EDT

A Special Forces soldier died heroically in a June vehicle accident in Afghanistan when he gave his life to save a fellow soldier from drowning, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command announced in a news release.

Master Sgt. Shawn E. Simmons, Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Rada Morales and Sgt. James M. Treber, all from Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), from Fort Bragg, N.C., drowned June 29 when, under the cover of darkness, their heavily armored mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle dropped off a narrow, unimproved dirt road and rolled upside down into a water-filled canal.

After recovery efforts performed by the rest of the combat convoy, Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. Serna was found alive but suffering from hypothermia and hypoxia, the release said.

An investigation into the events that led to the rollover of their RG-31 MRAP was conducted by the Combined Joint Task Force – 101.

Serna’s sworn statement reveals that, in the immediate aftermath of the rollover, he was trapped in the passenger compartment by ammunition cans and unable to free himself as water began filling the vehicle.

“I was covered in ammo cans so I couldn’t release my seatbelt, at which time the water began to fill up inside the cab (and) I became totally submerged in my seat,” Serna said in his statement, according to the release. “I felt a hand come down and unfasten my seatbelt and release my body armor. Sgt. Treber picked me up and moved me to a small pocket of air.”

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