Marine's mother to get his Bronze Star three years later

Marine's mother to get his Bronze Star -- 3 years late
August 11, 2010
Things, even very important things, can get overlooked when the fog of war is combined with the bureaucratic glitches that can occur when two branches of the military service are involved.

On Thursday, the Marine Corps plans to do something that should have been done nearly two years ago: making sure the family of Sgt. Clinton W. Ahlquist receives the Bronze Star for bravery that he was awarded posthumously.

Ahlquist, 23, a squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, was cited for continued heroism and leadership during the fierce fighting in Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's Anbar province. He was killed Feb. 20, 2007, while rescuing a wounded Marine.

"His example proved to be a combat multiplier to the Marines he led and contributed decisively to the destruction of enemy forces during these engagement," according to the Bronze Star citation.

Just days before his death, Ahlquist had reenlisted. He listed Creede, Colo, where he finished high school, as his hometown, but he had spent much of his youth in Arizona.

The award was made in November 2008 and the family was notified. But because the 2-4 was under the command of an Army unit, the paperwork that would have made sure the Bronze Star was presented to Ahlquist's family went awry.
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Marine mother to get his Bronze Star