Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis posthumously awarded Silver Star

Soldier posthumously awarded for saving lt.
By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Nov 26, 2011 8:26:37 EST
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis and his soldiers had visited this observation post before.

Manned by the Afghan Border Police, the OP sat in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province in the east, in Pachir Wa Agam district.

On that day, Nov. 29, 2010, Jarvis and members of his platoon were at the OP to conduct an assessment of the unit’s 155mm rockets. But the routine mission took an ugly and tragic turn: A member of the border police opened fire on the troops, killing six American soldiers.

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN

Six soldiers from 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, were killed Nov. 29, 2010, when an Afghan border policeman opened fire on them. They were:

• Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.

• Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio.

• Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.

• Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.

• Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.

• Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.

HEROISM REMEMBERED

Our database of valor awards

Jarvis, 36, and his platoon leader, 1st Lt. Will Janotka, turned toward the fire but quickly realized they were in the gunman’s line of sight.

Jarvis immediately pushed Janotka out of the way, saving his lieutenant’s life.

But Jarvis, a husband and father, was mortally wounded.

For his actions, Jarvis was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor, and was honored during a ceremony Nov. 10 at Fort Campbell, Ky.
read more here