Military History

Medal of Honor Monday: Leroy A. Petry – A Ranger Saves His Brothers

BY Guy D. McCardle

When the grenade hit the dirt and the clock ran out, Leroy Petry did not look for cover or permission, he reached down, made the only decision that mattered, and paid for it so his Rangers would live.

From Humble Beginnings

Leroy Arthur Petry was born on January 29, 1979, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He grew up in a working-class household shaped by discipline, responsibility, and a quiet expectation that you carried your weight. Petry spent much of his youth in Wyoming, where the culture rewards self-reliance and where excuses do not travel far. He wrestled in high school, worked hard, and learned early that quitting was not an option. That background matters. Men do not suddenly become decisive under fire. They are raised to do the right thing under pressure.

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Life Before the Army

Before he began wearing Army green, Petry lived a life that was familiar to many young Americans in the late 1990s. He worked odd jobs. He trained hard. He searched for something that demanded more of him than routine and repetition. In 1999, he found it. Petry enlisted in the United States Army and volunteered for the infantry. He did not stop there. He pushed himself into the Ranger Regiment, where standards are unforgiving, and reputations are earned daily.

The Road to Afghanistan

By the time the wars in Afghanistan were grinding into their middle years, Petry was already a seasoned Ranger. He deployed multiple times and earned a reputation as a steady leader who did not flinch under pressure. Afghanistan was not new to him. He understood the terrain, the tempo, and the cost. By early 2008, Petry was serving as a squad leader with the 75th Ranger Regiment, conducting high-risk direct action missions in eastern Afghanistan.

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The Action That Changed Everything

On January 26, 2008, Petry’s unit launched a daylight raid in Paktya Province to capture a high-value Taliban leader. The mission immediately went sideways. Enemy fire erupted at close range. As fellow Rangers cleared buildings, Petry was shot through both legs but continued to lead his men.

Then a grenade landed.

It came down in the middle of the position, close enough to kill or maim everyone nearby. Petry did not hesitate. He picked it up and threw it away from his fellow Rangers. The grenade detonated almost instantly. The blast took his right hand and knocked him to the ground.

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Even then, the fight was not over for Petry.

Despite catastrophic injuries and massive blood loss, Petry applied a tourniquet to his own arm and directed the evacuation of wounded Rangers. He refused morphine until his men were secure. He stayed conscious. He stayed in command. He stayed focused on the mission until there was nothing left to give.

His actions saved lives. There is no other way to say it.

The Medal of Honor

Petry medal of honor ceremony
Image Credit: US Army

On July 12, 2011, Petry received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama at the White House. He was the second living service member from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to receive the award. He stood there missing a hand, wearing the uniform with quiet composure, representing a moment that most Americans will never experience and can never fully understand.

Medal of Honor Citation — Staff Sergeant Leroy A. Petry

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Staff Sergeant Leroy A. Petry distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy in the vicinity of Paktya Province, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2008. As a Weapons Squad Leader with D Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Staff Sergeant Petry moved to clear the courtyard of a house that potentially contained high-value combatants. While crossing the courtyard, Staff Sergeant Petry and another Ranger were engaged and wounded by automatic weapons fire from enemy fighters. Still under enemy fire, and wounded in both legs, Staff Sergeant Petry led the other Ranger to cover. He then reported the situation and engaged the enemy with a hand grenade, providing suppression as another Ranger moved to his position. The enemy quickly responded by maneuvering closer and throwing grenades. The first grenade explosion knocked his two fellow Rangers to the ground and wounded both with shrapnel. A second grenade then landed only a few feet away from them. Instantly realizing the danger, Staff Sergeant Petry, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, deliberately and selflessly moved forward, picked up the grenade, and in an effort to clear the immediate threat, threw the grenade away from his fellow Rangers. As he was releasing the grenade it detonated, amputating his right hand at the wrist and further injuring him with multiple shrapnel wounds. Although picking up and throwing the live grenade grievously wounded Staff Sergeant Petry, his gallant act undeniably saved his fellow Rangers from being severely wounded or killed. Despite the severity of his wounds, Staff Sergeant Petry continued to maintain the presence of mind to place a tourniquet on his right wrist before communicating the situation by radio in order to coordinate support for himself and his fellow wounded Rangers. Staff Sergeant Petry’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service, and reflect great credit upon himself, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and the United States Army.

Life After the War

Petry continued to serve in the Army after his recovery, remaining on active duty for several years. He ultimately retired in 2014 after more than a decade and a half of service. Civilian life did not turn him into a spokesperson or a spectacle. He focused on family, advocacy for wounded veterans, and work that kept him grounded.

He has been involved with veteran support organizations and has spoken candidly about recovery, purpose, and accountability. He does not romanticize war. He does not dwell on the medal. He carries it, literally and figuratively, as a responsibility.

Why His Story Endures

Leroy Petry’s Medal of Honor is not about fearlessness. It is about bravery. It is about clarity.

In the worst possible moment, with pain and death pressing in from all sides, he chose others over himself without hesitation. That choice cost him a hand and changed his life forever.

Honor like that does not fade with time. It sets a standard. It reminds us that sacrifice is not abstract, and courage is not loud.

Courage personified is a wounded Ranger picking up a grenade, knowing exactly what it will cost, and throwing it anyway so maybe, just maybe, his men can go home.

-RLTW

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