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We Honor and Remember:
Sgt. Christopher R. Hrbek
Hometown: Westwood, New Jersey, U.S. Age: 25 years old. Died: January 14, 2010 in Operation Enduring Freedom. Unit: 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Birth: Jun. 6, 1984. Westwood, Bergen County. New Jersey, USA. Marine Sgt Hrbek was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as a field artillery cannoneer. He was killed when he stepped on an improvised explosive device. Christopher graduated from Westwood High School in 2002 where he was on the wrestling team. He was a volunteer fireman for nine years and came from a family of firefighters – his step-father and two step-brothers. In January 2003, he joined the Marines in response to the September 11 attacks. He could have returned home to join his brothers as New York Firefighters, but decided the Marine Corps was where he wanted to be even after three combat tours in Iraq. He planned to become a drill instructor when he returned from deployment this spring. On December 23, 2009, Christopher was on patrol when there was an IED explosion 10 feet behind him. He turned to see his Sgt Major Raymond Mackey still in the air, both legs gone, an arm in bad shape but then the intense gunfire began. Without a thought about his own safety, Christopher dragged Mackey out of the line of fire and started wrapping him with tourniquets with the Navy corpsman – Mackey lived. He was slated to receive a Bronze Star with combat "V" for Valor but it will now be presented posthumously. When Christopher came home, his town was there for him. Flags were everywhere – on every home, lawn, store, phone poles, half-staff at schools and the post office. A giant flag was draped over Main Street. Thousands lined the streets along the procession route – firemen, soldiers, sailors, Marines, women weeping, babies in strollers, and stone-faced men. Christopher loved serving his country as a Marine. He told his brother, "I could do this for the rest of my life!" Burial: George Washington Memorial Park , Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA. 
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Two Virginian veterans dedicated shadow boxes to the Westwood Fire Department in honor of the late borough fireman and U.S. Marine Sgt. Christopher R. Hrbek. Pictured above, Jim Hodges, Donald Hodges, Cheryl Hodges, Jaymee Hodges, Kathryn Hodges and Beau Hodges accept the shadow boxes.
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Please take few minutes to read the Bronze Star Citation below to learn more about one of our nation's true heroes. Chris’ actions and personal sacrifice is what makes our country great. God bless the USA!
On 23 December 2009, Headquarters Battery, 3d Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment (-) REIN, Regimental Combat Team 7, completed a dismounted security patrol partnered with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in the vicinity of Galjan village. On that day Sgt Christopher R. Hrbek was the leader of first squad. The security patrol departed in vehicles from COP Huskers at approximately 1430. At approximately 1445, Sgt Hrbek dismounted his squad and established a cordon around a possible Improvised Explosive Device (IED) spotted that morning. EOD elements maneuvering with Sgt Hrbek investigated and confirmed the presence of a pressure-plate IED consisting of 30-40 pounds of Homemade Explosive (HME) with screws, nails, glass and other foreign objects. EOD subsequently completed a controlled detonation of the IED. Following the controlled detonation, Sgt Hrbek maneuvered his squad from the cordon to establish a tactical column and resume the patrol. Approximately ten minutes later the patrol received enemy fire from three directions. Enemy fire originated from approximately one kilometer north, six-hundred meters to the West and eight-hundred meters to the southwest and consisted of small arms and machine gun fire lasting approximately ten minutes. As the patrol returned fire to the northwest, Sgt Hrbek bounded between covered positions and exposed himself to enemy fire while orienting the patrol on the enemy. In conjunction with the patrol leader, he directed two vehicles with turret mounted machine guns to maneuver and engage the enemy threat in the southwest. Sgt Hrbek’s squad established a support by fire position while the second squad bounded past them to the west. After the second squad established a support by fire position, Sgt Hrbek led his squad to the west to engage the enemy position.
Sporadic enemy gunfire continued until approximately 1640 when the Battalion Sgt Maj stepped on a victim operated pressure-plate IED. The IED blast resulted in immediate amputation of the SgtMaj’s legs above the knees. The blast rendered two additional Marines in the vicinity unconscious. Disregarding the threat of additional IEDs, Sgt Hrbek left his covered position while under enemy small arms and machine gun fire to run to the aid of the injured Marines. Sgt Hrbek applied tourniquets and pressure dressings to one of the SgtMaj’s legs while the Corpsman did the same on the other leg. Their quick action in applying seven tourniquets and surgical dressings to the SgtMaj’s injuries stopped the loss of blood in both of his legs and one of his arms. Sgt Hrbek continued treating the Sgt Maj until the MEDEVAC aircraft requested by the patrol leader arrived. Sgt Hrbek and five Marines then moved the wounded to the aircraft in the landing zone. Sgt Hrbek and his squad recovered the personal equipment left behind following departure of the MEDEVAC aircraft and then led the patrol to the east to investigate a possible IED site that was marked and bypassed the previous day.
Surgeons at the Camp Bastion trauma center stated that the quick actions and placement of tourniquets saved the Sgt Majors life. Surgeons also indicated that they had not seen anyone with similar injuries arrive at the trauma center in such good shape. The quick actions taken by Sgt Hrbek and the Corpsman precluded the massive blood loss normally experienced in lower extremity amputation injuries and allowed the Sgt Maj to remain conscious from the point of injury until he arrived at the Camp Bastion trauma center.
In Remembrance Of Sgt Christopher Hrbek (Dirty Squirrel)
On 23 December 2009, Headquarters Battery, 3d Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment (-) REIN, Regimental Combat Team 7, completed a dismounted security patrol partnered with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in the vicinity of Galjan village. On that day Sgt Christopher R. Hrbek was the leader of first squad. The security patrol departed in vehicles from COP Huskers at approximately 1430. At approximately 1445, Sgt Hrbek dismounted his squad and established a cordon around a possible Improvised Explosive Device (IED) spotted that morning. EOD elements maneuvering with Sgt Hrbek investigated and confirmed the presence of a pressure-plate IED consisting of 30-40 pounds of Homemade Explosive (HME) with screws, nails, glass and other foreign objects. EOD subsequently completed a controlled detonation of the IED. Following the controlled detonation, Sgt Hrbek maneuvered his squad from the cordon to establish a tactical column and resume the patrol. Approximately ten minutes later the patrol received enemy fire from three directions. Enemy fire originated from approximately one kilometer north, six-hundred meters to the West and eight-hundred meters to the southwest and consisted of small arms and machine gun fire lasting approximately ten minutes. As the patrol returned fire to the northwest, Sgt Hrbek bounded between covered positions and exposed himself to enemy fire while orienting the patrol on the enemy. In conjunction with the patrol leader, he directed two vehicles with turret mounted machine guns to maneuver and engage the enemy threat in the southwest. Sgt Hrbek’s squad established a support by fire position while the second squad bounded past them to the west. After the second squad established a support by fire position, Sgt Hrbek led his squad to the west to engage the enemy position.
Sporadic enemy gunfire continued until approximately 1640 when the Battalion Sgt Maj stepped on a victim operated pressure-plate IED. The IED blast resulted in immediate amputation of the SgtMaj’s legs above the knees. The blast rendered two additional Marines in the vicinity unconscious. Disregarding the threat of additional IEDs, Sgt Hrbek left his covered position while under enemy small arms and machine gun fire to run to the aid of the injured Marines. Sgt Hrbek applied tourniquets and pressure dressings to one of the SgtMaj’s legs while the Corpsman did the same on the other leg. Their quick action in applying seven tourniquets and surgical dressings to the SgtMaj’s injuries stopped the loss of blood in both of his legs and one of his arms. Sgt Hrbek continued treating the Sgt Maj until the MEDEVAC aircraft requested by the patrol leader arrived. Sgt Hrbek and five Marines then moved the wounded to the aircraft in the landing zone. Sgt Hrbek and his squad recovered the personal equipment left behind following departure of the MEDEVAC aircraft and then led the patrol to the east to investigate a possible IED site that was marked and bypassed the previous day.
Surgeons at the Camp Bastion trauma center stated that the quick actions and placement of tourniquets saved the Sgt Majors life. Surgeons also indicated that they had not seen anyone with similar injuries arrive at the trauma center in such good shape. The quick actions taken by Sgt Hrbek and the Corpsman precluded the massive blood loss normally experienced in lower extremity amputation injuries and allowed the Sgt Maj to remain conscious from the point of injury until he arrived at the Camp Bastion trauma center.
In Remembrance Of Sgt Christopher Hrbek (Dirty Squirrel)
New Jersey Run for the Fallen 2023 ~ Click on photos below to enlarge...
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New Jersey Run for the Fallen ~ 2022
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