Hey, zero block 30 listeners, you can find us every Tuesday and Friday on Apple Podcasts,

Spotify and YouTube. Pride members can also listen ad-free on Amazon Music, Staff Sergeant David G.

Belavia, distinguished himself by acts of gallantry, intrepability above and beyond the call of duty,

on November 10, 2004, while serving as a squad leader in support of Operation Phantom Fury and

Fluja Iraq. While clearing a house, a squad from Staff Sergeant Belavia's Platoon became

trapped within a room by intense enemy fire coming from a fortified position under the stairs

leading to the second floor. Recognizing the immediate severity of the situation and with

disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Belavia retrieved an automatic weapon and entered the

doorway of the house to engage the insurgents. With enemy rounds impacting around him, Staff

Sergeant Belavia fired at the enemy position at a cyclic rate, providing covering fire that allowed

the squad to break contact and exit the house. A Bradley firing vehicle was brought forward to

suppress the enemy, however, due to the high wall surrounding the house, it could not fire directly

at the enemy position. Staff Sergeant Belavia then re-entered the house and again came under intense

enemy fire. He observed an enemy insurgent preparing to launch a rocket propelled grenade at his

Platoon. Recognizing the grave danger of the grenade posed to his fellow soldiers, Staff Sergeant

Belavia assaulted the enemy position, killing one insurgent and wounding another who ran to a

different part of the house. Staff Sergeant Belavia realizing he had an unclear darkened room to his

back, moved to clear it. As he entered, an insurgent came down the stairs firing at him.

Simultaneously, the previously wounded insurgent re-emerged and engaged Staff Sergeant Belavia.

Staff Sergeant Belavia, entering further into the darkened room, returned fire and eliminated

both insurgents. Staff Sergeant Belavia then received enemy fire from another insurgent emerging

from a closet in the darkened room. Exchanging gunfire, Staff Sergeant Belavia pursued the enemy

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