Crpl. LaHaie receives Army Commendation Medal
by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor
Less than a month since finishing a 15-month stint in Iraq, Army Corporal Ryan LaHaie returned to his hometown of Rogers City for the holidays with his wife, Danielle, and their three daughters. LaHaie was in the war-torn country from September 2006 to November 30 2007. Combined with an earlier deployment, he has served in the country 27 months, and the infantryman may not be done yet. For the holiday trip home, LaHaie came home with an Army Commendation Medal for taking out a group of insurgents who had ambushed Army engineers clearing IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in Baquba, 35 miles north of Baghdad. LaHaie received the commendation for ?placing his own life between the enemy and fellow American soldiers on more than one occasion in a single patrol,? states a certificate he received October 19.
THE ENGINEERS came under attack from heavy small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenade (RPGs) fire. ?At that time I was a Bradley fighting vehicle gunner,? said LaHaie. ?Once they came under attack, I instructed the driver to put my Bradley between the fire and the engineers? vehicles, eliminating four insurgents that day.? In the process, the Bradley was hit by three RPGs, but none of LaHaie?s crew was injured, nor was there any loss of lives. ?Corporal LaHaie?s actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and displayed great credit upon him,? stated the certificate, signed by Col. David W. Sutherland. The six-sided medal has an eagle with its wings spread open and clutching arrows in its claws.
LAHAIE, THE son of Coleen LaHaie of Rogers City and Anthony LaHaie of Cheboygan, enlisted in the Army in February 2002 and is currently based out of Fort Hood, Texas. While in Iraq, he has been a part of security detail, offensives, and ?snatch and grab? missions where they seized high-ranking terrorists. Ryan and Danielle were enjoying time together this past holiday break, time away from the routine. With her husband gone so long, and with three young daughters, Alexia, 7; Samantha, 4; and Gianna, 1; Danielle has missed the simple pleasure of sleeping in. With a family member watching the girls, Danielle got some extra sleep. ?I love what I do. I?m glad to do it, but it is real nice to come back,? said LaHaie. Ryan said being away from family is difficult, and so is serving in Iraq.
?IT GOT to a point where it seemed like it is more like a lottery,? said LaHaie, who had been serving in the 1st battalion Calvary regiment, the 3rd ?Greywolf? heavy brigade combat team, the 1st Calvary Division. ?We had a stretch where it seemed like we lost a lot of soldiers. We would send out recovery assets to go out and get a downed vehicle, where there were KIAs (killed in action), and they would get hit too, and there would be more KIAs,? said LaHaie, his voice trailing off. LaHaie said there is always uncertainty of not knowing if he or his comrades would come back alive or in pieces.
?My Bradley was hit by 12 IEDs and one car bomb,? said LaHaie. ?Every time we got blown up, we do a quick (touch self), ?all right, I?m good. I?m still breathing, Hey, what about my guys.? Then you go the engagement.? While there have been no casualties among LaHaie?s group, there have been several s
RYAN SAID it was nice having his friend on hand for his homecoming. His friend is one of three crew members who have been sent home with serious injuries.
?It is tough on the guys,? said LaHaie, ?very tough. It seems that you can?t help a country that doesn?t want to help themselves,? he added. ?It seems like whatever type of government we try to get rolling there, it always falters to chaos.?
LaHaie may be slated for a third deployment in a year, but he is expected to take on some advance training with special operations. If his job position changes, the stint in the country could be cut in half. His long term plans are to retire from the Army. He?ll be at the halfway point of his career in 2012.