Corpsman awarded Bronze Star at Naval Hospital Bremerton

BREMERTON – Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Michael J. Marchante was awarded the Bronze Star medal Friday by the Navy.

Marchante, a native of California, was presented the medal at Naval Hospital Bremerton.

The Bronze Star was awarded to Marchante for his heroic actions in the Helmand province of Afghanistan in 2011. The corpsman ran through 300 meters of land mines to reach an injured soldier form the Republic of Georgia.

Marchante applied immediate medical attention to the man’s injuries and likely saved his life.

“It was a known IED field, but in that instance I just ran to where I needed to be,” said Marchante. “I didn’t think about the IEDs, I didn’t think about the gunfire.”

His wife and two children joined Michael during Friday’s ceremony.

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