USTRANSCOM Army officer awarded Soldier's Medal

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- A U.S. Transportation Command Army officer was awarded the Soldier's Medal for heroism at a ceremony here Dec. 8.

Maj. Robert A. Ley, a joint transportation action officer, assigned to the Operations and Logistics directorate, was awarded the medal stemming from an accident that occurred in July of 1999 near Springfield, Mo.

According to the award citation, Ley exhibited "extreme heroism and selfless sacrifice" in the rescue of Marion Hilton.

Hilton's house had been demolished by a tractor-trailer after it swerved off the highway on which Ley and his family had been traveling. The truck crashed through the house and dragged Hilton into her backyard.

Ley "stopped his vehicle and, without hesitation, ran, along with several other men, to the house. (He) located…Hilton, removed debris that covered her, and moved her to safety away from burning vehicles…"

His search and rescue put him in great danger.

"Even though Ley was bleeding from his feet and legs, the result of scrapes, cuts and a nail going through his foot while searching for…Hilton, he continued trying to get to the driver of the tractor-trailer. The heat from the burning vehicle was extremely intense…prevent(ing) him from saving the driver."

The driver had apparently died of a heart attack which ultimately led to the accident.

The award narrative concluded that Ley "played a singularly, significant role in the rescue of…Hilton, while many other individuals remained a safe distance from the house and the dangers that the accident presented."

The Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the U.S. or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguished himself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy.

The performance must have involved personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict with an armed enemy.