Matt Axelson and Danny Dietz Navy Cross Award Ceremony--13 Sep

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[SIZE=4][/SIZE][SIZE=3]Beach SEAL to receive medal posthumously
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[SIZE=3]By JACK DORSEY, [/SIZE][SIZE=1]The Virginian-Pilot
© September 8, 2006
Last updated: [/SIZE][SIZE=1]10:40 PM
[/SIZE]VIRGINIA BEACH - The Navy announced Thursday that it is awarding the Navy Cross - its second-highest medal - posthumously to two of three SEALs killed more than a year ago in Afghanistan during a gunbattle with the Taliban.
Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 21, of Virginia Beach and Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, Calif., will be honored for fighting a much larger force and giving a fourth SEAL commando a chance to escape.
That SEAL has not been identified.
The third SEAL in that group was identified as Lt. Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y.
The fire fight and deaths June 28, 2005, were made more tragic when an MH-47 Chinook helicopter bringing in reinforcements - eight more SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers - was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade, killing all 16 aboard.
Among that group of SEALs were five from Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
"Despite this terrible loss, the SEALs remaining on the ground continued to fight," the Navy said in a news release announcing the awards. "Although mortally wounded, Axelson and Dietz held their position and fought for the safety of their teammates despite a hail of gunfire. Their actions cost them their lives, but gave one of the other SEALs an opportunity to escape.
"He was able to evade the enemy and was recovered by American forces a few days later," the release said.
At the time of his death, Dietz was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two at Little Creek. He is survived by his wife, Maria, then of Virginia Beach; his parents; and two siblings.
The Navy Cross is presented to naval forces for extreme gallantry in the face of combat with the enemy, the Navy said. It is superseded only by the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award.
Five of the 20 Navy Crosses awarded since the beginning of the war on terrorism have been presented to SEALs, the Navy said.
The awards will be presented by Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter to the famil ies of Axelson and Dietz during a 6 p.m. ceremony Wednesday at the Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington.
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