Community Corner

Canton Man Honored for Heroism in Afghanistan

He and others saved lives during terror attack on Camp Pinnacle last eyar.

Jeremiah Lignitz of Canton, Ga., was one of 26 DynCorp personnel to receive the company’s Chairman’s Valor Award for heroism during the terrorist attack on Camp Pinnacle in Afghanistan in July, 2013.

The people honored serve on the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense Program.

According to a press release, Lignitz and others “placed themselves in harm’s way to engage insurgents, exposing themselves to hostile fire to save a colleague. Many went building-by-building to search for the wounded who might be trapped and unable to seek assistance. … As a team, they worked through the heat of the day without food – digging through rubble, collecting sensitive items, and shuttling people and equipment to safety.”

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A suicide bomber struck Pinnacle on July 2, 2013, killing at least 10 people, including three DynCorp employees, according the Wall Street Journal.

Others to receive the award:

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  • Bryan Burton of Starkville, Miss.
  • Greg Chaffer of Carrolton, Va.
  • Valentin “Sorin” Chirila of Bucharest, Romania
  • Paul Wayne Christensen, II, of Locust Grove, Ga.
  • Razvan C. Ciociu of Magnolia, Romania
  • Guy R. Cordle of Orofino, Idaho
  • David C. Damrell of Houston, Texas
  • Jack Doraty of Santa Fe, Texas
  • Branko Dzomlija of Gauteng, South Africa
  • Stanley Fudor of Seven Fields, Penn.
  • Joseph Gasparri of Waterbury, Conn.
  • Jay Gazani of Walnut Hill, Fla.
  • Jeffery Gerds of Drydew, Mich.
  • Davion Hart of Augusta, Ga.
  • Daniel Herman of St. Augustine, Fla.
  • Johnny Jett of Davenport, Fla.
  • Randy Lambert of New Orleans, La.
  • Christopher Losinno of Lancaster, Penn.
  • Marvin Marshall of Lochbuie, Colo.
  • Georges Perez of France
  • Robert Rahn of Stratford, Wisc.
  • Jeffrey Rippen of Decatur, Ala.
  • Zoran Trajkov of Kratovo, Macedonia
  • Allen Williams of Leesburg, Va.


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