At this point, a fifth insurgent leapt from the third floor roof onto the second floor roof. Now on the second floor, Staff Sergeant Bellavia moved to a door that opened onto the roof. Exchanging gunfire, Staff Sergeant Bellavia pursued the enemy up the stairs and eliminated him. Staff Sergeant Bellavia then received enemy fire from another insurgent emerging from a closet in the darkened room. Staff Sergeant Bellavia, entering further into the darkened room, returned fire and eliminated both insurgents. Simultaneously, the previously wounded insurgent reemerged and engaged Staff Sergeant Bellavia.

As he entered, an insurgent came down the stairs firing at him. Staff Sergeant Bellavia, realizing he had an un-cleared, darkened room to his back, moved to clear it. Recognizing the grave danger the grenade posed to his fellow soldiers, Staff Sergeant Bellavia assaulted the enemy position, killing one insurgent and wounding another who ran to a different part of the house. He observed an enemy insurgent preparing to launch a rocket-propelled grenade at his platoon.

Staff Sergeant Bellavia then re-entered the house and again came under intense enemy fire. A Bradley Fighting Vehicle was brought forward to suppress the enemy however, due to high walls surrounding the house, it could not fire directly at the enemy position. With enemy rounds impacting around him, Staff Sergeant Bellavia fired at the enemy position at a cyclic rate, providing covering fire that allowed the squad to break contact and exit the house. Recognizing the immediate severity of the situation, and with disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Bellavia retrieved an automatic weapon and entered the doorway of the house to engage the insurgents. While clearing a house, a squad from Staff Sergeant Bellavia’s platoon became trapped within a room by intense enemy fire coming from a fortified position under the stairs leading to the second floor.

Bellavia distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on November 10, 2004, while serving as squad leader in support of Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq.

House to House by David Bellavia