Retired Sgt. 1st Class Richard “Doc” Strous was a combat medical specialist who represented the field with honor and dignity. His work earned him a Silver Star and a depiction in the film Black Hawk Down but his quiet, unassuming nature always had his focus squarely on the job.
The Battle of Mogadishu saw 19 American soldiers lose their life and an additional 73 injured. Strous, wounded in the attack and without his aid bag, exposed himself to enemy fire twice to rescue two fallen Rangers. He successfully stopped their bleeding and would be awarded a Bronze Star with a V device for valor, but it was decided his actions merited greater acknowledgement years later.
When Strous’s initial enlistment with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment ended in 1994 he elected to continue service with the Army Guard. After almost 30 years of service he was tapped to teach the Basic Leader Course at the Vermont Army Guard’s 124th Regional Training Institute
