Marine Sergeant From Weston Awarded Bronze Star
WESTON (CBSMiami) – On the 70th anniversary of D Day, the day that turned the tide of World War II, a Weston Marine made his own bit of history.
Sergeant Christian Marlow, from Weston, was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor medal for heroic service in Afghanistan at a special ceremony in Plantation.
"Anyone would have done it for me. It's the least I could do for one of them," Marlow tells CBS 4, reflecting on his service at his home in Weston.
Marlow was nominated for the Bronze Star after leading a squadron through intense gunfire in 2011 to reach a wounded marine who did not survive.
"The saying goes, you never leave a man behind," said Marlow.
The next day, Marlow crawled through three foot high cornfields for nearly an hour to confront the Taliban.
Marlow credits the marines who served under him for the award.
"That's a huge learning experience for me in the Marine Corps being a part of something bigger than yourself that's why you serve, you put your life on the line and to me it's one of the greatest honors an American can have doing that," said Marlow.
Marlow's mom, Benita Diaz, said she would worry about his safety—especially when he would call from the battlefield.
"I always thought he would do well but I never expected this," said Diaz. "When I look at him, when he went in and now he's a man with pride, loyalty, trust, dedication and I'm thankful for that."
Marlow says he's proud of all that America accomplished in Afghanistan and that the honor will remain with him forever.
"There's not a day goes by that I don't think about it what we did, what my Marines did and what I did and I'll always think about it," said Marlow.
Marlow is now in school studying to be a firefighter/paramedic and hopes to continue his life of service, saving lives in South Florida next year.
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