America's Memory

MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (January 14, 2014) -- Staff Sergeant Sky Mote and Capt. Matthew Manoukian were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the highest decoration that can be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and second highest decoration for valor, during an award ceremony at, 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion headquarters, Jan. 18. “Staff Sergeant Mote could have exited the structure to safety.  He instead grabbed his M4 rifle and entered the operations room, courageously exposing himself to a hail of gunfire,” cited the award. Manoukian’s award cited “Located in the far corner for the room, Capt. Manoukian dew his pistol and, in the face of near certain death, engaged the attacker while commanding his Marines to maneuver to safety.” Maj. Gen. Mark A. Clark, commanding general of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, presented the Navy Cross to Mote’s and Manoukian’s family after speaking of them during the ceremony. “The bravery of Matt, Ryan and Sky was a continu