Our “old smokejumpers” coffee group always met at the Red Atlas on Tuesday’s at 10AM. At one meeting, sometime before the Covid pandemic caused us to stop meeting out of care for each other, Jack Atkins told us he wouldn’t be coming the following week for personal reasons. Then on national television, most of the rest of us saw Jack, with his wife Elaine, accept a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump for their son Travis who was killed in action in Iraq on June 1, 2007. When he got back the next week, we didn’t say much about it, except to ask, “Did President Trump treat you respectfully?” With the answer, “Yes,” we went back to entertaining each other with smokejumper stories.
This Monday, November 18, 2024, Colonel Ray Read, Director of the Montana Military Museum, called and asked me to arrange placement of Army Staff Sergeant Travis A Atkins citation into Montana’s Congressional Medal of Honor Grove west of Helena, at Fort Harrison, home of the First Special Service Force, the Devil’s Brigade. This morning I received word from Jack that he and his wife will have no objection.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of the Congressional Medal of Honor to
STAFF SERGEANT TRAVIS W. ATKINS United States Army
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
“While manning a static observation post in the town of Abu Samak, Iraq, Staff Sergeant Atkins, was notified that four suspicious individuals, walking in two pairs, were crossing an intersection not far from his position. Staff Sergeant Atkins immediately moved his squad to interdict the individuals. One of the individuals began behaving erratically, prompting Staff Sergeant Atkins to disembark from his patrol vehicle and approach to conduct a search. Both individuals responded belligerently toward Staff Sergeant Atkins, who then engaged the individual he had intended to search in hand-to-hand combat. Staff Sergeant Atkins tried to wrestle the insurgent’s arms behind his back. When he noticed the insurgent was reaching for something under his clothes, Staff Sergeant Atkins immediately wrapped him in a bear hug and threw him to the ground, away from his fellow soldiers. Staff Sergeant Atkins maintained his hold on the insurgent, placing his body on top of him, further sheltering his patrol. With Staff Sergeant Atkins on top of him, the insurgent detonated a bomb strapped to his body, killing Staff Sergeant Atkins. Staff Sergeant Atkins acted with complete disregard for his own safety. In this critical and selfless act of valor, Staff Sergeant Atkins saved the lives of the three other soldiers who were with him and gallantly gave his life for his country. Staff Sergeant Atkins' undaunted courage, warrior spirit, and steadfast devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 2d Brigade Combat Team, and the United States Army.”
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