The Reno-Tahoe Open held its third annual Patriots' Luncheon out at Montreux on Tuesday. The luncheon honored two military men, one who received the Medal of Honor for bravery under fire and one who paid the ultimate price in Afghanistan.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry was already wounded when he helped save his fellow Army Rangers during a firefight in Afghanistan.
"We were pinned-down," says Petry. "One of my younger Rangers was shot and a third had run to us. We were still taking heavy small arms fire and a grenade came over and knocked two of my rangers down. A second grenade landed between us. I reached over to grab it and as I was throwing it away from us, it exploded in my hand."
Petry saved several lives that day and, one year ago received the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest medal for valor in combat. Petry told his story to a sold-out luncheon put on by the Reno-Tahoe Open. Petry keeps the names of others who didn't come back, engraved on his new arm, to remind him of their sacrifice.
"I was on my sixth rotation," he says. "I lost my arm and got shot through both my legs. I lost a fellow Ranger that day and came home and recovered and am still in the military."
Also honored at the luncheon was Navy Seal Brian Bill who was killed in action in Afghanistan. He was aboard a Chinook Helicopter when it was shot down by Taliban fighters. His father, Scott Bill, accepted a portrait of his son, painted by artist Phil Taylor. The senior Bill said it was overwhelming.
"When he became a Seal was a great, great proud moment for us, Bill explains. "Unfortunately he was killed in action and we're still very proud of what he did but he served his country and he was one of the most elite warriors that country's ever known, so we're very proud of that too."
Brian Bill was a member of the elite "Navy Seal Team 6,", which raided Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. His father hasn't said whether Brian was on that mission, but the 31-year-old had been on many difficult missions and had earned four Bronze medals.
Brian's father travels around the country now raising money for the Navy Seal Foundation. He does that in memory of his son. "He's in my heart, in my soul. You still mourn all the time for him. But it's therapeutic for me to go out into communities to remind people of all the sacrifices that my son made, his team made and other American military people have made for us," said Scott Bill.
Tuesday's luncheon also raised $5,000 for the Nevada Military Support Alliance, which helps support military members here in northern Nevada.
Written by Jennifer Burton
