Wounded Signal Soldier recognized

By Spc. William NorrisFebruary 27, 2009

Wounded Signal Soldier recognized
FORT GORDON, Ga. -- Brig. Gen. Jennifer Napper, 7th Signal Command (Theater) commander, pins the Purple Heart Medal on Sgt. Joshua Wolcott, Company B, 63rd Signal Battalion (Expeditionary) Feb. 20, 2009 in Fort Gordon's Bicentennial Chapel. Photo by ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT GORDON, Ga.--(February 23, 2009) Sgt. Joshua Wolcott focused his gaze straight ahead as a Purple Heart Medal was pinned to his uniform in a special award ceremony Feb. 20 in Bicentennial Chapel.

Wolcotts's Family attending the ceremony included his grandparents John and Darlene Losacco and his cousin Bradly Gessert, all from Charlotte, N.C.

Surrounded by Family members, friends and other service members, the Company B, 63rd Signal Battalion 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade Soldier seemed detached from the moment that Brig Gen Jennifer Napper, 7th Signal Command (Theater) commander affixed the medal to his chest. On the other side of Wolcott stood Lt. Col. Robert Edmonson, 63rd Signal Battalion (Expeditionary) commander.

Later Wolcott explained that he had a moment of reflection on the events that led to the Purple Heart.

Wolcott was raised outside of Seattle, Wash. with his aunt and four cousins. He moved to Charlotte when he was 15 where he graduated from Cathedral of the Cross High School in 2003. He then joined the Army in January 2004. Wolcott attended basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. and then came to Fort Gordon where he completed advanced individual training as a 25Q. After AIT he went to Camp Carroll, South Korea for his first duty station. Upon completion of a one-year tour in Korea, he returned to Fort Gordon to the 56th Signal Battalion.

In October 2006, he joined the 63rd Signal Battalion. He deployed to Iraq with Company C, 63rd Sig. Bn. (E) during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007-2009.

"In October 2007, during a convoy my vehicle was struck by an improvised exploding device. After the initial blast had come through the windshield, I started to pat myself down and realized that I had been struck by fragments of metal. With teamwork and cooperation, my battle buddies and I were able to give medical aid to the injured and safely transport the wounded to receive medical attention."