Fort Campbell Soldier to Receive Distinguished Service Cross

Sgt. Felipe Pereira

An Army sergeant from Fort Campbell is scheduled to receive the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest award in the U.S. military.

Felipe Pereira will be pinned by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno on Thursday.
Pereira is a native of Brazil. According to the award citation, he saved at least two comrades in Afghanistan after a suicide bomber on motorcycle detonated in the middle of his squad. Pereira – himself – sustained shrapnel wounds. With his lung collapsing, he refused treatment and instead commandeered an ATV under fire to ferry the wounded to safety.

Pereira is the first member of the 101st Airborne Division to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross since Vietnam.