Nathan Bruckenthal

Nathan B. Bruckenthal
Damage Controlman Third Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal, USCG
Born	July 17, 1979(1979-07-17) Stony Brook, New York
Died	April 24, 2004(2004-04-24) (aged 24) Near Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal, Northern Persian Gulf
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Coast Guard
Years of service	1999 - 2004
Rank	Petty Officer Third Class
Unit	TACLET South, LEDET 403, assigned to the USS Firebolt (PC-10)
Battles/wars	Operation Iraqi Freedom
Awards	Bronze Star with Valor Purple Heart

Nathan B. "Nate" Bruckenthal (July 17, 1979 - April 24, 2004) was a Damage Controlman Third Class in the United States Coast Guard. He was the first Coast Guardsman to die in wartime action since the Vietnam War. Bruckenthal died along with two U.S. Navy sailors intercepting a waterborne suicide attack on the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal off the coast of Iraq in the northern Persian Gulf.

Bruckenthal was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart for his actions.^[1]

Biography

Bruckenthal was born in Stony Brook, New York. He is the son of Ric Bruckenthal of Northport, New York, and Laurie Bullock of Ashburn, Virginia.^[2]

While growing up he had also lived in Hawaii, Virginia, and Connecticut. Bruckenthal and his family lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut from 1992 to 1995, where he was a volunteer firefighter from 1997 to 1998.^[2]

In 2001 he met his future wife, Pattie, while serving at Station Neah Bay. Patti was a university student studying the Makah Indian tribe when Bruckenthal gave the students a tour of the Station.^[3]

Bruckenthal intended to continue his public service by becoming a police officer or firefighter after completing his Coast Guard service and finishing college.^[4] He is survived by his wife, Pattie, and his daughter, Harper Natalie Bruckenthal, born after his death.^[3]

Petty Officer Bruckenthal is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.^[3]

Coast Guard service

Bruckenthal joined the Coast Guard on January 5, 1999.^[3] He served on the Coast Guard Cutter Point Wells, based out of Montauk, New York, prior to attending Damage Controlman "A" School.^[4] After school he was assigned to Station Neah Bay in the northwest corner of Washington on the Makah Indian Reservation.^[2]

His next assignment was to Tactical Law Enforcement (TACLET) Team South, at Coast Guard Air Station Miami. Bruckenthal's first tour to the Persian Gulf region was from April to June, 2003. He departed home for his second deployment in February 2004 and was due to return that June. During both tours his detachment, LEDET 403, was assigned to the USS Firebolt.^[4]

Attack in the Persian Gulf

A photo of Petty Officers Bruckenthal and Ruggiero

An account of the attack is included in an issue of the Coast Guard Reserve magazine.^[5]

“

In the early evening hours of April 24, a dhow (a lateen-rigged Arabian vessel) approached an oil terminal in the Persian Gulf. Bruckenthal, trained as both a boarding team member and boarding officer, was accompanied by one other Coast Guardsman and five sailors from the United States Navy. The group boarded a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB), taking off in pursuit. As the crew was poised to board the dhow, an explosion was detonated. Two Navy petty officers also died as a result of the waterborne attack: PO1 Michael J. Pernaselli, 27, of Monroe, N.Y., and PO2 Christopher E. Watts, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn. Injured were three Navy sailors and BM3 Joseph T. Ruggiero, USCG, 23, from Revere, Mass., who received the Purple Heart.

”

Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi of Al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack.^[6]

Awards and decorations

Bruckenthal was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, the Purple Heart, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. On his first Persian Gulf deployment he was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon.^[3]

	Bronze Star with Valor device
	Purple Heart
	Combat Action Ribbon
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Petty Officer Bruckenthal is the first Coast Guardsman to be killed in action in military conflict since the Vietnam War.^[3] Bruckenthal's death is noted in an article listing Jewish servicemen killed in Iraq.^[7]

Namesake

The Unaccompanied Personnel Housing building at Station Montauk is named in honor of DC3 Nathan Bruckenthal.^[3] He served as a fireman on the CGC Point Wells, which was homeported in Montauk, New York.^[4]

References

1. ^ http://www.piersystem.com/external/index.cfm?cid=651&fuseaction=EXTERNAL.docview&pressid=37752 COAST GUARDSMAN KILLED IN IRAQ BURIED AT ARLINGTON
2. ^ ^{a b c} O'Donnell, Michelle (May 8, 2004). "Long Island Native, Killed in Iraq, Is Buried in Arlington". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/08/nyregion/long-island-native-killed-in-iraq-is-buried-in-arlington.html. Retrieved 2010-02-12. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Nathan Bruckenthal at arlingtoncemetery.net.
4. ^ ^{a b c d} PAC Peter Capelotti, USCGR (April 25, 2003). "Operation Iraqi Freedom Documentation Project / U.S. Coast Guard Oral History Program". U.S. Coast Guard. http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBORALHISTORY/IF_DC3_Bruckenthal.asp. Retrieved 2010-02-12. 
5. ^ Coast Guard Reserve Magazine, Volume 51, Issue 5
6. ^ "Jordanian claims suicide attacks on Iraqi terminal". MSNBC.com. April 26, 2004. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4829643/. Retrieved 2010-02-12. 
7. ^ Bloom, Nate (2004-06-04). "More Tears by the Rivers of Babylon". Jewish World Review. http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0604/jewish_servicemen.php3. Retrieved 2010-02-12. 

External links

• Nathan Bruckenthal: Heroes in the War on Terror by the U.S. Department of Defense.
• Official Press Release by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Persondata
Name	Bruckenthal, Nathan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 17, 1979
Place of birth	Stony Brook, New York
Date of death	April 24, 2004
Place of death	Near Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal, Northern Persian Gulf