7th SF Group soldier's family receives posthumous silver star.(UPDATE)

Gisela and Dalia Munoz, surviving wife and daughter of Sergeant First Class Pedro A. Munoz, recently participated in a ceremony honoring his sacrifice on Jan. 2, 2005, when he was fatally wounded at Shindand, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Munoz was previously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device; however, the award was recently upgraded to the Silver Star Medal. The ceremony recognizing the upgrade was held in a commemorative rock garden designed by Munoz's daughter.

While Munoz was clearing a compound in pursuit of a mid-level Taliban commander, a Taliban fighter opened fire from inside a room containing women and children, said Colonel Mark J. Gorton, deputy commander of the 7th SF Group. Although he was wounded, Munoz returned fire and killed the Taliban fighter, enabling others in his detachment to proceed in clearing the building.

"Sergeant First Class Munoz continued to support his detachment," Gorton said, "firing selectively, engaging only armed combatants without harming any noncombatants. His dedication and his courage are evident through his actions: protecting innocent life, staying in the fight without thought for ...