Bronze Star medals have ties in family

Anzevino and Bilas are
carrying on family
traditions of decorated
military service.

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

Capt. Jeremy D. Anzevino and Maj. John E. Bilas, cousins by marriage serving in the Marine Corps, have received Bronze Star medals for their actions in Iraq.

The Bronze Star, the fourth-highest military award, is given for bravery, heroism and meritorious service.

Here are their stories:

CAPT. JEREMY D. ANZEVINO

Anzevino, who lived in Struthers until moving to Madrid, Iowa, at age 12, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device on Dec. 21, 2007.

A son of Ray Anzevino of Las Vegas and Pam Giancola of Granger, Iowa, formerly of Struthers, Anzevino earned the Bronze Star while he was commander of Co. L, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, of the II Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq. He was team chief and staff maneuver advisor for the Military Transition Team, 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, from January to July 2007.

According to his award citation, Anzevino provided advice and assistance to Iraqi leaders of 1st Battalion during counterinsurgency operations, which led to the elimination of numerous insurgents.

“Capt. Anzevino fearlessly led teams toward gunfire,” said 1st Lt. Josh Mathews, an intelligence adviser with Weapons Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, who was alongside Anzevino during two firefights.

“He encouraged his Marines not to retreat when his patrols took fire,” Mathews said.

During one skirmish, about six enemy insurgents attacked his patrol with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Anzevino maneuvered his team to flank the enemy position and drove the threat away, Mathews said.

The citation also says Anzevino’s actions to fight and win against opposing forces inspired the Iraqi battalion and his Marines, whom he credits for his Bronze Star Medal.

“If I could take this medal and divvy it up with everyone, I would. I wouldn’t have done half of the things I did without them,” he said at the awards ceremony.

Anzevino and 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, are scheduled to deploy again soon in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Anzevino and his wife, Kim, formerly of Clear Lake, Iowa, have two sons, Cristiano, 3, and Santino, 1, and live in Jacksonville, N.C.

Anzevino’s grandfathers, Dan Giancola and Dominic Anzevino, also were decorated while in the military. Giancola received the Bronze Star while serving in the Navy during World War II. He enlisted in the Army during the Korean War and was wounded and received a Purple Heart.

Dominic Anzevino served in the Army during WWII and was decorated with the Bronze Star, and was a member of the Office of Strategic Service, a U.S. intelligence agency.

MAJ. JOHN E. BILAS

Bilas, a native of Youngstown, has served two tours in Iraq, from September 2004 to March 2005, and again from January to December 2006, when he was an intelligence adviser embedded with an Iraqi Army Brigade in the Al Anbar Province.

His Bronze Star was authorized in July 2007 and presented to him in October 2007.

According to his citation, Bilas “distinguished himself through his leadership and selfless service while mentoring the brigade staff to develop an enduring administrative capability, a responsive pay system, and intelligence-driven operations. He also demonstrated initiative and determination in the collaboration of intelligence information between coalition forces, Iraqi army and Iraqi police, and effected a more timely and efficient targeting process. This effort ... served as a model for similar efforts throughout the rest of the brigade’s area of operations.”

A 1983 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Bilas graduated in 1987 from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree and has attended numerous Marine Corps schools. At present, he is attending the Marine Corps Command and Staff College for field officers at Quantico, Va., and is also working on his master’s degree in military studies.

Bilas’ career includes tours as an intelligence officer for the I Marine Expeditionary Force and commanding officer of Small Craft Co., 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C., in 2002-03. He also served at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., where he participated in numerous ceremonies for the president and visiting heads of state; and was the platoon commander of the Corps’ elite Silent Drill Team in 1994.

Bilas, the son of John and Francis Bilas of Poland, is married to Jeremy’s cousin, Kimberly Anzevino, formerly of Struthers. They have two children, Christine, 13, and Nicholas, 12.

Bilas’ father fought in two of WWII’s major battles, the Battle of the Bulge and the invasion of France at Normandy, and was awarded two Purple Hearts for wounds he suffered.

alcorn@vindy.com