A missile blast tore the doors off a bunker in the Middle East, knocked several soldiers unconscious and left their commander with a concussion. On Saturday, that commander and five other soldiers from a Sacramento-based Army Reserve battalion stood with family and fellow troops at a Depot Park ceremony to receive Purple Hearts for their injuries.
The 319th Expeditionary Signal Battalion held its homecoming and medal ceremony Saturday at the B.T. Collins U.S. Army Reserve Center in Sacramento, according to the Sacramento Bee. Six soldiers received Purple Hearts, an award given to service members wounded or killed by enemy action, while numerous soldiers received Combat Action Badges. The unit deployed to the Middle East in August 2025 amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.
A Commander's Account of the Blast
Company commander Andrew Henderson described a missile strike near a bunker during the deployment to the newspaper. “The vacuum pressure from the missile actually ripped the doors open off our bunkers,” Henderson said, according to the Sacramento Bee. He said a bolt from one of the doors struck his helmet.
The blast left some people unconscious, and the majority of soldiers hurt in the explosion suffered traumatic brain injuries, per the Bee's reporting. Henderson himself suffered traumatic brain injuries, including a concussion. He said that after getting clearance to move, the soldiers began triaging for a mass casualty event, and that once he exited the bunker he saw burning destruction around him.
Awards and Support After Deployment
The Purple Heart recognizes service members wounded or killed by enemy action. According to the U.S. Army Awards and Decorations Branch, Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, is among the regulations governing the Army’s awards program. The available account does not describe the individual medical or administrative records used to document these soldiers’ blast-related injuries. For returning service members and their families, VA Northern California Health Care lists access to polytrauma care, rehabilitation, mental health care, counseling, family benefits counseling and referrals. The Sacramento Vet Center separately offers confidential, no-cost support for veterans, service members and their families in a non-medical setting.
Six Soldiers, Six Purple Hearts
Among those honored were Sacramento residents Shawn Brewer and Chuehue Thao. Andrew Ramirez, a battalion member from Stockton, also received a Purple Heart. Ramirez did not disclose details of his injury, but told the Bee that the battalion accelerated its preparations for what the newspaper identified as Operation Epic Fury.
Christopher Nieto, who is from San Jose, also received a Purple Heart and attended the ceremony wearing one leg in a medical boot. Ramirez’s sister, Yahira Selinger, said she was relieved when he returned safely.
From Training Center to War Footing
Before the deployment, the 319th Expeditionary Signal Battalion had shifted from training and classes to preparing for war, according to the same account. The unit is trained to develop and maintain data and communications networks for soldiers in the field — the kind of infrastructure that keeps commanders connected to troops on the ground.
Brig. Gen. Kimberly Hamilton spoke to that role at the ceremony, saying data is a weapon and communication is a lifeline for commanders. She credited the soldiers' technical skills and work ethic with helping commanders maintain situational awareness throughout the deployment.
Rep. Doris Matsui also addressed the returning soldiers, saying deployments require troops to leave things behind and make sacrifices. She told the crowd that the soldiers' return brought relief and pride to Sacramento.
The Bee placed the battalion’s deployment in the context of a conflict that began in June 2025, including U.S. bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran and Iranian missile strikes on a U.S. military base in Qatar. The newspaper reported no casualties from that June exchange, and later reported U.S. airstrikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and an Operation Epic Fury ordered by President Donald Trump. The available account does not establish a complete timeline connecting those events to the missile strike that wounded Henderson and the other soldiers.
For comparison, a separate report describes a single enemy drone attack that killed three Army Reserve soldiers and wounded dozens. The incident is separate from the Sacramento battalion's deployment.
