[Dan]

Staff Sgt. Paul Mardis Jr., a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient, was remembered Tuesday for his bravery as a Green Beret and some superb organizational skills.

Mardis, 25, of Palmetto, Fla., died Thursday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., from injuries suffered near Mosul, Iraq. A roadside bomb detonated May 20 while he was on watch position in a Humvee. He was the 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group junior engineer on the scuba team, ODA 585.

"He took the most dangerous position in the least defendable vehicle," said Sgt. 1st Class Donald Kambrich, who was also wounded. "Paul was coming to my aid. ... Paul brought bravery and courage to a whole new level."

Mardis' sister Sherri Lawrence said doctors performed brain surgery, and several weeks ago he began improving before contracting pneumonia.

Kambrich and other members of Mardis' 12-person team spoke of an extremely dedicated soldier, from making it his personal mission to overhaul the team's record-keeping system to keeping up the fight after being wounded last year.

Mardis was wounded in September during a raid on al-Qaida terrorists in northern Iraq. Mardis was treated for those injuries at Walter Reed Medical Center, but was determined to get back to the war. He was awarded the the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart.

"Even if we got hit, he would have done it again," said assistant operations team Sgt. Avidail Campagne.

"He was trying to get back into the fighting."

Mardis enlisted in the Army in 1998 as a combat infantryman and was stationed at Fort Campbell later that year. He was deployed to the Sinai and afterward went through Special Forces training. He returned to Fort Campbell and was deployed in January 2003 and again in May.

"It was truly a privilege to have a soldier like Paul," said Capt. Mike Ray, commander of Mardis' team. "He did not operate by blind faith. He knew the sacrifice. ... Those of us that knew him well can tell our children that we fought beside a true American hero."

The funeral and burial will be Saturday in Coshocton, Ohio, where Mardis was born.

Survivors include his wife, Kacey Mardis, and two sisters.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Paul Mardis Scholarship Fund, c/o The Ohio Heritage Bank, P.O. Box 1000, Coshocton, OH 43812.