My Cousin the Hero: Jerry Della Salla

My cousin Jerry is an actor and writer, former Diamond Gloves boxer, and all around GREAT KID who was living in Brooklyn ten years ago.  Following September 11, he joined the National Guard, vowing to defend NYC in the event of any future attack.  As way leads on to way, he was eventually called up for the full tour of duty in Iraq.

Jerry reads it and weeps at send-off

PAPI and crew... VINDICATORS!

My brothers and I traveled to NYC in Red Sox caps just following the 2004 baseball season, to meet Jerry the Yankees fan for a send-off lunch before he reported to Fort Dix for training.

The next thing we knew in early 2005, he'd been shipped out with security forces to Abu Ghraib to keep peace following the prison scandal.

Shortly that spring, Jerry was present to defend the prison during a 4+ hour seige involving an internal uprising and multiple coordinated simultaneous external attacks and diversions.  He was shot but the U.S. forces held the line and Jerry later received The Combat Action Badge and is under review for the Purple Heart.  Among Jerry's other medals and citations are the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, The Generals Coin for Excellence, The Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal.  He's a great soldier and the real deal.

Months later, I broke down in tears, the day the news came that Jerry had returned safely home from the war after serving his full 13 month tour.  He'd made it home.

Subsequently, Jerry participated in a virtual-reality-assisted PTSD therapy session presented by PBS on FRONTLINE.  Watch this - it is riveting.

Jerry continues his career as an actor.  In 2008, Matt Damon cast Jerry, and other "real vets" in the Paul Greengrass film "Green Zone."  As Sgt. Wilkins, Jerry has several great scenes and interesting lines, including one made notorious in which he tells Matt, "We're here to do a job and get home safe, that's all - the reasons don't matter!"

Jerry - as Army Squad Sgt. Jerry Wilkins

On 9/11/01, our cousin Doug Pedalino was reporting to work in New Jersey for the last time; his company was to relocate him the following Monday, 9/17, to the 99th floor of tower #2. If the attack had been carried out a week later - and it might have - we could have lost Dougie.

Give thanks today for your freedom, and count your blessings.

Jerry, you are my hero and I salute you, Cousin!