B Co 1-36 Infantry attached to TF 2-37 Armor

Born: 2 Sep 1967 in National Capital Region, Philippines

Killed in Action: 7 May 2006 (aged 38) in Talafar, Iraq

Burial: Palm Memorial Park Northwest, Las Vegas, Nevada

 

SSG Emanuel L. Legaspi, C/1-36 IN, was killed by small arms fire at age 38 while assaulting an insurgent strong point in Talafar, Iraq. C/1-36 was task organized with 2-37 AR at the time of his death. Prior to joining the Army, Manny was a world class boxer who competed for the Philippines as a middleweight at the 1988 Summer Olympics. On the night of 7 May 2006, Legaspi led his rifle squad on a patrol in south western Talafar. The patrol came under small arms fire from an enemy strong point in a two story home. Legaspi maneuvered his squad to cover and returned fire while tanks were brought up to provide support. After firing multiple tank rounds into the strong point, the B/2-37 Commander led a team towards the house to clear it. Manny stopped him and insisted that he and his squad assault the house. Leading from the front, Legaspi was struck by small arms fire in the doorway. His Soldiers pulled him back to cover outside the house and called in an air strike which destroyed the house and killed all five of the insurgents inside. SSG Legaspi died of wounds while waiting to be evacuated. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his gallantry that day.