Travis Manion

By Janine Logue, BucksLocalNews.com

For 1st Lt. Travis Joseph Lemma Manion, joining the Marines was not a career choice, but rather a call to duty.Son of Janet and Tom Manion, Tom being a former Marine himself, Travis was born on Nov. 19, 1980 at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. For the first 10 years of his life, Travis and his family moved around a lot because of his father's duty as a Marine.
Finally, the Manion family settled in Doylestown, where Travis attended school at La Salle College High School before entering the United States Naval Academy.

After graduating from the Naval Academy in 2004, Travis followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Marines.

Travis completed his basic training in Quantico, VA, where he finished at the top of his class. He was assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Pendleton, CA.

Not long after, Travis was sent to Iraq for his first tour of duty. During this first tour, Travis worked to uncover weapons and even lent support to the 2005 elections.

Travis returned from his first tour in March of 2006 and was not scheduled to return to Iraq until March of 2007. However, because of his previous experience in Iraq, 1st Lt. Manion was selected to be part of a Military Transition team. In September 2006 he was pulled from 1st Recon to train with 10 other Marines that would be attached to an Iraq Army Battalion in Fallujah, Iraq.

On Dec. 26, 2006, only 9 months after returning home, Travis was again deployed to Iraq.
It was during this second deployment, on Sunday, April 29, 2007, that 1st Lt. Manion and the other soldiers were caught in an enemy ambush in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
Sadly, Travis was struck and killed by an enemy sniper's bullet while trying to draw fire away from the wounded. He was only 26 years old.

On Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, in an hour long ceremony at the Doylestown Courthouse, Travis was posthumously awarded both the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor. Tom and Janet Manion accepted the honor on Travis' behalf. Lt. General John Allen was on hand to present the award.

"In every possible way Travis Manion exerted his positive influence to his fellow Marines and the Iraqis he served with," said Allen during the ceremony. "Travis strode like a giant wherever he went."

Also at the ceremony was Major Joel Poudrier, who served with Travis in Iraq.
Poudrier made no attempt to hold back his emotions as he spoke of Travis, breaking down several times during his speech.

"[During the ambush] Travis willingly made himself the sole target," said Poudrier. "He was the only thing standing between the determined will of the enemy and his men. Travis carried a heavy load with ease and grace. He had a big smile, a big laugh and was a big figure. Yet his humbleness made him all the more impressive."

In addition to the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor, the Manions were also presented with items from Combat Outpost Manion, one of only two outposts in Iraq that have been named for an American.

"Today we celebrate his actions," said Captain Chad Rounds, who made the Combat Outpost Manion presentation. "Travis set a ferocious precedent of leading by example. He is still setting such an example today as individuals we can find strength in his leadership, and each and every one of us can aspire to it in some way."