BRIAN: DURING OPERATION PHANTOM FURY 2004. STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA CLEARED INSURGENT STRONG POINT. LISA: PRESIDENT TRUMP PRESENTED HIM WITH THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HEROIC ACTIONS MAKING HIM THE FIRST IRAQ WAR VETERAN TO RECEIVE THE HONORABLE. >> STAFF SERGEANT BELLAVIA, WHOSE INTREPID SPIRIT AND UNWAVERING RESOLVE DEFEATS OUR ENEMIES, PROTECTS OUR FREEDOMS AND DEFENDS OUR GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. DAVID, TODAY WE HONOR YOUR EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE. WE SALUTE YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE. AND WE THANK YOU FOR CARRYING ON THE LEGACY OF AMERICAN VALOR. STEVE: AND JOINING US LIVE RIGHT NOW STAFF SERGEANT BELLAVIA JOINS US ALONG WITH HIS CLOSE FRIEND AND "FOX & FRIENDS WEEKEND" CO-HOST PETE HEGSETH. GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU. STAFF SERGEANT, IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY. >> THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU, THANK YOU, SIR. STEVE: COULD YOU TAKE US BACK TO THAT DAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN 2004. >> SECOND BATTLE OF FALLUJAH. MARINE CORPS EFFORT THE ARMY. 22 CAV AND 22 INFANTRY WHICH WAS MY UNIT. WE WERE BROUGHT IN THERE TO SUPPORT. THIS ENEMY HAD SIX MONTHS TO SIT UNMOLESTED AND WE WENT IN THERE AND IT WAS CLOSE QUARTER COMBAT, YOU KNOW. IT'S GRIZZLY STUFF. STEVE: IT WAS AS BAD AS IT GETS? >> YOU KNOW, IT WAS PRETTY ROUGH. THANK GOD I HAD THE MEN AND WOMEN FROM 22 INFANTRY. WE DID THIS SHOULDER TO SHOULDER. WE LOST OUR COMPANY COMMANDER, SEAN SIMS. STEVEN, J.V. MADISON. THESE WERE IMPORTANT GUYS TO OUR TEAM. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE RESPONDED, OUR TRAINING. IT'S A REAL PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THIS COUNTRY AT A TIME OF WAR WHERE -- BRIAN: PETE, YOU MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SERVE. I HAVE READ HIS BOOK BEFORE I MET HIM. I WATCH BOOK NOTES MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY. TALKING ABOUT YOUR STORY. WHAT MADE HIM STAND OUT? >> THIS IS MY ORIGINAL COPY OF HOUSE-TO-HOUSE THAT DAVID SIGNED FOR ME IN 2006. WHAT STOOD OUT IS THE MINUTE HE LEFT THE MILITARY, WHICH IS WHEN I MET HIM. HE CONTINUED TO FIGHT FOR THE GUYS FIGHTING. WHEN HE CAME OUT WITH A SILVER STAR. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WHO READ HIS BOOK SAID THIS IS A MEDAL OF HONOR STORY. WHICH IS HIGHER WHICH IS WHAT HE WAS BESTOWED AT THE WHITE HOUSE. >> WE WALKED INTO. WE HAD A MISSION TO WALK IN AND FIND 6 TO 8 BAD GUYS AND A GROUP OF ABOUT 10 HOUSES. WE WALKED INTO ONE HOUSE AND THESE GUYS SET UP AN AMBUSH. BELL FED MACHINE GUNS. YOUNG EARLY 20-SOMETHING-YEAR-OLD KID OPENS THE DOOR AND JUST LIKE THE BATTLE OF ETIM THROUGH A DOOR. THIS YOUNG KID JUST PUTS DOWN REFLEXIVE FIRE. WE TALK ABOUT ONE PERSON'S ACTIONS BUT THERE ARE 55 DIFFERENT DECISIONS THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAKE THAT ALLOW TO YOU MAKE DECISIONS. AND I WAS -- YOU KNOW, I JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. LISA: WHEN YOU FOUND OUT YOU WERE GOING TO RECEIVE THE MEDAL OF HONOR, WHAT WENT FLY YOUR MIND. >> UNBELIEVABLE. YOU FEEL AWKWARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE. MY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF ALLOWED ME TO BRING MY SOLDIERS ON THAT STAGE AND THAT MEANT SO MUCH TO THEM. STEVE: THEY WERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH YOU. >> NOT ONLY WERE THEY IN THE WHITE HOUSE. >> WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU. >> IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO US AND TO MYSELF. MY PRESIDENT BROUGHT OUR SOLDIERS ON THE STAGE. THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN THE MEDAL OF HONOR CEREMONY. ABOUT ONE PERSON. AND HE ALLOWED IT TO MAKE IT ABOUT THE ENTIRE TEAM. LISA: WOW. >> LIKE EVERY SOLDIER HE WILL BE HUMBLED I WAS THE RIGHT GUY AT THE RIGHT TIME. IN THIS BOOK AND ELSEWHERE. STEVE: YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED, PETE IT? >> WAS A SERIES OF CHOICES. YOUR GUYS WERE PINNED DOWN. CLEAR A ROOM SO THE MEN COULD GO IN. WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU ARE STACKED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, THE FIVE BAD GUYS ARE STILL INSIDE THE HOUSE, AND YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE ANGRY. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF SHAME THAT YOU BROKE CONTACT TO BEGIN WITH WE ARE AMERICAN SOLDIERS FIGHTING AGAINST OUR TERRORISTS. TRYING TO BREAK THEIR BACK AND END THE WAR. EVERY BATTLE WE ARE TRYING TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. SO YOU WANT TO TAKE -- YOU GET INITIATIVE AND DOMINATE THE ENEMY. AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO. I KEPT ROLLING UNTIL MY LUCK RAN OUT. BRIAN: UNTIL YOUR LUCK RAN OUT. IN THE END YOU REALIZED THE ROOM, WHAT WAS IT PROPANE WAS IN THE ROOM. SO YOU COULD NOT USE A FIREARM. SO YOU HAD TO KILL THE GUY WITH YOUR BARE HANDS. >> WELL, THERE WAS AN IMPLEMENT USED BUT, YEAH. I MEAN THAT'S THE THING. WE ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES. AND I HAD -- THIS HAPPENED A LOT. I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT ONE SNAPSHOT IN FALLUJAH. THERE WAS A LOT OF CLOSE QUARTER BATTLE THAT'S GRIZZLY AND THAT'S GHOUL ISSUE WILL GHSUE WILL GHOUE WILL GHOULIWILL GHOULISHLL GHOULISH.BUT AT THE SAME TIME YU GHOULISH.BUT AT THE SAME TIME YS GHOULISH.BUT AT THE SAME TIME YE A LOT OF INCREDIBLE STUFF. LISA: TAKE US BACK TO THE MIND SET MAKING THESE CALCULATIONS. >> MAYBE IF YOU HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO IT, RIGHT? YOU CARE -- SO MUCH LOVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. YOU LOVE THESE MEN. YOU LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOU LOVE THIS COUNTRY. AND THERE IS NO ENEMY THAT'S EVER GOING TO STAND AGAINST THAT. >> THIS IS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, DRUGGED UP TERRORISTS. YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A "TIME" MAGAZINE REPORTER THERE. THERE IS LITERALLY AUDIO AND VIDEO ON THE SCENE THERE IS VIDEO WHERE MICHAEL WEAR THE REPORTER, 10, 20 MINUTES OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. IT'S QUIET. YOU ARE THE ONLY AMERICAN INSIDE A HOUSE FULL OF TRUCKED UP TERRORISTS SUICIDAL AND WANTS TO DIE FOR THEIR CAUSE. WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT HOUSE AT THE TIME. >> THERE IS A LOFT CONFUSION. BECAUSE I HAD A GUY, STAFF SERGEANT SCOTT LAWSON WAS IN THE HOUSE WITH ME. YOU DON'T KNOW. ARE YOU HEARING FOOT STEPPING UPSTAIRS? IS THAT AN AMERICAN SOLDIER ON THE ROOF COMING DOWN YOU? DON'T WANT TO SHOOT YOUR OWN. THEN YOU HAVE GOT A JOURNALIST RUNNING AROUND, THIS AUSTRALIAN LUNATIC. BRIAN: IS HE VERY AGGRESSIVELY. >> HE IS RUNNING ROOM TO ROOM WITH A CAMERA. THIS IS NOT -- IT WAS VERY CHAOTIC AND CRAZY. BRIAN: I'M READING THIS BOOK WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. I'M WATCHING ROLL THIS OUT AND TELL YOUR STORY. NOT ONLY ARE YOU A GREAT COMMUNICATOR. I SAID THIS IS ALMOST LIKE A NOVEL IN THAT YOU WALK IN BEFORE YOU JOINED THE MILITARY AND YOUR HOUSE IS BEING ROBBED THEY DON'T EXPECT YOU TO BE HOME. LOOKS AT YOU AND YOU FREEZE. YOU DIDN'T MOVE. THEY END UP GETTING AWAY. YOU REMEMBER LOOKING IN YOUR DAD'S EYES DISAPPOINTMENT THAT YOU DIDN'T STOP THE INVASION. LATER ON, JOIN THE MILITARY. AND DID YOU GO INTO THE WORST BLOCK IN THE -- ON THE PLANET AND YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO NOT ONLY GO IN THERE BUT TO TAKE OUT EVERYBODY. SAVE YOUR BUDDY AND TAKE A GUY OUT WITH YOUR HANDS TALK ABOUT REDEMPTION YOU CAN'T WRITE A SCRIPT LIKE THAT. >> WORLD WAR II. IT'S A BLESSING. BRIAN: YOU CHOSE TO RISE TO THE MOMENT. YOU LEARNED HOW TO BE A HERO. >> YOU KNOW, THE THING IS, WHEN YOU ARE -- PEER PRESSURE CAN MAKE YOU SMOKE CIGARETTES AT 13. PEER PRESSURE CAN ALSO MAKE YOU CLEAR A ROAD OF IEDs AND TAKE OUT A BUNCH OF BAD GUYS. IT'S WHO YOUR PEERS ARE. IF YOU HAVE GREAT PEOPLE AROUND YOU, YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU ARE GOING TO RISE TO ANY LEVEL BECAUSE EVERYONE IS IN THIS TOGETHER. THERE IS A MILLION REASONS WHY WE ARE DIVIDED OUTSIDE. THIS MILITARY, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE, HOW WORSHIP, WHAT YOU DO, IT'S ONE TEAM. AND ANYONE THAT WANTS TO STEP UP AGAINST THAT TEAM YOU ARE IN FOR A LONG, LONG DAY. >> DAVID, I GOT TO KNOW YOU AFTERWARDS, PART OF GROUPS FOR FREEDOM. WHY IS IT THAT 10 YEARS LATER YOU ARE THE FIRST LIVING RECIPIENT OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR FROM THE IRAQ WAR. >> I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE GOT TO TILL, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A VETERAN OF THE IRAQ WAR, AS YOU ARE. THERE WAS WE CAN NEVER AGAIN MAKE A BAD WAR AND GOOD WAR. THE CHIP ON THE IRAQ WAR VETERAN SOLDIERS THAT OURS WAS A BAD WAR. AND I LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE OF THESE COMING, TO LIVING RECIPIENTS AS WELL. YOU THINK ABOUT RAPHAEL PERALTA AND BRAD CASTLE AND ALL THESE INCREDIBLE STORIES. IRAQ WAR VETERANS HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. WE DID OUR JOB. ATTENTION NEEDS TO BE PAID TO WHAT WE DID IN IRAQ. BRIAN: IT KILLS ME WHEN LEADERS TALK ABOUT DIMINISH THE WAR OR DUMB WAR. REALLY? THIS SADDAM HUSSEIN WAS A MENACE FOR DECADES. SHOOTING AT OUR PLANES OVER 10 YEARS. GEORGE BUSH 41 WAS CALLED LEAK FOR BILL CLINTON. 41 GOES IN. OCCUPATION SPRATION BRILLIANT. WRITING ABOUT IT FOR GENERATIONS. THE SURGE IS HISTORIC. WE SENT A MESSAGE TO THE MIDDLE EAST. AMERICANS WILL FIGHT AND IF IT WASN'T FOR A BAD POLITICIAN PULLING TROOPS OUT PREMATURELY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE VERDICT. LISA: POLITICIANS THAT DIMINISHED THAT SERVICE WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM? >> I DON'T PRETEND TO REWRITE THE NARRATIVE OF THE IRAQ WAR. ALL I'M SAY SOMETHING WE DIDN'T GET A VOTE OR A CHOICE. WE FOLLOWED THE LAWFUL INTENT OF OUR GOVERNMENT TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. AND DON'T PUT THE POLICY OVER THE VALOR OF MY GENERATION? THIS GENERATION SERVING TODAY. BRIAN: BRILLIANT. >> WE ARE THE GREATEST GENERATION. WE HAVE BEEN AT WAR LONGER THAN ANY OTHER GENERATION OF AMERICAN. WE ARE DOING MULTIPLE. THIS GUY HAS BEEN TO GITMO, AFGHANISTAN, AND IRAQ. THAT'S THE TRIPLE DOUBLE RIGHT THERE. AND THERE ARE AMERICANS THAT ARE GIVEN SIX YEARS OF THEIR LIFE AT WAR. BRIAN: AND VOLUNTEER YOU HAD. >> VOLUNTEERED PROFESSIONALS. YOU KNOW WHAT? SUPPORT THE TROOPS. JOIN THE MILITARY. BECAUSE YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU. WE NEED TO SERVE RIGHT NOW. AMERICA NEEDS US AND OUR ENEMIES AREN'T SLEEPING. BRIAN: WORLD WAR II EVERYONE GREW UP ON THE HEROISM OF AUDIE MURPHY THIS IS THE HERO OF OUR GENERATION DAVID BELLAVIA. LISA: WE HONOR YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. >> THANK YOU. BRIAN: KEEP THE WORD OUT THERE? >> WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET AS MANY AMERICANS TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WE BOTH MADE SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY MAKES US BETTER MEN, BETTER WOMEN, BETTER CITIZENS, HUSBANDS, FATHERS, AMERICA IS WORTH ANY SACRIFICE. LISA: THANK YOU FOR THAT. BRIAN: THEY SHOULD MAKE YOUR BOOK A MOVIE. I KNOW THEY TALKED ABOUT IT. THEY HAVE GOT TO MAKE THE BOOK A MOVIE. >> IS HE MY AGENT NOW. LISA: PROBABLY MAKE A GOOD
