Two Army Reserve soldiers with the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry in Iraq have been recommended for Bronze Stars with V for valor, and a third is being recommended for a Silver Star — the military's third-highest award for valor.

Two of the recommendations stem from a three-hour firefight on Aug. 17 outside Logistical Support Area Anaconda north of Baghdad, as 100th Battalion soldiers supported an Iraqi army company during Operation Iron Fist. The lengthy engagement was the exception rather than the rule for the Hawai'i and Pacific soldiers of the "Go For Broke" battalion: The daily threat faced in the area tends to be roadside bombs.

If approved, the Bronze and Silver Star awards would be the first valorous duty recognitions of their type for the 29th Brigade Combat Team's yearlong assignment to Iraq, now in its ninth month, Hawai'i National Guard officials said.

The 100th Battalion, which operates in Sunni and Shiite villages on three sides of LSA Anaconda, is attached to the Guard's 29th Brigade. About 2,200 Hawai'i soldiers are in Iraq and Kuwait.

According to the narrative for the recommendations, the soldiers were part of a U.S. task force crossing a bridge leading into the village of Al Duluiya when lead elements were attacked with small arms, medium machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The gunfire forced the soldiers into the narrow village streets, preventing any lateral movement.

One Iraqi officer was killed and two Iraqi soldiers wounded.

1st Lt. Norman Smithers, 29, of 'Aiea, was recommended for the Bronze Star with valor for exposing himself to enemy fire while directing his platoon to engage the enemy and shoot out streetlights that were silhouetting his soldiers, providing support fire for Capt. Charles F. Staton, and encouraging Iraqi soldiers to attack as he and fellow "Go For Broke" soldiers maneuvered forward under fire.

"If not for his bravery and leadership, the attack would have failed, and the unit would have been faced with multiple coalition casualties," the award recommendation reads.

Officials said Staton, 35, who was assigned to the 100th-442nd from Fort Worth, Texas, is being recommended for the Silver Star for getting out of his vehicle, disregarding personal safety, as he saw the Iraqi army attack begin to fail.

Fighting forward under continuous machine gun fire from multiple buildings and alleys, Staton met up with and encouraged the Iraqi commander, moving back and forth between his and Iraqi army forces. He coordinated with a Bradley fighting vehicle commander from another unit to suppress the high volume of enemy fire, and directed U.S. fire so the Iraqi commander could maneuver his soldiers and attack the objective.

His recommendation for the Bronze Star with valor — since upgraded to a Silver Star recommendation — states that Staton's courage under fire and strong leadership skills also turned the course of the battle.

A third 100th-442nd soldier, Sgt. James Fuqua, 31, from Honolulu, has been recommended for a Bronze Star with valor, officials said. The account of his recommendation was not available.

Maj. Charles Anthony, a spokesman for the Hawai'i National Guard, said the recommendations would have to be approved by Brig. Gen. Joseph Chaves, the 29th Brigade Combat Team commander in Iraq, and U.S. Army Forces Central Command.

Saturday's referendum on a recently crafted Iraqi constitution — and a spike in violence as rebels attempt to disrupt the process — is currently the main focus for the 100th-442nd, which has more than 600 soldiers.

The battalion is in the midst of Operation Rifle Fury, intended to kill, capture and disrupt insurgents leading up to the referendum, officials said. Daily, battalion convoys encounter roadside bombs — many of which blow up within 5, 10 or 20 yards of Humvees armored with bullet-proof glass and steel.

Iraqi forces are expected to have the lead on security for the referendum, but 100th-442nd soldiers will be close by. Despite the escalation in violence, there have been only two Humvees damaged in the past two months, with no serious injuries, officials said.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.