PORTLAND (AP) – A soldier from Bangor invited to sit in First Lady Laura Bush’s box for the presidential State of the Union address survived a grenade attack in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Craig Charloux was one of 27 people invited to sit in the box during President Bush’s speech before a joint session of Congress.

According to the White House, Charloux was struck by two grenade blasts when his squadron was ambushed in the Iraqi town of Baloor in September 2007. Although his arm, face, eyes and leg were injured, he was able to complete the raid that ended with eight members of al Quaeda being killed.

Charloux has received the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal and the National Defense medal twice.