War On Terror News

Army Col. Robert L. Howard (Retired), Medal of Honor recipient, Dies at age 70

Army Col. Robert L. Howard, 70, of San Antonio. TX. passed away on December 23, 2009.  He served with 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam-Studies and Observation Group.  Col Howard received the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving in Vietnam.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government to service members who distinguish themselves through gallantry and intrepidity, risking his or her life above and beyond the call of duty against enemies of the United States of America.

Colonel Howard was awarded his medal for his actions in Vietnam. As a sergeant first class, he served as a platoon sergeant of an American-Vietnamese platoon. The platoon was attacked by an estimated two-company force. Although he was wounded and unable to walk, he crawled through heavy gunfire to retrieve his wounded leader and rejoin the platoon. He rallied the platoon into an organized defensive force, administered first aid and directed the defenders to repulse enemy attacks for three and a half hours. 

In addition to his Medal of Honor, Colonel Howard has

SFC Jared Monti, Medal of Honor

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a team leader with Headquarters and Headquarters troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in connection with combat operations against an enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on June 21st, 2006.

While Staff Sergeant Monti was leading a mission aimed at gathering intelligence and directing fire against the enemy, his 16-man patrol was attacked by as many as 50 enemy fighters. On the verge of being overrun, Staff Sergeant Monti quickly directed his men to set up a defensive position behind a rock formation. He then called for indirect fire support, accurately targeting the rounds upon the enemy who had closed to within 50 meters of his position. While still directing fire, Staff Sergeant Monti personally engaged the enemy with his rifle and a grenade, successfully disrupting an attempt to flank his patrol.

Staff Sergeant Monti then realized that one on his soldier was lying wounding in the open ground between the advancing enemy and the patrol's position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Monti twice attempted to move from behind the cover of the rocks into the face of relentless enemy fire to rescue his fallen comrade. Determined not to leave his soldier, Staff Sergeant Monti made a third attempt to cross open terrain through intense enemy fire. On this final attempt, he was mortally wounded, sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his fellow soldier.

Staff Sergeant Monti's selfless acts of heroism inspired his patrol to fight off the larger enemy force. Staff Sergeant Monti's immeasurable courage and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and the United States Army. 

The United States Army has a long history of great soldiers, noncommissioned officers, and leaders. Sergeant First Class Jared Monti was amongst those ranks. He was an outstanding leader who constantly motivated his soldiers and ensured that his unit was always ready to fight and win.

CPT Christopher Carbone, Hero, SheepDog, Daily

Three Tours in Iraq, a Purple Heart, an ARCOM with Valor Device, a Bronze Star, multiple years on the Police Force, you just can't beat this SheepDog down.  He'll protect Our Citizenry at home or abroad.  He'll defend freedom and democracy in every way possible.  He'll give to the less well off and rally his fellow SheepDogs to donate to such underprivileged.  He's a true Hero.

And let me applaud Lou Dobbs of CNN for demostrating weekly his Support of Our Troops by bringing to us such a hero, not to mention his support of Pro-Troop Non-Profits

BlackSheep Prove Tenacious Even When Bleeding Under Fire

Purple Heart Recipients Prove Tenacity Under Fire

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division by Sgt. Mark Miranda 11.17.2009 01:32

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE GARRYOWEN, Iraq – In August, Multi-National Corps-Iraq Commander, Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby came to see 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment and present Purple Hearts to six Soldiers from C Company, "Comanche".

Comanche's story reads like a series of unfortunate events, but also reveals the capacity of the affected Soldiers to call their training into action, endure and overcome.

Sgt. 1st Class Jose M. Sanchez, an infantry platoon sergeant from El Paso, Texas, recalled the events of a June 9 trip outside the wire.

"My patrol was hit with an improvised explosive device. My trail vehicle was directly struck and was destroyed," said Sanchez.

WWII POW Shares Story

56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Story by Deborah silliman Wolfe

11.06.2009  It is said that everyone has a story to tell. If that is true, Stan Angleton's story would be on the best seller's list. Angleton, a World War II veteran and prisoner of war, took the time to talk with the Thunderbolt about his experiences as a POW for 15 and a half months at prison camp Stalag 17B in Krems, Austria.

 

Stan Angleton, a World War II veteran and prisoner of war, holds an SS knife he traded for in Europe after WWII ended. Angleton was held as a POW for 15-and-a-half months before he and five other prisoners escaped their German captors. He currently resides in Sun City, Ariz.

After being drafted into the Army Air Corps Nov. 5, 1942, Angleton, a Kansas native, trained as a flight mechanic in Texas.

"They told me, 'You are going to Wichita Falls, Texas, for A&M training at Sheppard Field,'" Angleton recalled. "I spent six months there learning the airplane. They taught us on the B-25 and B-26s. After that, they sent me to gunnery show down in Harlingen, Texas, for about six weeks. After I graduated from gunnery school, they sent me to El Paso, Texas, to join my flight crew. From there, we started flying all over making bomb runs, dummy runs, all over the country."

After training, Angleton and the nine other members of his crew, headed to Topeka, Kansas, to pick up their brand new B-24 bomber. By way of Maine, Iceland, England, and Casablanca, they finally arrived at the city of Benghazi in North Africa, where they joined the 376th Heavy Bomb Group.

"We made nine missions out of Bengasi and then they (the Allied Forces) took over enough of Italy, we moved up to San Fangrazio, Italy, located across from Bari, which was one of the main hubs to come in by ship," he said.

After flying 15 successful missions out of Italy, 18 B-24s with the 376th HBG took off Dec. 28, 1943, to bomb a ball bearing base in northern Italy.

"We had been to the same place Christmas day and bombed, but we missed one big building," Angleton remembered. "Command said, 'You are going back on the 28th.' When we went the first time, there were no fighter pilots or anything. Those kinds of missions we called milk runs; we flew over, dropped our bombs and came back. But the 28th of December, that was a different story.

SFC Jared Monti, Medal of Honor, Afghanistan

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a team leader with Headquarters and Headquarters troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in connection with combat operations against an enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on June 21st, 2006.

While Staff Sergeant Monti was leading a mission aimed at gathering intelligence and directing fire against the enemy, his 16-man patrol was attacked by as many as 50 enemy fighters. On the verge of being overrun, Staff Sergeant Monti quickly directed his men to set up a defensive position behind a rock formation. He then called for indirect fire support, accurately targeting the rounds upon the enemy who had closed to within 50 meters of his position. While still directing fire, Staff Sergeant Monti personally engaged the enemy with his rifle and a grenade, successfully disrupting an attempt to flank his patrol.

Staff Sergeant Monti then realized that one on his soldier was lying wounding in the open ground between the advancing enemy and the patrol's position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Monti twice attempted to move from behind the cover of the rocks into the face of relentless enemy fire to rescue his fallen comrade. Determined not to leave his soldier, Staff Sergeant Monti made a third attempt to cross open terrain through intense enemy fire. On this final attempt, he was mortally wounded, sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his fellow soldier.

Staff Sergeant Monti's selfless acts of heroism inspired his patrol to fight off the larger enemy force. Staff Sergeant Monti's immeasurable courage and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and the United States Army. 

The United States Army has a long history of great soldiers, noncommissioned officers, and leaders. Sergeant First Class Jared Monti was amongst those ranks. He was an outstanding leader who constantly motivated his soldiers and ensured that his unit was always ready to fight and win.

Senior Navy Chief Petty Officer Philip Ryan III Silver Star with Valor

The Silver Star Medal is the United States' third highest award exclusively for combat valor.

Senior Navy Chief Petty Officer Philip Ryan III was awarded the Silver Star with Valor for his actions while serving in Afghanistan.  Chief Petty Officer Ryan was cited for bravery when, during a firefight, he pulled a twice wounded team member to safety and cared for 3 other wounded SEAL's.  Although his group was outnumbered, he continued to "press the fight."  He was leading a team who had been tracking insurgents back in 2007.

"Much of the story is classified so we may never know the full details. One thing that we do know is

SFC Nein, Distinguished Service Cross, Returns to Iraq

Guard DSC Recipient Outlines Keys to Success

National Guard Bureau 10.13.2009 11:24

WASHINGTON – Leadership and the Army standards are key elements of success for individual Soldiers, a Distinguished Service Cross recipient said during a visit here last week.

"The standards that are given by the Army – whether it be our leadership values, our equipment we use or the training we employ – are so critical," said Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Nein of the Kentucky Army National Guard during a visit to the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting here.

"These aren't things that were just thought up [on the] spur of the moment; these are things that men have sweat blood for to develop so that we have better tactics, techniques and procedures than any other country," he said adding, "and because of that we're able to adapt on the battlefield more readily and quickly than any other force in the world."

On Christmas, Five Years Ago Today, SSgt Workman Earned the Navy Cross

This is someone you should know.  This is a book you should have.  This is a catalog of the path of the stories we've (MTD) written on a Great Marine.

SSgt Workman is a regular subject of attention on War on Terror News, because he is a Great American, a Great Marine, and a Great NCO.  He also happens to be someone I've met and someone who has become a close friend of a WOTN Contributor, Marine Till Death.

SFC Jared C. Monti, Medal Of Honor

Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti - Medal of Honor Operation Enduring Freedom Citation

In June of 2006, the 3rd Squadron of the 71st Cavalry Regiment (Recon), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, prepared to execute Operation Gowardesh Thrust, a Squadron size operation in the Gremen Valley, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.

The operation was designed to disrupt enemy operations in the Gremen Valley by denying the enemy freedom of movement and the use of critical staging areas near the border with Pakistan. The initial phase of the operation required a 16-man patrol to infiltrate into the area of operations in advance of the Squadron’s main effort.

The patrol, consisting of snipers, forward observers and scouts, would maneuver north along a high ridgeline overlooking the Gremen Valley. From the high ground of the ridge, the patrol would provide real-time intelligence and help direct fires against enemy forces attempting to oppose the Squadron’s main effort.

Medal of Honor: SFC Jared C Monti

Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti, U.S. Army, will be awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry today, September 17, 2009.  Staff Sergeant Monti will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat in Afghanistan. He displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor - eventually sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his comrade. Staff Seargent Monti’s parents, Paul Monti and Janet Monti will join the President at the White House to commemorate their son’s example of selfless service and sacrifice.

Monti, of Raynham, Mass., was 30 when he was killed June 21, 2006, in a firefight in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. He was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, out of Fort Drum, N.Y.

Monti enlisted in March 1993 and attended basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Okla. His military honors include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals and three National Defense Service Medals.

He was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class.

The Medal of Honor is awarded to service members who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in military action against an enemy of the United States.

The award for extraordinary merit has been bestowed on 3,447 men and one woman since President Abraham Lincoln signed it into law Dec. 21, 1861. Monti is the sixth servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor -- all posthumously -- for service since 9/11.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Jared C. Monti was born on September 20, 1975. He was a native of Raynham, Massachusetts. He graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham High School. He enlisted in the United States Army in March 1993. He attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

His military decorations include: the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals, three National Defense Service Medals, to name a few.

He is survived by his Father, Paul Monti, his Mother, Janet Monti, his Sister Niccole Monti, his Brother, Timothy Monti, and his Niece, Carys Monti.

He was posthumously promoted to Sergeant First Class.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

THE MEDAL OF HONOR:

The Medal of Honor is awarded to a member of the Armed Forces who distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while:

• engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
• engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
• serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

UK Navy MA Kate Nesbitt, Military Cross for Gallantry

Navy Medical Assistant to receive the Military Cross

A History and Honour news article 16 Sep 09 A Royal Navy Medical Assistant is to be awarded the Military Cross in recognition of her 'exemplary performance' on operations in Afghanistan.

Medical Assistant Kate Louise Nesbitt from Plymouth deployed to Afghanistan with 3 Commando Brigade and worked in close support with 'Charlie' Company of 1st Battalion The Rifles when she found herself under fire from the Taliban.

The Military Cross is awarded to individuals for 'gallantry during active operations against the enemy' and MA Nesbitt did just that.

Her citation reads:

"Nesbitt's actions throughout a series of offensive operations were exemplary; under fire and under pressure her commitment and courage were inspirational and made the difference between life and death. She performed in the highest traditions of her Service."

On hearing the news of her outstanding award Medical Assistant Nesbitt said:

Serjeant Mark "Oz" Powis, Military Cross, UK

Honour for Serjeant who saved Commander in Afghanistan

A History and Honournews article

14 Sep 09

A soldier from The Rifles is being awarded the Military Cross for his brave actions which saved the life of an Army Commander during a bout of intense fighting in Afghanistan. 

Acting Serjeant* Mark Powis of The Rifles was Second-in-Command of an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT), operating alongside the Afghan National Army (ANA) in Musa Qaleh, when he risked his life to save that of another.

During a patrol in October 2008, Sjt Powis was on the roof of a compound with ANA and OMLT commanders when they came under accurate and sustained automatic fire from several enemy positions which seriously wounded the OMLT commander.

Sjt Powis' citation read:

CPT Chistopher Carbone, Wayne, NJ, ARCOM w/Valor

Three Tours in Iraq, a Purple Heart, an ARCOM with Valor Device, a Bronze Star, multiple years on the Police Force, you just can't beat this SheepDog down.  He'll protect Our Citizenry at home or abroad.  He'll defend freedom and democracy in every way possible.  He'll give to the less well off and rally his fellow SheepDogs to donate to such underprivileged.  He's a true Hero.

And let me applaud Lou Dobbs of CNN for demostrating weekly his Support of Our Troops by bringing to us such a hero, not to mention his support of Pro-Troop Non-Profits

Marine Turned Author: Shadow of the Sword Ships Tuesday! 9/15/2009

This is someone you should know.  This is a book you should have.  This is a catalog of the path of the stories we've (MTD) written on a Great Marine.

Long Awaited, Long Anticipated, Shadow of The Sword by SSgt Jeremiah Workman with John Bruning will finally ship Tuesday.  SSgt Workman is a regular subject of attention on War on Terror News, because he is a Great American, a Great Marine, and a Great NCO.  He also happens to be someone I've met and someone who has become a close friend of a WOTN Contributor, Marine Till Death.

Valor Under Fire Earns 2/7 Marine Navy Cross

Story by Pfc. Michael Gams  Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms

 

08.21.2009  MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Famous French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it till the test comes."

In a ceremony at Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field, Aug. 20, a Marine who was tested in the heat of battle received the highest award for valor given by the Department of the Navy, the Navy Cross medal, and was meritoriously promoted to the rank of corporal.

 

Lance Corporal Richard S. Weinmaster, an automatic rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, was recognized for extraordinary heroism in combat in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Photo:  United States Marine Corps

Cpl. Richard S. Weinmaster, a squad automatic weapon gunner with 3rd Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, received the award for his actions as a private first class in Afghanistan's Helmand province, July 8, 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

MAJ Sheffield F. Ford III, Silver Star

Hometown: Dixon, CA

Awarded: Silver Star

The 23rd and 24th of June 2006 would be a crucible of leadership and heroism for an already battle-tested and decorated captain in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces. Captain Sheffield F. Ford III was in charge of some 16 Americans and 46 Afghan Army soldiers during "Operation Kaika" in the Panjawi District of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. In the bleak farmland, criss-crossed by ditches and barren expanses, Ford led his unit to "re-establish order" in the contested region, entering a Spartan Afghan village on the 23rd. The dilapidated buildings and mud huts were hiding a Taliban force of unknown strength with one thought on their minds: killing Americans and the Afghan soldiers working to take back their country. In their hastily prepared patrol base, Ford organized a perimeter as night enveloped the isolated Special Forces team and their Afghan allies.

As darkness fell, "all hell [broke] loose." From three directions, rifle, machine gun, and rocket-propelled grenade fire landed and exploded on their position. One of Ford’s squad mates later said they had "not seen this disciplined execution of infantry tactics"

MSG Brendan O'Connor, Distinguished Service Cross

  Hometown: Moorestown, NJ

• Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross

For an additional account of this harrowing battle, refer to Captain Sheffield Ford’s narrative (tomorrow)

Surrounded on all sides by hardened Taliban fighters, a vastly outnumbered force of Americans and Afghans fought nearly to the last bullet. In June 2006, 47-year-old Master Sergeant Brendan O’Connor of the 7th Special Forces Group – the Army’s elite Green Berets – was the team’s medic during Operation Kaika. The Taliban believed this isolated group of Americans and Afghans, numbering less than 70, would be an easy target. They were gravely mistaken.

When the terrorists sprang their trap, the sky exploded with the thunder of rifle, machine-gun, and grenade fire from both sides. The main group was separated by more than 100 yards, and the situation at both positions was dire.

O’Connor heard over the radio that several wounded men ahead of a forward position could be overrun at any moment. Leading a team of eight, he quickly

CW3 Austin Norris, Unsung Hero

• Hometown: Eastover, SC
• Awarded:Purple Heart

You simply cannot keep some people away from battle – despite injuries that would sideline most. Then-Warrant Officer 2 Norris was deployed to Iraq in November 2004. One month after his arrival, Norris and his gunner, Capt. Pipkin, were called in to support a unit taking fire from insurgents in Mosul. Soon after they arrived, the insurgents scattered. Instead of flying back to base, Norris and Pipkin flew their Apache back toward the center of the city in response to a tip that a vehicle-borne IED was heading toward the unit they were supporting. As they approached, insurgents on the ground began firing at the helicopter, which was hit several times by armor-piercing rounds. One of the rounds ricocheted and hit Norris’s forearm, shattering his radius. Capt. Pipkin took over the helicopter’s controls and delivered Norris safely to the Mosul hospital.

Norris wanted to return to battle, and after six operations – including a metal plate in his arm and a bone graft – and three months of therapy, he got his wish. Norris went on to support several other combat missions, including an incident in July 2005

SSG Timothy Nein, Distinguished Service Cross

• Hometown: Henryville, IN
• Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross

Staff Sgt. Nein and then-Spc. Mike were part of a routine convoy escort on March 20, 2005, when a group of more than 30 insurgents ambushed the convoy. Enemy fighters had taken up positions in irrigation ditches along the road and in an orchard nearby. Insurgents disabled the lead vehicle, bringing the convoy to a halt in the middle of the kill zone. As insurgents began streaming toward the stopped convoy, Nein and his team leader, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, jumped out of their vehicles and took cover near the enemy's trench. Mike's vehicle, which was toward the end of the convoy line, took up a position at the other end of the trench, trapping the enemy fighters. As Nein and Hester began clearing the trench of insurgents from one side, another wave of fighters attacked from the other side, wounding three of the four soldiers around Mike. Mike, a medic, moved the injured soldiers out of direct enemy fire, picked up two weapons, and began defending from the attacks on both sides. After Mike eliminated the threat, he began treating the wounded.

Meanwhile, as soldiers provided cover fire, Nein and Hester moved through two trenches filled with enemy fighters. They cleared both trenches, killing

MAJ Orlando Ortega, Bronze Star

• Hometown: San Antonio, TX
• Awarded: Bronze Star

Major Orlando Ortega was responsible for leading approximately 200 soldiers in Iraq as the commander of G Battery 202 Air Defense Artillery.

He led his unit to conduct more than 650 missions in different parts of Iraq without losing any soldiers. This was no small feat, and Ortega will be the first to say that you can never become too comfortable.

Sept. 15, 2004, was a perfect case in point. The day started as a 'routine' reconnaissance mission, and ended with two roadside bombs and ground combat operations against enemy forces that earned Ortega the Bronze Star with Valor.

"During this time (that he was in Iraq), the main routes were being heavily targeted by insurgents," says Ortega as he begins recounting the incident.

The 7 a.m. mission for the six vehicle convoy and 30 soldiers was to recon new routes to move the brigade south to Kuwait in the upcoming year.

"It took 17 hours from start to finish with several stops to refuel. The trip south towards Kuwait was

MSgt Michael Keehan III, Silver Star

• Hometown: Denmark, WI
• Awarded: Silver Star

As U.S. forces advanced toward Baghdad between March 20 and April 5, 2003, then-Tech. Sgt. Keehan and his team faced numerous life-and-death situations – where their lives, and those of the men around them, hung in the balance.

As part of a ground-forces unit, Keehan and his men had to not only perform their duties as airmen – by providing reconnaissance and relaying enemy positions to air support – but to fight alongside everyone else during fierce ground combat.

In the heavily fortified city of Samawah, Keehan’s unit met heavy opposition. At one point during the battle, Keehan ran out into heavy fire to identify enemy positions along the riverbanks and roads. Once he located their positions, Keehan and his team returned fire and inflicted significant damage.

A few days later, Keehan and his unit were thrust once more into the jaws of heavy combat. On their way to Baghdad, they were suddenly surrounded by enemy forces – just as a paralyzing sandstorm blew in, stripping the team of sight and awareness. Outnumbered and barely able to see, Keehan’s team

CW2 Marcus Moore Distinguished Flying Cross

• Hometown: Springfield, MO
• Awarded: Distinguished Flying Cross

Ground forces in Iraq have the tough task of clearing, securing, and rebuilding – but U.S. airpower often provides the support necessary to achieve these goals.

Such was the case on Dec. 19, 2006, when Lt. Salo, Chief Stacy, Chief White, and Chief Moore – all pilots – performed life-saving measures for Marines and Iraqi soldiers who were establishing an observation post in Ramadi, Iraq. The ground forces were moving from building to building, searching for insurgents or other unfriendly forces. The pilots, all manning Apache helicopters, were searching for enemies from the air. As Coalition forces entered one of the buildings, the pilots heard over the radio that an IED exploded, leaving several Iraqi soldiers hurt and damaging much of the squad’s communication equipment.

The Marines and soldiers quickly secured the outer area and continued to clear the rest of the building. Forty minutes later, a second IED detonated. Instead of waiting around to see what other booby traps the enemy had in store for them, the team called in an evacuation team to get the injured to a safer location. As they were doing so, another IED went off, and insurgents began firing at Marines still inside the building.

With very little communications equipment available, the ground forces had no way to let their command know the volatile situation. But the pilots in the air still had communications abilities; they became the radio relay between the ground forces and the command post several miles away.

Fire was coming from all sides, but the pilots could not fire a shot considering the urban landscape. As

Capt Brent Morel Navy Cross

• Hometown: Martin, TN
• Awarded: The Navy Cross

Faced with continual enemy fire from more than 50 insurgents, Capt. Brent L. Morel - by all accounts a "Marine's Marine" - led an assault across an open field with a handful of Marines following closely behind.

Where most would be looking for cover, Morel's assault was aimed at saving others - not himself - according to battlefield accounts.

Consequently, Morel, a platoon commander with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, posthumously received the Navy Cross - the Department of the Navy's second-highest award for combat valor – May 21, 2005, during a ceremony that drew hundreds at the Marine Forces Reserve Training Center.

It was the second Navy Cross awarded in less than two months to a 1st Recon Bn. Marine for combat actions April 7, 2004, during the first offensive in Fallujah as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The two awards are among nine Navy Crosses awarded to U.S. servicemembers for heroism during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Morel's award was presented to his wife, Amy. "Although I would rather have him receive the award in person, I am glad to see that his brave actions did not go unnoticed," Amy said, clutching the medal in her hand.

Sgt. Willie L. Copeland III and several other Marines who fought alongside Morel that day were on hand for the presentation.

"That was the type of Marine Morel was - he led from the front," said Copeland, a team leader with

SGT Ezequiel Mora Bronze Star

Hometown: DeKalb, IL

• Awarded: Bronze Star with Valor

One of the Baghdad neighborhoods covered by Sergeant Ezequiel Mora’s patrol in May of 2007 was Hurriyah, a hotbed of militia activity. While passing through Hurriyah, Mora’s four Humvee convoy was attacked. An explosively formed penetrator, the most lethal type of roadside bomb, went off just as insurgents fired on the convoy with small arms.

The EFP had caused catastrophic damage to the vehicle in the rear of the column, which had the platoon medic and convoy commander in it. He directed his vehicle to be turned around to the disabled and burning Humvee. Ignoring the heavy volume of hostile fire, he leapt out to assist the trapped soldiers. He bravely attempted to rescue the gunner of the Humvee, though temporarily overcome by smoke inhalation he recovered and joined another soldier in continuing the rescue. While doing so, he noticed the platoon’s medic on the ground, badly wounded and Mora immediately began administering first aid. Once another soldier relieved him, Mora moved to the other side of the Humvee to cover his fellow soldiers.

It was then that he noticed that the gunner from the Humvee was finally free, but was bleeding heavily

Sgt Scott Montoya Navy Cross

• Hometown: West Covina, CA
• Awarded: The Navy Cross

Small-arms fire rained down on the men of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines. Both Iraqi civilians and Marines were injured. Pinned down, with the injured needing assistance, Sgt. Scott C. Montoya rushed through enemy fire while "repeatedly exposing himself to fire-swept streets," according to his Navy Cross award citation.

Montoya received the U.S. military's second-highest award at Camp Pendleton for heroism stemming from his actions on April 8, 2003, two weeks into Operation Iraqi Freedom.

With his firearm in one hand engaging the enemy and a badly bleeding Marine in the other, he fought their way 500 yards to safety. He returned to the cross-fire again and dragged another - who'd been dazed by the concussion of a grenade blast - to a casualty collection point. In all, he rescued four injured Marines and one Iraqi civilian out of harm's way, according to his citation.

Montoya's "extraordinary heroism" arose out of the battle for Baghdad.

Montoya described it this way:

"I saw a hurt Marine and all my training came into play. It wasn't a cognitive thing; I just saw the

SSgt Luke Miller Bronze Star

• Hometown: Boise, Idaho
• Awarded: Bronze Star

Then-Sgt. Luke Miller’s tank was participating in an insurgent sweep called “Operation Matador,” near Karbala, Iraq, from May 8-14, 2005. On May 8, his team was told to hold a position near the bridge because the team originally assigned the position was stuck in the desert.

As they entered the town, small-arms and gunfire erupted around them, but they made it safely through the town and to their assigned spot. They waited for their relief to come without incident. With a relief crew on its way, Miller’s and another tank began rolling out of the area.

That’s when Miller heard a large explosion: a roadside bomb had gone off under a nearby tank, severely damaging it. Miller rushed from his tank to help those trapped inside the wrecked tank. As his team provided protective fire, Miller and another Marine pulled a wounded Marine from the tank. Miller then pulled out another injured Marine, slung him over his shoulder, and dodged insurgent fire and delivered him to a waiting helicopter for evacuation. He then returned to his team to rejoin the fight.

When he rejoined his team, they continued sweeping the area and found more than 10 additional areas where insurgents were hiding out.

On Nov. 10, 2005, Miller received the Military Vanguard Award, bestowed annually upon one member of each branch of the military. On Nov. 14, 2005, Miller was awarded the Bronze Star for his efforts in Iraq.

MSG David Miles, Silver Star

• Home State: West Virginia
• Awarded: Silver Star

• During the invasion of Baghdad, Master Sgt. Miles and his team were ambushed by enemy fighters at a bridge overpass in southern Baghdad on April 7, 2003. Outnumbered 20-to-1, three members of Miles’s group got pinned down under the intense firefight and were unable to escape. Miles organized the recovery mission as the enemies continued to attack. He performed first aid on two of his team members, one of whom would have bled to death without treatment. He was able to carry both of them to safety. In all, Miles killed or directed the killing of up to 20 Saddam loyalists.

  For his actions, Miles was awarded the Silver Star Medal on March 10, 2005.

SGT Jason Mike Silver Star

• Hometown: Radcliff, KY
• Awarded: Silver Star

Staff Sgt. Nein and then-Spc. Mike were part of a routine convoy escort on March 20, 2005, when a group of more than 30 insurgents ambushed the convoy. Enemy fighters had taken up positions in irrigation ditches along the road and in an orchard nearby. Insurgents disabled the lead vehicle, bringing the convoy to a halt in the middle of the kill zone. As insurgents began streaming toward the stopped convoy, Nein and his team leader, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, jumped out of their vehicles and took cover near the enemy’s trench. Mike’s vehicle, which was toward the end of the convoy line, took up a position at the other end of the trench, trapping the enemy fighters. As Nein and Hester began clearing the trench of insurgents from one side, another wave of fighters attacked from the other side, wounding three of the four soldiers around Mike. Mike, a medic, moved the injured soldiers out of direct enemy fire, picked up two weapons, and began defending from the attacks on both sides. After Mike eliminated the threat, he began treating the wounded.

Meanwhile, as soldiers provided cover fire, Nein and Hester moved through two trenches filled with enemy fighters. They cleared both trenches, killing 27 insurgents, wounding six, and capturing one. The group also recovered several items of significance, including a video camera that the insurgents were using to film the ambush and another video tape in the pocket of a dead enemy fighter that showed a beheading.

For their actions, Nein and Mike received the Silver Star Medal in June 2005.

• Interview:
  • Apr 08, 2007 (2.2MB)
    WDAY 970 AM

SPC Christopher Merchant, Bronze Star

• Home State: Vermont
• Awarded: Bronze Star

• Merchant arrived in Iraq in October 2005, after volunteering to help Task Force Saber with its mission in the Middle East. On March 1, 2006, Spc. Merchant was in an observation post near an Iraqi police headquarters in Ramadi, Iraq, when a group of insurgents attacked. The enemies attacked with RPGs, small-arms fire, and two vehicle-borne IEDs. Two of the RPGs hit the up-armored Humvee that Merchant was in, killing him instantly.

  Merchant was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, and other service medals on March 1, 2006.

LCpl Justin McLeese, Bronze Star

Hometown: Covington, LA

• Awarded: Bronze Star

Throughout 2004, U.S. forces in Iraq battled an increasingly lethal enemy. The Marine Corps maintained a large presence and engaged itself in hotspots throughout central Iraq. Numerous acts of heroism emerged from the conflict, such as the actions of Lance Corporal Justin McLeese. During the fall of that year, McLeese distinguished himself on duty and in battle, and earned the Bronze Star for his gallantry.

On September 16, McLeese rode in a convoy traveling to an Iraqi compound, when his vehicle flipped off the road after passing over rough, gravel terrain. Thrown 20 feet from the humvee, McLeese ignored his own pain and tended to those still trapped in the vehicle. After pulling his platoon sergeant from wreckage, McLeese rescued another Marine trapped beneath a large amount of gear. McLeese, with help from his platoon, then lifted the humvee off the ground to save a third Marine stuck under the vehicle and pinned underneath a Kevlar ballistic plate.

High-intensity urban combat engulfed Fallujah in November. McLeese and his fellow Marines cleared numerous buildings in the middle of the city. On November 11, his team entered one of the compounds and killed four enemy combatants. An insurgent, after faking his death, tried to engage the Marines from a nearby room. McLeese recognized the impending attack and eliminated the threat with a shotgun blast. Two days later, McLeese entered another building in Fallujah, where enemy fire struck him. Despite multiple gunshot wounds, McLeese fought until the end, before an IED explosion fatally wounded him.

For his dedication to his comrades and courage under fire, McLeese posthumously received the Bronze Star Medal.

SGT Aubrey McDade, Navy Cross

• Hometown: Houston, TX
• Awarded: Navy Cross
• External Links:
  • Savannah's WTOC 11

When Sgt. McDade and his platoon set out on an insurgent-clearing operation on Nov. 11, 2004, they knew that danger lurked around every corner. This was the battle of Fallujah, and this was urban combat. As they entered a narrow alley, the platoon came face to face with one of the most dangerous scenarios for a ground patrol: an ambush. Gunshots echoed in the alley--and three Marines were hit during the first salvo. The platoon was pinned down as heavy gunfire erupted around them. It was nearly impossible to reach the injured Marines--until Sgt. McDade ordered a machine-gun team into the alley to lay down cover fire. He then dashed into the alley multiple times and single-handedly pulled the three Marines out of the line of fire. One of the injured had been killed instantly, but, thanks to McDade’s quick response, the other two received immediate medical attention and survived. For his actions, McDade received the Navy Cross on Jan. 19, 2007.

MSG Anthony Pryor 1st Silver Star in GWOT

• Hometown: Toledo, OR
• Awarded: Silver Star

Master Sgt. Pryor and his team were on a combat mission in Afghanistan on Jan. 23, 2002, searching for suspected terrorists. As Pryor and his team began moving through the area, enemy fighters began firing upon the group. The team got separated, leaving Pryor and another soldier clearing room by room. The other soldier was distracted by an enemy fighter and stayed outside to return fire. Pryor continued forward and as an enemy fighter came charging out of a room, Pryor assisted in killing him. He pushed ahead and found himself alone with three insurgents. As he was engaged with the two who had guns, an insurgent crept up behind Pryor and began attacking, breaking a clavicle and dislocating his shoulder. Pryor wrestled with the assailants, engaging in a hand-to-hand struggle and eventually eliminating him. The two gunmen Pryor had shot revived during the fight, and attempted to kill him, but Pryor quickly began shooting at them again, this time killing them. He then rejoined the fight outside the building. When the battle ended, 21 enemy fighters had been killed. For his actions, Pryor received the Silver Star on June 12, 2003.

• External Links:
  • Army story
  • http://www.defenselink.mil/heroes/profiles/pryorA.html

Sgt Robert Mitchell Jr Navy Cross

• Home State: Nebraska
• Awarded: Navy Cross

The charred remains of four American contractors hung - like trophies – over the Euphrates River. Crowds of Iraqis looked on, shouting: “Fallujah will be the graveyard of the Americans.” It was 2004 in Fallujah: Coalition forces had been forced to pull out of the city, and with an influx of foreign jihadists adding to the insurgent ranks, it had turned into an urban jungle. This was the situation on the ground facing then-Cpl. Robert Mitchell Jr. and his fellow Marines as they headed for Fallujah.

Mitchell, a member of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, was on his second tour to Iraq when Coalition forces launched a joint US –Iraqi offensive to reclaim Fallujah from the insurgents who had fortified the city. Dubbed Operation Phantom Fury, the assault on Fallujah began on Nov. 8, 2004, and quickly turned into a blood, street-by-street contest with Mitchell and his fellow Marines stuck in the thick of fighting.

Day-by-day, Mitchell and his squad pushed through the city, clearing neighborhood by neighborhood. The Marine squad found themselves engaged in classic guerilla warfare, locating and eliminating strong pockets of enemy resistance. During an attack against an insurgent strong hold on Nov. 12, Mitchell was shot through the bicep; but Mitchell continued on, undeterred by the injury.

The next day, an assault against a house went horribly wrong, as several wounded Marines lay trapped

1LT Michael McCarty, Silver Star

• Home State: Arkansas
• Awarded: Silver Star

First Lt. McCarty’s platoon was patrolling in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad on Nov. 20, 2004, when a group of insurgents attacked. As the enemy fighters inflicted a massive assault on the 26-man team, McCarty directed a counterattack. At one point, McCarty charged and destroyed an enemy machine-gun team without any support. In all, his team stopped an enemy three-man machine-gun team and a force of about 75 insurgents. McCarty’s actions prevented the capture of an Iraqi police station. On Feb. 4, 2006, McCarty was awarded the Silver Star Medal. He was previously awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor.

SGT Ryan Martinette, Bronze Star, Medic

• Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA
• Awarded: Bronze Star with 'Valor'

Then Spc. Ryan Martinette, a combat medic, reeled from the blast of an improvised explosive device at almost point-blank range. Regaining his senses, he picked up his medic's bag but found it drenched with blood.

His own.

That was a little over two years ago on the trash and debris-strewn streets of Baghdad, Iraq, where he and his unit happened upon a wounded Iraqi civilian and endured some rather anxious moments thereafter. The Medical Department Activity Soldier earned a Bronze Star with Valor for his actions in the summer of 2006. He was presented with it during a ceremony held Aug. 22, 2008, at Kenner Army Health Clinic, Fort Lee, Va., where he still works.

Maj. Gen. James E. Chambers, Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee commanding general, was on hand to present the award. He said combat medics put themselves in great danger to care for fellow Soldiers, and their value is often understated.

"Until you go to war, you don't know or appreciate who or what a medic is," Chambers said.

Martinette wanted to be a medic and wanted to go to war. He joined four years ago, knowing full well the country was engaged in a bloody terrorist conflict and the sacrifices he would have to make if he ever found himself on the battlefield.

"When you join in a time of war, you understand the risks of that war," the 23-year-old said.  "I was

LT John Finn, Medal of Honor, Pearl Harbor: Happy Birthday

Happy 100^th Mr. John Finn

On Dec 7^th 1941 many Heroes were made. John Finn is one of those men who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery on that day.  He says he doesn’t deserve it and simply holds it for all the others who fought and died that December day.  I disagree. On that Dec. Morning John held his position firing on the enemy for over two hours even though he himself had been hit 21 times. Several of his wounds serious.  Once the skies were quiet he sought medical help after being ordered to and then returned to help rearm the remaining airplanes at Kanoehe Bay.  Because Kanoehe was hit 5 minutes before Pearl Harbor many believe that John Finn is the first one to earn the Medal of Honor during WW2.  But when you sit and listen to his stories he will tell you of his men not of himself.  Even at 99 years old his mind is sharp and he loves to share his stories with those who will listen. 

Army Captain Credits Family

Retired Army Capt. Alvin Eugene Shell Jr. survived third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body while stationed in Iraq. He credits his family, faith and hard work for his recovery.

Wounded Warrior Diaries: Family Heals Together, Stays Together

By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2009 – A retired Army captain who survived third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body while stationed in Iraq believes that through family, faith and a lot of hard work, anything can be overcome.

Capt. Alvin Eugene Shell Jr., who served with the 16th Military Police Brigade, credits his wife, Danielle, his three sons, his mother and father, and his wife’s parents for helping him recover. They are his heroes.

“You can’t define a hero by one act,” Shell said. “A hero is a person

Enlisted Airman Protects Civilian Airliner

Face of Defense: Airman Defuses Commercial Airline Incident

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace, Special to American Forces Press Service

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del., June 29, 2009 – It was enough to make even the calmest airline passengers nervous: an irate man pacing the aisles of a commercial flight shouting, “I want to slit the captain’s throat!”

Col. Thomas Kauth, Logistics Assessment Branch chief, presents Senior Airman Nicholas Barker, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, a certificate of appreciation for his excellence during Dover Air Force Base’s Logistics Standardization and Evaluation Program inspection. Two months later, Barker showed his excellence again by subduing an irate man on an international commercial flight. U.S. Air Force photo by Tom Randle   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

However, in the face of this peril on a June 9 U.S. borne flight to Italy, a Dover mechanic came to the rescue.

Though Senior Airman Nicholas Barker, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, looked like the many other passengers, by the end of the flight it was apparent he was different – he was a hero.

Barker was headed to Naples, where he was to report for maintenance readiness training. However, fate had a different plan for the crew chief that day and he soon found himself in a perilous situation, strong-arming and securing an enraged man speaking Italian.

“He was pacing up and down the aircraft almost as he was looking for something,” explained the Plymouth, Mich., native. “I wasn’t the only person to notice his strange behavior. People all around were looking at him as if he was drunk and the crew was trying to calm him down.”

Since Barker doesn’t speak Italian, he did not know the severity of the situation at first, but recalled

SSG Chad Malmberg, DSC, Iraq

 

• Hometown: St. Paul, MN
• Awarded: Silver Star

On January 27, 2007, Malmberg’s convoy, which included more than 20 gun trucks and logistical vehicles, was traveling from Baghdad International Airport late at night when an IED exploded. The convoy stopped to assess the situation; it soon became clear, however, that the IED was only the beginning of the attack – the largest ambush during Malmberg’s 16-month deployment. Hostile forces melted out of the night and fired rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms. In the darkness, it was difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the fire. Malmberg knew he had to get closer, so he moved forward and engaged several enemy positions. He then exited his vehicle and attempted to direct the other trucks out of the kill zone. The concentration of enemy fire made this maneuver too difficult – which meant that Malmberg and the rest of the team would have to stand their ground and fight to the end.

Malmberg saw fire from behind and moved to support the rear elements. He dealt the attackers a blow with an AT-4 anti-tank shot – before calling in air support.

The enemy fire continued relentlessly, and in such close quarters, the aircraft did not have a clear shot. For the next half hour, Malmberg’s team of 15 soldiers continued to fight an enemy force that