American Heroes in Special Operations Page 16

  SPC Michael D. Carter put the “combat” in Combat Camera.

  A Black Hawk medevac helicopter tried to land in the narrow valley to pick up wounded, but received a hail of enemy gunfire, damaging its rotor blades. It hovered just long enough for its flight medic to jump out, then pulled out. A second Black Hawk came in to land and it too took fire. But it maintained a hover over the roiling river and the Green Berets picked up the worst of their wounded and waded out into the ice-cold stream and put them aboard. As they did, the pilot was grazed by a bullet, but managed to hold the helicopter steady so the wounded could get aboard.

  By the time everyone made it out, two of their Afghan allies were dead and over half the ODA was wounded, four critically. They fought for nearly seven hours, killing upwards of one hundred fifty of the enemy who ambushed them. Many of those kills were thanks to the skillful handling of air support assets by Zachary Rhyner. He called in nearly five thousand rounds of cannon fire, a dozen five-hundred-pound bombs, nine hellfire missiles, a two-thousand-pounder, and one hundred sixty-two rockets, all while fending off the enemy with his own rifle and dodging near-constant machine gun and sniper fire. For his actions, the young Airman received the Air Force Cross.

  In all, ten men of ODA 3336 received Silver Stars for valor that day.

  And John Wayne Walding—complete with a new prosthetic leg plans to return to combat duty and continue to take the fight to the enemy alongside his buddies in the 3rd Special Forces Group. And if he ever comes across any HIG fighters again . . .

  . . . well, they might wish they had killed him when they had the chance.

  ODA 3336 receive their Silver Stars.

  STAFF SGT DILLION BEHR, ROCK ISLAND, IL

  Sergeant Behr’s suppressive fire allowed wounded U.S. and Afghan soldiers to be evacuated to covered positions. Throughout the duration of the six-and-a-half-hour battle, Sergeant Behr continued to fight and kill the enemy, until he was physically incapable of holding his weapon.

  SPC MICHAEL DAVID CARTER, SMITHVILLE, TX

  Specialist Carter left his covered position and charged fifteen feet into insurgent fire providing suppressive fire and recovering a critically wounded detachment member. Recovering the critically wounded soldier, Specialist Carter immediately began rendering life saving aid and continued to suppress insurgent positions threatening to overrun their element. Specialist Carter once again exposed himself as he ran across open ground under intense Insurgent fire to recover a Satellite Communications Radio. Upon returning to the ODA Commander’s position, he assisted him in operating the radio, while continually providing suppressive fire on numerous insurgent positions. His actions allowed the ODA Commander to re-establish communication with higher headquarters, and aided in directing Close Air Support strikes (CAS) onto insurgent positions attempting to maneuver on their location.

  Lt Gen John F. Mullholland awards the Silver Star Medal to Master Sgt Scott Ford of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) for his valor in Afghanistan.

  MASTER SGT SCOTT FORD, ATHENS, OH

  As Sergeant Ford organized a Commando element to assist in moving casualties, he was shot in the chest plate by sniper fire.

  He immediately regained his feet and continued to suppress the enemy until his upper left arm was nearly shot off by a second sniper round.

  With a tourniquet on his arm to stop arterial bleeding, Sergeant Ford was able to conduct a courageous climb down the mountain, with the assistance of another teammate, under intense machine gun and sniper fire.

  Sergeant Ford never stopped leading his men and continued to organize forces to assist his comrades until he was physically incapable of fighting and had to be evacuated.

  STAFF SGT SETH E. HOWARD, KEENE, NH

  As insurgent fighters moved to within forty feet of the C2 location, Sergeant Howard, with complete disregard for his personal safety, moved into the open and engaged advancing insurgent fighters. Sergeant Howard’s composure and courage were remarkable as he provided counter sniper fire, killing between ten and twenty insurgents, including at least four trained insurgent snipers. While his teammates made a daring descent down a sheer cliff, under fire Sergeant Howard continued to provide suppressive fire. He refused to withdraw from his position, although he had less than a magazine left of ammunition, until all of his ODA and Commandos were off the mountain.

  STAFF SGT LUIS MORALES, FREDERICKSBURG, VA

  As he maneuvered his element into position and began placing a heavy volume of suppressive fire against the elevated insurgent positions, one detachment member in his assault force was critically wounded along with several Afghan Commandos. With total disregard for his own personal safety, Sergeant Morales heroically ran back out into the line of fire to render aid using his body to shield his teammate until he, himself was wounded. Ignoring the severity of his wound, and losing a tremendous amount of blood, he quickly administered self aid and then returned to providing life saving aid to his more severely wounded teammate until he became critically wounded by a second gunshot. After being pulled back to cover, Sergeant Morales assisted in treating three other critically wounded casualties, reassuring both junior soldiers and Commandos. At one point during the six-and-a-half-hour battle, his position was nearly overrun by insurgent fighters, but Sergeant Morales held his ground killing multiple insurgents. During evacuation down a sixty-foot cliff, he again put forth a momentous effort by refusing assistance allowing other detachment members to move more seriously wounded casualties.

  STAFF SGT DAVID J. SANDERS, HUNTSVILLE, AL

  While organizing casualties for extrication off the mountain, his Team Sergeant was wounded by insurgent fire during movement on the primary route. Sergeant Sanders immediately reconnoitered for and located an alternate but more arduous route down the mountain. Sergeant Sanders ascended and descended the mountain three times in order to move non-ambulatory casualties to the Casualty Collection Point (CCP). During danger CAS strikes he shielded the casualties with his body from falling debris. Once all casualties were consolidated at the CCP Sergeant Sanders reconnoitered and established a Helicopter Landing Zone for extraction.

  STAFF SGT RONALD J. SHURER, PULLMAN, WA

  Sergeant Shurer courageously exposed himself by running fifteen meters through heavy insurgent fire to render aid to his seriously wounded Team Sergeant. Despite being hit in the helmet and wounded in the arm by Iinsurgent sniper fire, he immediately pulled his Team Sergeant to a covered position, and rendered aid as Insurgent rounds impacted inches from their location. Without hesitation, he moved back through heavy insurgent fire to treat another teammate that suffered a traumatic amputation of his right leg from insurgent sniper fire. Sergeant Shurer rendered life-saving aid to four critically wounded casualties for more than five and a half hours. As the lone medic at the besieged location, and almost overrun by and fighting against nearly two hundred insurgent fighters, Sergeant Shurer’s bravery and poise under fire saved the lives of all wounded casualties under his care. He evacuated three critically wounded, non-ambulatory, teammates down a near vertical sixty-foot cliff, despite being under heavy insurgent fire and falling debris from numerous danger-close air strikes. Sergeant Shurer ingeniously used a six foot length of nylon webbing to lower casualties, and physically shielded them from falling debris to ensure their safety.

  Ten soldiers from the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) are honored at a ceremony in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They received the Silver Star for their actions in combat during their deployment to Afghanistan. From left are Capt Kyle Walton, Master Sgt Scott Ford, Staff Sgt Dillion Behr, Staff Sgt Seth Howard, Sgt 1st Class Luis Morales, Lt Gen John F. Mullholland, Staff Sgt David Sanders, Staff Sgt John Walding, Staff Sgt Ronald Shurer, Staff Sgt Matthew Williams, Spc Michael D. Carter, Col Gus Benton II, and Command Sgt Maj Terry L. Peters.

  STAFF SGT JOHN W. WALDING, GROESBECK, TX

  Sta
ff Sergeant John W. Walding, United States (U.S.) Army, heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the U.S., while serving as the Communications Sergeant for Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 3336, Special Operations Task Force—33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force—Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

  On 6 April 2008, Sergeant Walding heroically distinguished himself during a combined raid against a high-value target in Shok Valley, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.

  With disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Walding fought his way through intense sniper, machine gun, and RPG fire to reinforce his ODA and Afghan Commandos pinned down by effective insurgent fire.

  Sergeant Walding led an assault element from the ODA and Commandos uphill for over an hour to reach the beleaguered force pinned against a near vertical sixty-foot cliff.

  Undeterred, knowing they had multiple urgent casualties and in danger of being overrun, Sergeant Walding led a courageous attack five hundred meters up treacherous terrain, braving danger close air strikes to reinforce the most forward position.

  After moving forward under insurgent fire for more than an hour and killing multiple insurgents, he finally reached the besieged element and began to organize Commandos to evacuate casualties.

  His heroic actions and leadership under the worst of circumstances motivated his Commandos and his team mates to fight on as they faced nearly two hundred well trained insurgents, during the six-and-a-half-hour gun battle.

  As Sergeant Walding suppressed iInsurgent positions, in order to protect his fallen comrades, he was shot in the lower right leg by sniper fire, effectively amputating his leg below the knee. Despite receiving a life threatening amputation of his leg, Sergeant Walding continued to suppress insurgent positions in order to defend his comrades.

  His heroic actions and determination in the face of extreme pain inspired the entire assault force.

  His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Special Operations Task Force—33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force—Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central and the United States Army.

  Capt Kyle Walton, right, and Master Sgt Scott Ford, left, talk to an interpreter in Eastern Afghanistan.

  CAPT KYLE M. WALTON, CARMEL, IN

  While pulling casualties to cover, the tip of his rifle barrel was shot off. Knowing his weapon was no longer accurate beyond a short distance, Captain Walton courageously continued to identify targets for other soldiers to engage despite being impacted by two rounds to his helmet. As the situation deteriorated and the casualties mounted, Captain Walton came to the realization that his entire element was in danger of being completely overrun by insurgent forces. Captain Walton relayed this information to his headquarters and requested the placement of danger close attack helicopter and fixed wing close air support on all known and suspected insurgent positions. He authorized the use of two-thousand-pound bombs to be dropped almost directly on top of his position in order to prevent insurgent forces from overrunning the American and Afghan elements. His audacious decision allowed just enough freedom of maneuver to evacuate all casualties down a sixty-foot cliff in preparation for medical evacuation.

  STAFF SGT MATTHEW O. WILLIAMS, CASPER, WY

  While under insurgent sniper and machine gun fire, Sergeant Williams descended with his Team Sergeant off a sixty-foot near vertical cliff to the Casualty Collection Point (CCP) and continued providing him first aid. Sergeant Williams observed, shot, and killed two insurgent fighters attempting to maneuver on the CCP. Sergeant Williams then braved a hail of small arms fire and climbed back up to the cliff in order evacuate other injured soldiers, and repair his ODA Commander’s radio. After returning to the CCP with three wounded U.S. soldiers, Insurgent fighters began maneuvering to overrun the CCP for the second time. Sergeant Williams and the Afghan Commandos launched a counterattack and gallantly fought for several hours against at least two hundred insurgents. With disregard for his personal safety, he exposed himself to insurgent fire from multiple directions and carried casualties to the Medical Evacuation helicopter, then continued to suppress numerous Insurgent positions and direct Commando fire.

  AIR FORCE CROSS:

  STAFF SGT ZACHARY J. RHYNER AIR FORCE

  For service as set forth in the following:

  CITATION:

  The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Senior Airman Zachary J. Rhyner, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy of the United States while serving with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, at Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on 6 April 2008. On that date, while assigned as Special Tactics Combat Controller, Airman Rhyner executed a day rotary-wing infiltration with his Special Forces team to capture high-value insurgents in a village on the surrounding mountains. While climbing near vertical terrain to reach their objective, the team was attacked in a well-coordinated and deadly ambush. Devastating sniper, machine gun, and rocket-propelled grenade fire poured down on the team from elevated and protected positions on all sides, immediately pinning down the assault force. Without regard for his life, Airman Rhyner placed himself between the most immediate threats and provided suppressive fire with his M-4 rifle against enemy fire while fellow teammates were extracted from the line of fire. Airman Rhyner bravely withstood the hail of enemy fire to control eight United States Air Force fighters and four United States Army attack helicopters. Despite a gunshot wound to the left leg and being trapped on a 60-foot cliff under constant enemy fire, Airman Rhyner controlled more than fifty attack runs and repeatedly repelled the enemy with repeated danger close air strikes, several within one hundred meters of his position. Twice, his actions prevented his element from being overrun during the intense six-and-a-half-hour battle. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Airman Rhyner reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

  Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley presents Staff Sgt Zachary Rhyner the Air Force Cross.

  CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL (WITH VALOR) TO SSG ROBERT GUTIERREZ JR.

  Despite being struck twice by 7.62-mm bullets in the helmet, Sergeant Gutierrez maintained his calm demeanor and continued to prosecute targets. As the fight continued, the insurgents shifted their efforts toward arriving helicopters and engaged them with heavy fire. Sergeant Gutierrez coordinated with the ground force commander to delay friendly force extraction until the enemy positions could be suppressed. Enabled by his systematic control of air power during the fight, all seventeen friendly casualties were safely evacuated and forty enemy fighters were killed.

  SSG Robert Gutierrez receiving the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for action in 2008.

  THE “AWAKENING”

  SOMEWHERE IN IRAQ

  The pundits were finally pointing to progress in Iraq. The “Awakening” started in al Anbar province as a coalition between tribal sheiks, was bolstered by the added commitment of U.S. troops known as “the surge.” By mid-2008, it was beginning to look like the coalition might actually win the war if the Iraqi and American people could be convinced to stay the course.

  As the “Awakening” took hold, Special Operations forces were as busy as ever, moving around the country at a frenetic pace, following intelligence leads and hunting down remaining elements of al-Qaeda wherever they could be found.

  That is how Specialist Joe Gibson, a Ranger with 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, found himself packed in with a platoon of his comrades on Black Hawk helicopters streaking through the Iraqi night toward the likely hiding place of a band of al-Qaeda holdouts.

  Gibson was no stranger to missions like these.
In three combat tours of Iraq, he’d participated in dozens of similar missions. It was the kind of thing he’d joined the army to do—go where the action was and do bad things to bad people.

  The Black Hawks flared hard and set down in a farmer’s field near their objective. The Rangers piled out and fell into the prone position around the Night Stalker Black Hawks, their weapons loaded and ready to fire.

  Seconds later they realized the enemy was similarly prepared. No sooner had the dust from the helos departure begun to settle than AK-47 and RPK machine gun rounds began to crack and zip through the tall grass. The rangers deployed in the tall grass and returned fire, making full use of their sophisticated night vision giving them the edge on the nearly moonless night.