A Bronze Star Medal with Valor hangs from the pocket of a U.S. Air Force JTAC assigned to the Special Operations Task Force – North, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Wilt. I wrote a post about losing a friend of mine ("Coot") a few years ago. I have never identified him by name because of what he did (well) and the safety of the family that goes on without him. Here's a story that no one really picks up because, well, you can't really talk about the soldiers involved - or, in this case, an SF Warrant Officer and his JTAC. I chose to show the photo of the un-named JTAC Broze Star [Valor] on purpose. Too often, our Zoomie brothers don't get the recognition they deserve... Advising, training and assisting Iraqi Security Forces is one of the key missions for U.S. Forces in Iraq during Operation New Dawn. The Iraqis are in the lead for security operations, and U.S. forces facilitate their requests for help since the capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces are continually developing. One request emerged shortly after the transition to Operation New Dawn. On Sept. 12, an Army Special Forces Warrant Officer and an Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller from Special Operations Task Force – North, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula, became decisively engaged in one of the largest operations since the beginning of Operation New Dawn. On Oct. 23, the two men were awarded Bronze Star Medals for valorous actions while advising and assisting Iraqi Security Forces in the village of Hadid in Diyala province. The two servicemen, along with other members of a Special Forces detachment, and members of the Iraqi 5th Emergency Response Battalion, responded to a request for assistance in the small village northwest of Baqubah, Iraq. “We knew there was shooting going on, but we weren’t expecting to get too much out of it,” the Air Force JTAC said. Once the combined U.S. Special Forces and Iraqi Emergency Response Battalion force arrived in the village, they coordinated with the Iraqi commander in charge of the operation as well as the senior U.S. commander on the ground. The two commanders discussed a plan of attack. In response to the Iraqi commander’s request, the U.S. commander requested the JTAC to call for an airstrike to eliminate one of the enemy’s key positions. Two bombs were dropped by F-16s overhead, which neutralized a building enemy fighters were using for cover. The JTAC said he was in the mindset that the team “could be in for a firefight, but didn’t expect to be dropping any bombs” due to the current role of U.S. Forces in Operation New Dawn. Once the building was neutralized, the 5th Iraqi Emergency Response Battalion and their U.S. counterparts were tasked to clear a nearby palm grove. It was during the clearing operation when the simple task of advising and assisting became not so simple. After several assaults on the grove by the Iraqi Security Forces, the 5th Emergency Response Battalion, an Iraqi counterterrorism unit, moved into the palm grove with the Special Forces detachment observing a short distance behind them. As the combined force approached suspected enemy positions, they were engaged by small-arm and machine gun fire. Two Bronze Stars with Valor stand out among the awards presented by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo during an awards ceremony at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, in Baqubah, Iraq. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Emmanuel Rios. During the ensuing firefight, an Iraqi soldier was wounded. Disregarding his own safety, a U.S. Special Forces medical sergeant from the detachment went to the Iraqi soldier’s aid. The detachment’s chief warrant officer followed the medic to provide cover and was struck in the chin by a piece of shrapnel from a ricocheted bullet. The chief warrant officer said when he ran to accompany the Special Forces medical sergeant, he was struck by a bullet fragment. “I just saw blood on my uniform and weapon,” he added. “I wasn’t worried about it at the time. I was worried about [the Special Forces medical sergeant] and getting the Iraqis to mitigate the threat.” The chief warrant officer said he tried to organize the Iraqi forces to regain the initiative. He advised the Emergency Response Battalion to bring gun trucks into the grove to help regain momentum. At the direction of the U.S. commander, the JTAC coordinated with the detachment leadership to use the supporting AH-64 Apache helicopters to conduct strafing runs on suspected insurgent positions within the palm grove as the combined force moved to a new position. After reorganizing, the force began a second advance on the enemy’s position. During the renewed assault, several members of the detachment became pinned down as the Emergency Response Battalion forces moved through the grove ahead of them. The JTAC said as the team moved forward, they were faced with sniper and machine gun fire. Despite the gunfire, the JTAC said they continued moving forward using a trench system for cover. As the team advanced, he continually attempted to employ the available air support to locate the enemy position. During the firefight, the JTAC was shot in the helmet, and the bullet remained lodged in it. “I believe it was a direct hit,” he added. “It rocked me pretty good.” Once cleared by the medical sergeant, he continued directing the aircraft overhead. The team continued advancing until darkness fell on the grove At the Oct. 23 ceremony at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo, the U.S. Division-North and 3rd Infantry Division commander, presented the two men their Bronze Star Medals with Valor. Cucolo also presented 30 other U.S. Division-North Soldiers with awards for their involvement during the Hadid incident. “I stand in awe of everyone in this formation,” Cucolo said as he thanked them for their deeds. Both the Special Forces chief warrant officer and the JTAC were modest about their actions. “I don’t really care...
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/wiWl79wLuBA/the-un-named-someone-you-should-know-but-never-will.html
Posted
Mar 16 2011, 12:01 AM
by
BLACKFIVE