POPE AIR FIELD
21ST SPECIAL
TACTICS SQUADRON
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Fort Bragg Airmen Honored for Valor - 161 Medals
Posted April 11, 2014
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Fayetteville, N.C.
— The members of the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Army
Airfield execute dangerous missions very close to enemy lines.
On Friday, about 50 of the airmen received 161 medals for their actions while deployed in Afghanistan.
Among them were Staff
Sgt. Jordan Killam, who was awarded a Bronze Star. Sr. Airman Devon
Butcher received one, too. He rushed to help fellow airmen wounded
after their vehicle hit a bomb.
Pictured Left, Jordan Killam; Staff Sgt. Jordan Killam earned a Bronze Star for his bravery in Afghanistan.
"Basically, our convoy hit a 250-pound improvised
explosive device buried in the ground,” Butcher said. “We
had some individuals who were pretty messed up from that.”
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His commander said Butcher moved to pull enemy fire towards him, which
saved lives. Butcher’s family members came from Montana to attend the
awards ceremony at Fort Bragg.
“I think it was heroism,” his father, Perry Butcher, said. “He put himself out there to save others.”
None of the airmen receiving medals Friday considers himself a hero.
“What I would
say about those guys is the valor they show on the battlefield –
the uncommon valor – is common,” Lt. Commander Jason Self
said. “That’s what I think is unique about special tactics.
They continue day in and day out, every single one of them, to do
heroic, courageous acts.”
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Special Tactics Airmen Awarded
Top Combat Decorations
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by Rachel Caldwell
Special
to the 24th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
1/13/2014 - POPE FIELD, N.C. -- Already the U.S. Air Force's
most
decorated community since the end of the Vietnam War, Air Force Special
Tactics added to its total over the weekend.
Three Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen received Silver Star
and Purple Heart medals in a ceremony at Pope Field, N.C., Jan. 10.
Combat Controllers Master Sgt. Delorean Sheridan and Staff Sgt.
Christopher Baradat received the Silver Star, the U.S. military's
third-highest decoration for gallantry in combat, for their efforts in
Afghanistan last year.
Technical
Sgt.
Jeremy Whiddon, a special tactics tactical air control party member,
received the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in combat also in
Afghanistan. Sheridan, Baradat and Whiddon are assigned to the 21st
Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Field, N.C.
"Getting
the
Silver Star is a humbling experience, but I was just doing my job,"
Baradat said. "Everyone did what they had to do that day to make the
mission successful."
Fiel
presented
the Pope Field decorations in front of an auditorium full of the
honorees' family and friends, fellow Special Tactics Airmen, members
from Army Special Forces members, and representatives for North
Carolina's congressional members.
"Your strength and tenacity epitomizes what being a warrior and a
Special Tactics Airman is all about," said Fiel.
All
three
Airmen attributed their ability to act decisively in critical moments
on the battlefield to the extensive physical and physiological training
they undergo. Training enabled Sheridan to act largely from muscle
memory, he said.
"The
training
kicks in and there is a reason why it is as rigorous as it is because,
at these times, you have to be able to step up and react," he said.
In
March 2013,
Sheridan was preparing for a mission with his Army Special Forces team
when an Afghan National Police Officer working with the team opened
fire from a machine gun at 25 feet. The teammates to Sheridan's
immediate left and right were hit.
Puffs
of smoke
blew up around him. When he realized what was happening, his first
instinct was to grab his team leader and get him out, he said.
As
he turned to react, Sheridan saw his team leader shot in the head at
close range.
At
the same time, a group of about 20 insurgents fired on the team from a
position outside of the base in what was a coordinated attack.
To
Sheridan
the insider attack was like "having someone sneak into your house in
the middle of the night." It provoked an instantaneous reaction.
He
ran toward
the shooter, jumped into the turret of an armored vehicle and shot him
twice with his pistol and nine times with an M4 rifle.
One
by one, he
dragged his team leader, team sergeant and the infantry squad
noncommissioned officer in charge to an area where they could be
extracted by medevac.
Sheridan,
33,
called in six medevac flights and helped transfer his wounded teammates
to litters while controlling aircraft overhead.
He
helped save the lives of 23 critically wounded personnel on what was
his sixth deployment.
Baradat,
of
San Rafael, Calif., was working as part of an Army Special Forces team
in April 2013 when tasked to retrieve a group of pinned-down coalition
forces.
His
job was to
control the air assets supporting the team on the mission. When they
came under fire, Baradat directed the 30mm guns of the A-10s overhead
on the enemy prior to taking cover with his teammates.
When
he
realized he could not control the aircraft effectively from his covered
position, he moved from safety to the center of the compound where he
was sprayed with dirt from consistent machine gun fire.
Standing
in the thick of the firefight did not phase Baradat, though his
teammates were urging him to take cover.
"That
was where I needed to be standing to communicate with the aircraft and
to get the mission done," he said.
Baradat,
24,
continued to direct the A-10 and AC-130 aircraft even as his team left
the area with the coalition members by jumping on the running board of
his vehicle, again exposing himself to fire.
As
a result of his actions, 150 coalition members were saved and more than
50 enemies killed on what was his third deployment.
On
receiving
their decorations, both Sheridan and Baradat thanked the Army members
of their deployed teams for attending the ceremony.
"We
lost
two-thirds of our team [on the mission] so about half of the guys who
were there today were wounded in the firefight," Sheridan said.
Lt.
Col. Jason
Self, commander of the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, said his Airmen
contributed to the proud heritage of the squadron.
"The
21st
Special Tactics Squadron has a legacy of valor and heroism," Self said.
"Both Sheridan and Baradat contributed to this continued legacy of the
unit in their phenomenal performance of protecting the lives of our
servicemen."
Sheridan
and
Baradat's Silver Stars are the 27th and 28th for the Special Tactics
community since the end of the Vietnam War. Conflicts that include
Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, Operation Just Cause in Panama, the
1993 Battle of the Black Sea in Somalia - later made into a Hollywood
motion picture titled "Black Hawk Down," and operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan. During that span, six members of the community have also
been awarded the Air Force Cross, second highest decoration to only the
Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in combat.
As
the small
ribbons that speak volumes were pinned to the chests of the three
Airmen, Fiel referred to their acts of extraordinary heroism as an
example to all.
"This
calls us to look into ourselves and be prepared for our own moments of
courage and bravery."
(Editor's
Note: Two Special Tactics Airmen with the Kentucky Air National Guard
were awarded the Bronze Star with Valor medals in a separate ceremony at Staniford Field, KY, Jan. 12. 123rd
Special Tactics Squadron Kentucky guardsmen Tech. Sgt. Jeff Kinlaw and
Tech. Sgt. Robert Bonello received the Bronze Star with Valor.)
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| Three
Special Tactics airmen received special recognition Friday at Fort
Bragg's Pope
Field. |
The
citation
explaining Baradat's actions explains that gunfire was hitting the
ground around him close enough to spray him with dirt.
"Sergeant
Baradat's selfless and heroic actions directly resulted in over 50
enemy fighters killed while saving the lives of over 150 friendly
personnel," Williams read from the citation.
Above;
Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, left, and Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat stand at
attention as Baradat's narrative is read during a medal ceremony on
Pope Field. Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel will present the Silver Star, the
nation's third highest decoration for heroism during combat, to Master
Sgt. Delorean Sheridan and Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat and the
Purple Heart medal to Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Whiddon for their actions in
Kunar and Wardak provinces, Afghanistan, March 11 to April 6, 2013.
Whiddon's
Purple Heart came in recognition of the traumatic brain injury he
suffered as a result of a 24-hour battle involving gunfire and
explosions. That battled occurred in Afghanistan in May of 2013.
"I
was hit pretty good by some large explosions," Whiddon said.
Nonetheless,
he continued working to communicate with aircraft that were needed to
help U.S. forces during the battle.
"It's
good to be recognized. At the same time though it's not what you were
looking for when you started," Whiddon said.
A
ceremony
recognized Master Sgt. Delorean Sheridan and Staff Sgt. Christopher
Baradat, and Technical Sgt. Jeremy Whiddon. Delorean and Baradat were
involved in separate gun fights in Afghanistan last spring that earned
each of them a silver star. Whiddon received a Purple Heart medal as a
result of a battle that also occurred last spring in Afghanistan.
The
men are Combat Controllers assigned to the Air Force's 21st Special Tactics
Squadron, which is based at Pope Field. Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel presented
Sheridan and the other men their respective medals. First Lt. Ian H.
Williams narrated the ceremony.
In
March of
last year Sheridan was in a group huddle with his team of U.S. and
Afghan Special Forces when an Afghan National Police officer with a
truck-mounted machine gun started firing at them. 15 to 20 other enemy
fighters started firing also, and Sheridan immediately thought to grab
his team leader he said.
"As
I went to
grab him I saw him get shot in the head, closer than I am to you,"
Sheridan told news reporters gathered a few feet in front of him after
the ceremony.
At
that point Sheridan ran toward the first gunman, shot and killed him
and ran through gunfire three more times to pull injured comrades to
safety.
"My
teammates
were out there and I had to get to them," Sheridan explained. "It
doesn't matter. I have to get to my teammates and get them to a safe
spot."
Sheridan
also called in aircraft for medical evacuations and to attacks on the
insurgents.
Just
before Sheridan received his Silver Star, Williams read from the
citation that explains Sheridan's actions.
"Sergeant
Sheridan's complete disregard for his personal safety and extreme calm
under pressure despite grave danger to himself and others directly
resulted in saving the lives of 23 critically wounded personnel,"
Williams read.
The
following
month Baradat was with his Special Forces team as they went into a
valley to help coalition forces escape an attack. While being shot at,
for three hours he came out into the open to communicate with aircraft
and guide them to attack the enemy forces. His own safety was
afterthought he said.
"All
I could
think about was being able to do my job to help support the team and
get them out of there," Baradat explained after the ceremony. "So I
wasn't thinking about that at the time."
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| Elite
Airmen's Heroics Honored with Silver Star medals, Purple Heart at Fort
Bragg |
They risked life and limb to protect their teams, guiding in
helicopters to carry away the wounded and directing precision attacks
from orbiting aircraft.
But
for the three elite airmen honored Friday at Fort Bragg's Pope Field,
it was all in a day's work.
In
a
small ceremony attended by members of Fort Bragg's Air Force and
special operations communities, a three-star general presented medals
to members of the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, which is based at Pope
Field.
Two
airmen, Combat Controllers, received the Silver Star medal, the U.S.
military's third-highest award for valor. They are Master Sgt. Delorean
M. Sheridan and Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Baradat.
Above;
Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, Air Force Special Operations Command commander,
awards the Silver Star medal to Master Sgt. Delorean Sheridan, 21st
Special Tactics Squadron, Jan. 10, 2014, at Pope Army Airfield, Fort
Bragg, N.C., for heroically distinguishing himself by gallantry in
connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the
United States in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, March 11, 2013
Both
were honored for actions in Afghanistan, where they served alongside
Green Berets from Fort Bragg's 3rd Special Forces Group.
A
third
airman, Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Whiddon, was presented the Purple Heart medal
for injuries sustained during a third battle in Afghanistan.
All
had deployed multiple times before last year.
Lt.
Gen. Eric Fiel, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command at
Hurlburt Field, Fla., said it was a "personal honor" to award the
medals to the three airmen.
He
praised the special tactics community and heralded the group as the
most decorated Air Force unit since the Vietnam War.
Fiel
presented the 27th and 28th Silver Star medals that have been earned by
special tactics airmen during that span, he said.
"You
were not just doing your job. You knew the dangers, and you didn't back
down," Fiel said. "Your strength and tenacity epitomizes what being a
warrior and a special tactics airman is all about."
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Looking back on the battle for which Sheridan earned his medal, he
compared it to a home invasion.
"It's
a bit like having someone sneak into your house in the middle of the
night," he said.
Sheridan
was huddled together with Green Berets and Afghan forces on March 11,
2013, when the attack occurred.
The
team was getting ready to go on patrol but had not yet left the
relative safety of an Afghan police headquarters in Wardak province
when an Afghan National Police officer attacked with a truck-mounted
machine gun from 25 feet away.
Sheridan
recalled seeing puffs of smoke before he heard the bullets.
He
recalled looking over his right should and seeing the shooter, then
turning to a teammate just in time to see him shot in the head.
"There
wasn't time to think," Sheridan said. "It was reactionary. . It was
'save and stop.'"
As
men
fell to the left and right of Sheridan, 15 to 20 insurgents from
outside the base began a simultaneous attack, opening fire with machine
guns.
Sheridan,
however, was focused on the gunman who was mowing down his team.
Sheridan
moved toward his attacker, then leapt onto the back of an armored
vehicle.
Sheridan
shot and killed the attacker, then moved in and out of enemy fire to
drag his teammates to safety.
"My
teammates were out there," Sheridan said."I had to get them."
Over
the next 30 minutes, with enemy fire still raining down, Sheridan
coordinated both medical evacuations and close air support that engaged
insurgents, leading to four more enemy deaths.
"Sgt.
Sheridan's complete disregard for personal safety and extreme calm
under pressure despite grave danger to himself and others directly
resulted in saving the lives of 23 critically wounded personnel,"
according to the Silver Star citation. "By his gallantry and devotion
to duty, Sgt. Sheridan has reflected great credit upon himself and the
United States Air Force."
At
Friday's ceremony, Sheridan said he was only doing his job.
"I
was
just a member of a team," he said, referring to the Green Berets who
attended the ceremony. "They kept me alive every night, and I did my
piece."
According
to reports, two U.S. soldiers and two Afghan police officers were
killed in the attack.
Sheridan
said roughly two-thirds of the members of his team were wounded,
including many who attended the ceremony.
He
said the Green Berets are true warriors and that it was wonderful to
have them present at the ceremony.
"It's
the best thing in the world," Sheridan said.
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Just a few weeks after Sheridan helped thwart the insider attack in
Wardak province, he listened as a battle waged across Afghanistan in
Kunar province.
Glued
to his radio, Sheridan said he was scared, frightened, afraid and
pumped as he followed the actions of Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Baradat.
Baradat
was part of a quick reactionary force that included Green Berets and
Afghan forces who were deployed to rescue coalition troops pinned down
by enemy fire on April 6.
Moving
on foot through the treacherous Sono Valley, a known sanctuary for
Taliban and al-Qaida militants, Baradat and others were attacked as
they closed in on the pinned-down allies.
"We
knew there were enemy fighters in that valley," Baradat recalled. "But
our focus was on the rescue."
As
enemy fire struck around him, Baradat said he was focused on doing his
job.
"I
just reverted back to my training," he said.
According
to officials, Baradat charged through a hail of enemy gunfire to direct
attacks from an A-10 aircraft before taking cover in a small compound
with a handful of teammates.
Then,
despite his teammates telling him to take cover, Baradat exposed
himself to enemy fire to allow for better communication between him and
overhead aircraft.
"Ignoring
repeated shouts from his teammate to take cover, over the next three
hours Sgt. Baradat calmly directed lethal engagements from A-10 and
AC-130 aircrafts onto 13 enemy fighting positions consisting of over
100 fighters, while ignoring enemy machine gun rounds impacting all
around him, spraying him with dirt," according to the citation.
Once
all friendly forces were able to leave the valley, Baradat again showed
incredible bravery, according to the citation, as he continued to call
in airstrikes from the running board of a vehicle while under enemy
fire.
Baradat
was responsible for the deaths of more than 50 enemy fighters and saved
the lives of more than 150 friendly troops, officials said.
He
credited his teammates for allowing him to do his job and said their
presence at the ceremony meant a lot to him.
"They
were just as extraordinary," he said, saying he considers the medal a
"team award."
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The
third airman recognized Friday, Whiddon said he was not looking for a
medal when he deployed for the eighth time of his career last year.
Whiddon
was wounded May 29 during a 24-hour battle in Afghanistan, where he was
repeatedly rattled by explosions as he coordinated air support during a
battle with insurgents.
Battling
through a traumatic brain injury, Whiddon said he was focused on not
letting his team down.
"You
do what you're asked to do," he said. "I wasn't finished yet.
"We
do this for the team," Whiddon added. "You're fighting for the guys
next to you."
Left;
Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, Air Force Special Operations Command commander,
awards the Purple Heart medal to Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Whiddon, 21st
Special Tactics Squadron, Jan. 10, 2014, at Pope Army Airfield, Fort
Bragg, N.C., for wounds received in action on May 29, 2013. |
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Special
Tactics Airmen earn Silver Star,
Bronze Star, Purple Heart
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Above; Lt.
Gen. Eric Fiel, commander of Air Force Special
Operations Command, Capt.
Blake Luttrell, Silver Star recipient, Staff Sgt.
Jordan Killam, Purple Heart recipient, Staff Sgt. Daniel Resendez,
Bronze Star
with Valor recipient, and Chief Master Sgt. William Turner, command
chief of
Air Force Special Operations Command, stop for a photo at closing of
the award
ceremony. The three airmen were recognized September 25, 2012 at Pope
Field,
N.C. for their accomplishments and bravery during combat operations in
Afghanistan.
by Rachel Arroyo, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
9/28/2012
- Pope Field, N.C. -- When the critical moment came there was courage.
There
was courage from an Airman who moved into the line of fire to retrieve
bodies of fallen Afghan commandos.
One
Airman risked sniper fire to call in air support and another Airman
continued to fight despite shrapnel wounds from a hand grenade.
Three
Air Force Special Operations Command Combat Controllers from the 21st
Special Tactics Squadron were recognized for actions in deployed
locations during a medals ceremony at Pope Field, N.C., Sept. 25.
Capt. Blake Luttrell
earned the Silver Star. Staff Sgt. Daniel Resendez earned the
Bronze Star with Valor, and Staff Sgt. Jordan Killam received the
Purple Heart.
"These
decorations were earned years in advance through long physical, mental
and technical training pipelines; across experiences from previous
deployments and from lessons passed on by the men who bore the
standards before you," said Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, the AFSOC commander .
Lutrell
was presented the Silver Star, the nation's third highest combat
military decoration, for gallantry in action against an enemy of the
U.S. in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, January 2012.
When
his clearing operation team came under intense fire from insurgents in
a cave compound, two Afghan commandos were shot. Lutrell recovered the
casualties while directing air power against the enemy.
After
a medical evacuation, the team medic was critically wounded while
protecting his teammates and women and children near the enemy
stronghold.
Luttrell
responded by throwing a smoke grenade into the caves the enemy was
firing from. He moved in front of the cave to pull the medic to a
location where another medevac helicopter landed to extract the medic
from the fight.
Resendez
received the Bronze Star with Valor, the nation's fourth highest combat
military decoration, for heroism in action against an enemy of the U.S.
in Nuristan province, Afghanistan, May 2011.
As
the joint terminal attack controller for an Army special forces and
Afghan commando team, Resendez controlled close air support to
eliminate insurgents firing on the clearing operation.
Resendez
controlled the release of a 500-pound bomb in response to heavy mortar,
machine gun, sniper and small-arms fire.
Resendez
exposed himself to sniper fire, which missed his head by two feet, to
gain target information crucial to destroying an enemy position. He
controlled danger-close strafe runs on the enemy and marked an
extraction zone for coalition wounded and casualities.
Killam
was presented the Purple Heart, the nation's oldest military
authorization, for shrapnel wounds incurred from an enemy hand grenade.
Though
these quiet professionals may shirk the limelight, there is value in
recognizing these men up front, special tactics leaders said. Medals
ceremonies not only recognize courageous actions but provide an example
for the younger generation of secial tactics Airmen.
They
also provide an opportunity for families to see what their son, father
or nephew do on a routine basis.
"Our
men signed up to do the mission," Col. Robert Armfield, the 24th
Special Operations Wing commander. "They love to do the mission and go
downrange. But the families here are their real source of strength, and
we thank them for coming."
Lt.
Col. Spencer Cocanour, the commander of the 21st Special Tactics
Squadron, said he is proud to lead a group of men who consistently
exceed standards in training and downrange.
Combat
Controllers complete a two-year pipeline as a minimum standard to enter
their unit, Cocanour said. From that point, it takes about another year
to earn the joint terminal attack control qualification which enables
them to control close air support.
"In
essence, these guys are training for three years just to go to the
fight," Cocanour said. "Every day they have to prove themselves. These
guys met the standards, exceeded the standards and continue to excel.
And you see their work ethic being displayed right here when they're
being decorated."
The
single most decorated career field in the Air Force, special tactics
has amassed five Air Force Crosses, 30 Silver Stars, 550 Bronze Stars
and 97 Purple Hearts.
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39
airmen from 21st
Special Tactics Squadron
earn 50 medals
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Staff writer
Drew Brooks can be reached at brooksd@fayobserver.com, Wed Sep 19,
2012
It's not often most of the airmen of the
21st Special
Tactics Squadron are in one place.
The Air Force special operators are
deployed for nearly half
the year every 10 months, attaching themselves to small groups of Green
Berets,
Navy SEALs and Marine Corps critical skills operators.
Even when not deployed, the airmen are
often strewn across
the country for training.
But the squadron took advantage of a rare
lull Tuesday to
honor some of their own at Pope Field.
Thirty-nine airmen were recognized with
more than 50 medals.
Most of those medals were related to the
squadron's most
recent deployment from mid-November to May, where they served in
Afghanistan
and the Middle East.
Among the awards were five
Bronze Stars, including one for
the squadron commander, Lt. Col. Spencer C. Cocanour.
Cocanour
said the airmen included Combat Controllers,
tactical air control party operators and various support airmen.
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The airmen
call in airstrikes, secure airfields and provide
reconnaissance. Individuals are often assigned to small units of other
special
operations troops.
Cocanour praised the men and women for
their hard work and
dedication, whether they were calling in airstrikes on combat patrols
or
ensuring that a $30,000 radio found its way to a fellow airman across
the
country.
"They were at 50 sites across
Afghanistan,"
Cocanour said. "And these were some of the last folks in Iraq."
"They went above and beyond the call of
duty," he
said.
In addition to the Bronze Stars, airmen
also were recognized
with Defense Meritorious Service Medals, Air Force Commendation Medals,
Army
Commendation Medals, Air Force Achievement Medals and Air Force Combat
Action
Medals.
The ceremony took place at the 21st
Special Tactics Squadron
headquarters.
Col. Kurt Buller, commander of the 720th
Special Tactics Group,
addressed the airmen during the ceremony.
Buller, former commander of the 21st
Special Tactics
Squadron, praised the airmen for their readiness to fight and deploy
often.
It was up to them, Buller said while
waving a photograph of
his two sons, Drew and Brock, to end the fight against the Taliban so
their own
children don't have to get involved.
"I don't want them to have to fight this
fight,"
Buller said. ". I don't want Drew and Brock to have to fight the
Taliban.
I want to kick (the Taliban) in the teeth."
"Today is a
celebration," he said. "Tomorrow, we get ready to go again."
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Special Tactics Airmen receive 19 decorations
for Combat
Operations
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4/28/2010
- POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Nineteen medals were presented to nine
Airmen assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, 17th Air Support
Operations Squadron and 10th Combat Weather Squadron during a April 23
ceremony here.
Lt.
Gen. Donald Wurster, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command,
presented The Silver Star, four Bronze Stars Medals with Valor, four
Bronze Stars, three Purple Hearts and seven Air Force Combat Action
Medals to special tactics Airmen for actions during their deployments.
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| Lt.
Gen. Donald Wurster, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command,
presents the Silver Star to Staff Sgt. Caleb
Heidelberg, 21st Special
Tactics Squadron, during a Silver Star Ceremony April 23 at the Combat
Control School on Pope Air Force Base. General Wurster also presented
four Bronze Star Medals with Valor, four Bronze Stars, three Purple
Hearts and seven Air Force Combat Action Medals to special tactics
Airmen for actions during their deployments. |
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During
their deployments, Airmen from the 21st STS, here, along with Airmen
from the 720th Special Tactics Group, participated in more than 1,700
combat operations leading to the capture or elimination of more than
1,900 enemy insurgents.
The
Silver Star, the nation's third highest decoration for valor, was
presented to Staff
Sgt. Caleb Heidelberg for his actions during a
firefight against enemy forces in Afghanistan in summer 2008.
In
support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Sergeant Heidelberg, along with
members of the Army Special Forces and the Afghanistan National
Security Forces team, conducted a mounted combat reconnaissance patrol.
As members of the patrol dismounted to clear a vegetated area, they
were ambushed within 10 meters by enemy insurgent forces employing
heavy and effective small-arms and mortar fire, injuring all of the
dismounted team.
Sergeant
Heidelberg became cognizant of the grave danger faced by his teammates,
and exposed himself to extensive enemy fire while repositioning his
vehicle to provide cover for his wounded comrades. With continued
disregard for his own safety, he then stationed himself forward of the
vehicle and suppressed the enemy with his squad automatic weapon,
allowing his vehicle's gunner to climb to the mounted turret, clear the
jammed automatic grenade launcher and put fire on the enemy.
Sergeant
Heidelberg realized members of his patrol were wounded, still exposed
and in mortal danger. Without hesitation, he moved from the cover and
protective fire of his position and ran toward them. Exposing himself
again to heavy enemy fire, Sergeant Heidelberg carried a seriously
wounded Afghan soldier back to the protection of the vehicle.
As
the fight continued, he directed a complex air-ground battle to destroy
the enemy with AH-64 strafing attacks
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and bombs dropped from B-1 and
F-15 aircraft. Additionally, he simultaneously directed four helicopter
sorties to both evacuate the wounded and replenish a critically low
supply of ammunition.
"Caleb's
actions were extraordinary and heroic, and absolutely deserving of the
Silver Star," said Lt. Col. James Hughes, 21st Special Tactics Squadron
commander. "Yet his conduct was not entirely uncharacteristic for a
Combat Controller and Special Tactics operator. As you hear about the
details of their achievements, there are common characteristics that
begin to emerge."
"Today,
we are also recognizing three Purple Heart recipients in conjunction
with their combat decorations," said Colonel Hughes. "It is not the
severity of the injuries that is notable, it's the speed and
determination of their recovery. To a man, they were planning and
preparing for their return to combat even before their first round of
surgeries was complete. They are an inspiration to us all and each will
stand before you today, well on his way to a full recovery."
Following
Sergeant Heidelberg's Silver Star presentation, 18 other medals were
presented.
The other
recipients are:
Staff
Sgt. Joseph Byrne, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Purple Heart and Air Force Combat Action
Medal.
Sergeant
Byrne earned the medals during his deployment in Afghanistan spring of
2009 where during a period of about one month, his actions led to over
100 enemies killed, two wounded and 11 insurgents captured. During a
battle where the enemy tried and failed three times to overrun Sergeant
Byrne's position, he was shot in the neck and shoulder area.
Staff
Sgt. Robert Gutierrez, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, was
awarded the
Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Purple Heart and Air Force Combat Action
Medal.
Sergeant
Gutierrez earned the medals for two separate deployments to
Afghanistan. His Bronze Star Medal was awarded for his actions under
intense enemy fire in Afghanistan winter 2008. His Purple Heart was
awarded for injuries sustained in late 2009.
Tech.
Sgt. Scott Trimble, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal with Valor, first oak leaf cluster, and Air Force
Combat Action Medal.
During
Sergeant Trimble's deployment to Iraq winter-summer of 2008, he
directed more than 80 direct-action missions in Iraq. During a mission,
Sergeant Trimble was engaged by the enemy from 30 meters away. Reacting
quickly, Sergeant Trimble returned fire, killing one and injuring
another.
Staff Sgt.
Justin Ray, 10th Combat Weather Squadron, was awarded the Bronze Star
Medal with Valor.
While
deployed to Southern Afghanistan, Sergeant Ray executed over 70 combat
reconnaissance and direct-action missions involving 16
troops-in-contact situations. The missions resulted in 74 enemy killed,
26 enemy wounded, and six high value targets captured. While carrying
out his tactical duties as a Special Forces team member, Sergeant Ray
completed 176 forward weather observations.
Staff Sgt, Marc Esposito,
21st Special Tactics Squadron, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and a
Purple Heart.
During
Sergeant Esposito's deployment to Afghanistan during spring 2009, he
conducted 12 combat reconnaissance patrols, fought Taliban forces
during four troops-in-contact engagements, coordinating and
synchronizing airpower in support of the team's maneuver. Throughout
the engagement, he fired at enemy forces with an M-240B machine gun
while simultaneously controlling aircraft in support of his team.
Staff Sgt,
Jonathan Jones, 10th Combat Weather Squadron, was awarded the Bronze
Star Medal.
During
Sergeant Jones' deployment to Afghanistan spring-fall 2009, he
participated in 55 outside the wire combat operations and 41
troops-in-contact situations. Sergeant Jones took and disseminated 104
tactical weather observations and accomplished 10 environmental
assessments of local terrain and rivers.
Staff
Sgt. Robert Laraia, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal and an Air Force Combat Action Medal.
During
Sergeant Laraia's deployment to Afghanistan he conducted 15 combat
reconnaissance patrols, key leadership engagements and humanitarian
assistance missions in a remote and volatile region. During one convoy,
his team came under direct and accurate rocket propelled grenade, heavy
machine gun, and small-arms fire which impacted his vehicle. Sergeant
Laraia immediately returned fire while simultaneously coordinating
close-air support. Despite the grave danger from rounds impacting his
vehicle, he continued to engage the enemy until close air support
arrived and then controlled four GBU-38 bombs from a B-1 bomber causing
the enemy to disengage and flee the area.
Tech.
Sgt. Eric Muller, 17th Air Support Operations Squadron, was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal, first oak leaf cluster, and an Air Force Combat
Action Medal.
During
Sergeant Muller's deployment to Afghanistan during the last half of
2007, he and his joint team came under direct small arms and mortar
fire while manning a checkpoint. Sergeant Muller quickly radioed for
close-air support and took a defensive position on the perimeter to
return fire. After the 12-hour battle was over, sources reported 26
enemies killed including a Taliban commander with no friendly soldiers
killed.
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