Gelston
02-11-2013, 04:11 PM
The fourth Medal of Honor was awarded to a living recipient for the War in Afghanistan today to Staff Sergeant Clinton Lovar Romesha. (I couldn't find the actual citation, so I copy and pasted it from Wikipedia.)
On 3 October 2009, according to a report published by U.S. Army historian Richard S. Lowry, Taliban fighters launched a coordinated attack on the outpost from three sides at about 06:00, capturing its ammunition depot. Some 300 fighters participated in the attack armed with a recoilless rifle, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, machine guns, and small arms, badly outnumbering the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) presence of about 85 U.S. Army, Afghan National Army and Latvian Army soldiers, and the 35 Afghan soldiers who abandoned their positions. It would later be known as the Battle of Kamdesh.
During the first three hours of the fight, the U.S. troops remained under intense mortar and small arms fire, before the Taliban fighters breached the compound and set fire to it. Romesha moved under heavy fire to reconnoiter the area and seek reinforcements from a nearby barracks, helping the ISAF force to regroup and fight despite being targeted by a Taliban sniper. Romesha led the firefight to reclaim the depot, organizing a five-man team to counterattack while still under fire. He then neutralized one of the Taliban fighters' machine gun teams. While engaging a second, he took cover behind a generator which was struck by a rocket propelled grenade, and Romesha was wounded in the neck, shoulder and arms by shrapnel. Despite being wounded, Romesha directed air support that killed an estimated 30 Taliban, then took out several more Taliban positions himself. He provided suppressive fire to allow three other wounded American soldiers to reach an aid station, then recovered several American casualties while still under fire. Romesha's efforts allowed the troop to regroup and fight off a force superior in numbers. The fight lasted 12 hours, and eight American soldiers were killed. Nine soldiers were decorated with Silver Star Medals for the fight, which was one of the costliest for ISAF forces during the war. Several days later, the ISAF forces withdrew from the post.
Romesha received the award from President Barack Obama in an award ceremony at the White House on 11 February 2013. He is the fourth living Medal of Honor recipient for the War in Afghanistan, following Salvatore Giunta, Leroy Petry, and Dakota Meyer, and the eleventh Medal of Honor recipient for the War on Terrorism.
On 3 October 2009, according to a report published by U.S. Army historian Richard S. Lowry, Taliban fighters launched a coordinated attack on the outpost from three sides at about 06:00, capturing its ammunition depot. Some 300 fighters participated in the attack armed with a recoilless rifle, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, machine guns, and small arms, badly outnumbering the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) presence of about 85 U.S. Army, Afghan National Army and Latvian Army soldiers, and the 35 Afghan soldiers who abandoned their positions. It would later be known as the Battle of Kamdesh.
During the first three hours of the fight, the U.S. troops remained under intense mortar and small arms fire, before the Taliban fighters breached the compound and set fire to it. Romesha moved under heavy fire to reconnoiter the area and seek reinforcements from a nearby barracks, helping the ISAF force to regroup and fight despite being targeted by a Taliban sniper. Romesha led the firefight to reclaim the depot, organizing a five-man team to counterattack while still under fire. He then neutralized one of the Taliban fighters' machine gun teams. While engaging a second, he took cover behind a generator which was struck by a rocket propelled grenade, and Romesha was wounded in the neck, shoulder and arms by shrapnel. Despite being wounded, Romesha directed air support that killed an estimated 30 Taliban, then took out several more Taliban positions himself. He provided suppressive fire to allow three other wounded American soldiers to reach an aid station, then recovered several American casualties while still under fire. Romesha's efforts allowed the troop to regroup and fight off a force superior in numbers. The fight lasted 12 hours, and eight American soldiers were killed. Nine soldiers were decorated with Silver Star Medals for the fight, which was one of the costliest for ISAF forces during the war. Several days later, the ISAF forces withdrew from the post.
Romesha received the award from President Barack Obama in an award ceremony at the White House on 11 February 2013. He is the fourth living Medal of Honor recipient for the War in Afghanistan, following Salvatore Giunta, Leroy Petry, and Dakota Meyer, and the eleventh Medal of Honor recipient for the War on Terrorism.