On the evening of 3 October 1993 – during the operation to apprehend Somali individuals – there were several actions that deserve mention.

Once the target area had been searched, 24 male Somalis had been detained and secured on a five-ton truck. Six Special Forces (SF) soldiers and one SF medic were tasked to return the vehicle to base as part of a convoy. The convoy immediately began receiving fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). Every time the convoy stopped we received new casualties – at which point – the Rangers would jump off the five-ton truck (and it was not sandbagged for protection) and retrieve the casualty. A medic would apply first aid and then the casualty would be loaded onto the five-ton for further medical attention.

As a Ranger gunner fired a MARK-19 he was wounded and another soldier ran over to the HUMMV he was on and took over firing the MARK-19 at the enemy. He was also wounded. The driver of the five-ton was then wounded and a SF soldier jumped into the cab and drove it to the base. Another SF soldier kept attempting to maintain communications – relaying our status and calling in fire support. A wounded SF soldier pulled security for us and kept returning enemy fire.

The amount of valor and courage that these individuals displayed – saving their fellow soldiers – is beyond description. If these actions had not been taken, many of the dead and wounded would not have made it back at all.

During the combined operation between the Task Force (TF), 10th Mountain Division, and a Malaysian Armored unit, one of our unit members took control of the operation to search for the southern helicopter crash site and recover the dead and wounded.

Upon conducting a complete search of the area, the SF Team Sergeant instructed 10th Mountain soldiers on where to place thermite grenades in order to destroy the remains of the crashed helicopter. After setting up a security perimeter, he stayed in the area until he was sure that the helicopter had burned and was completely destroyed. Only then did he return to the armored vehicle convoy.

This SF Team Sergeant took control of the situation and led by example. Many times I observed squads frozen in place because they were receiving small arms fire. The SF Team Sergeant would then be the first to stand-up and order the squad to follow. He displayed valor and courage – unselfishly putting his life in danger so that others would follow and accomplish the mission at hand. By using night vision goggles and requesting helicopters to illuminate the crash site, he was able to locate the downed helicopter. I am positive that if not for this SF Team Sergeant this mission would have not been successful.

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