The complete Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) element fast roped into Helicopter Crash Site #1. Immediately upon insertion the team came under small arms fire from three directions but assaulted through the fires to the crash site. Once the choke point was established, a non-commissioned officer (NCO) ran to the aircraft hulk where he found two dead pilots and two wounded crew chiefs. He climbed into the aircraft, which was lying on its left side, and began clearing debris. He aided in the extraction of one of the pilots on one of the crew chiefs and directed their movement back to the choke point by the other team members. He remained in the hulk stabilizing the second crew chief – while small arms fire and shrapnel continually perforated the aircraft and rattled around inside. Once he was able to evacuate the last survivor to the choke point, he saw a Ranger element engaged and taking casualties across a large intersection. He ran across the intersection – all the while under small arms and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire. He immediately began treating injured Rangers until he ran out of medical supplies – at which time he dashed back across the intersection to the crashed aircraft and retrieved what supplies he could. He then returned to the Ranger position. The entire time he was running for resupply, he was under constant small arms fire from multiple directions. He stabilized the wounded and helped evacuate them to the strong point being used for consolidation of the force. The Ranger leader that witnessed his actions said that three more Rangers would have died if he had not taken action. At the strong point, he continued to care for the wounded until extraction the next day. At one point, two RPG rounds struck the house and started several fires in the front room. The house filled with smoke and fumes forcing most of the force out for a time, but he remained with the wounded inside and rendered aid under what only could be described as very trying conditions.

Visitor since 23 February 1998

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