None of our heroes who have been awarded the Medal of Honor during the Global War on Terrorism have been alive for the award. It seems the standard is so high one must give their life demonstrating courage.
Fortunately no such absolute standard has been created for our Nation's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.
Tomorrow, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Master Sergeant Brendan O'Connor, of the 7th Special Forces Group will receive Distinguished Service Cross.
From CBS News -
The battle raged for two days and nights, with the outmanned force driving back Taliban attacks and U.S. aircraft periodically attacking enemy positions. There were many heroes that day whose courage prevented the unit from being overrun. One of them was U.S. Army Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class Abram Hernandez, who climbed a ladder to fire at advancing enemy soldiers trying to capture two wounded U.S. troops and their translator. "Seeing Hernandez propped up at that ridiculous angle was absolutely inspiring," says O’Connor. "Tracer rounds were…whizzing right by our heads. I was [amazed by Hernandez]."
Then O’Connor - shucking his battle armor to lower his profile - slowly crawled toward the wounded men while U.S. Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Thom Maholic warded off another enemy team threatening the rescue by firing from a rooftop. Maholic’s efforts saved the unit but resulted in him taking a bullet in the head. "He died in my arms," says Hernandez.
The two wounded men were rescued; but despite being carried back to safety by O’Connor, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joe Fuerst died of his wounds.
Unable to find reinforcements to come to their rescue, the surrounded soldiers planned an ingenious nighttime escape. They radioed the support aircraft above them to beam an infrared light invisible to the naked eye on a path back to their patrol base. The Green Berets, using their night-vision glasses, could see the beam and led their men to safety, while the aircraft attacked anything moving beyond the infrared beam.
Ford’s unit and their supporting aircraft killed an estimated 120 Taliban fighters during the battle. Maholic was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for saving his unit and the Special Forces firebase near Kandahar was renamed after him.
Later this month, O’Connor will become only the second American to receive the Distinguished Service Cross for valor in Afghanistan. The entire unit was honored at a ceremony at Ft. Bragg late last year, making them the most decorated Special Forces team in any one battle of the Afghan war.
If you are in the Fort Bragg area maybe you can go to post and witness history.
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