20 posts tagged “chosen co”
SSG Sean Samaroo served with the 173rd, 2-503 during their recent 15 month deployment to Afghanistan. He is now serving with the 4th Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jackson, SC. SSG Samaroo was recently awarded the Silver Star for his actions at the Battle of Wanat. He also participated in the ceremony to rename one of the ranges at Fort Jackson to the Wanat Range.
After he was wounded, Samaroo said goodbye to his wife and son aloud, according to a first-person account read during the ceremony by Lt. Col. Richard McDermott, 4th Bn., 10th Inf. Reg., commander.
"That's when I said, 'Man, this is it. You're gone,'" Samaroo said. "I really thought I was, but I just clicked like that and started focusing back on what I had to do."
From www.army.mil
Fort Jackson Soldier earns Silver Star
Jun 18, 2009
By By SUSANNE KAPPLER, Fort Jackson Leader
FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- Staff Sgt. Sean Samaroo, 4th Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, was awarded the Silver Star for his actions in Afghanistan in a ceremony June 11.
The ceremony took place at the newly designated Wanat Range, formerly known as Camden Range.
Samaroo received the award, the nation's third highest military decoration, for his part in the Battle of Wanat, which took place 2008 in the eastern province of Nuristan, Afghanistan. Samaroo is also a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient.
"There were a lot of heroes out there," Samaroo said. "Some maybe didn't get recognized as much as me. I'm pretty thankful and honored."
On the morning of July 13, 14 months into Samaroo's deployment, an estimated 200 enemy fighters launched a coordinated assault on a small vehicle patrol base manned by approximately 50 American and coalition troops.
As the battle began, Samaroo - then with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade - and his squad were manning a traffic control point near the base. Samaroo's squad successfully defended the traffic control point before reinforcing an observation point, which was under threat to be overrun by the attackers.
On his way to the observation point - an uphill climb through exposed terrain - Samaroo encountered three wounded Soldiers, whom he and his squad brought to safety.
Samaroo himself was wounded by shrapnel and was bleeding from the head and legs, but refused to leave his position until reinforcements arrived.
Nine American Soldiers were killed in the attack; 27 Americans and four Afghan soldiers were wounded.
Samaroo credited his training and instinct with helping him through the situation.
"There was a time that I did not want to go up that hill," he admitted. "I thought that it was too early. There's such a thing as tactical patience. You have to let the battle evolve.
Because of that, I believe we saved a (few) more lives that way."
After he was wounded, Samaroo said goodbye to his wife and son aloud, according to a first-person account read during the ceremony by Lt. Col. Richard McDermott, 4th Bn., 10th Inf. Reg., commander.
"That's when I said, 'Man, this is it. You're gone,'" Samaroo said. "I really thought I was, but I just clicked like that and started focusing back on what I had to do."
Samaroo admitted that the incident changed his life.
"Any time you have a near-death experience ... it changes you. It does. You think about the small things in life," he said.
Samaroo, who has been in the Army for nine years, came to Fort Jackson in January as a cadre instructor at Camden Range. The range, which has been undergoing extensive upgrades, was renamed "Wanat Mounted Convoy Live Fire Range" in honor of the Soldiers who died during the Battle of Wanat.
Brig. Gen. Bradley May, Fort Jackson commanding general, called the renaming a fitting tribute as the range will be used to train "skills that will allow (Soldiers) to thrive in combat, just as Staff Sgt. Samaroo did."
Samaroo said he hopes to pass on those skills and ultimately intends to become a drill sergeant."That's always been a dream of mine, being a drill sergeant," he said. "I want to be able to share what I learned as a combat Soldier."
Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive put together this video and posted it on their blog today. Gotta have it here too!
For anyone who's never been in a fire fight or seen video of one this is merely a fraction of one. Keep in mind that the 173rd, 2-503 was engaged in well over 1000 fire fights in the 15 months they were in Afghanistan. Some fire bases and OPs would have up to 4 fire fights in a day. Amazing men. So amazing!
From Army.mil news
Sky Soldier awarded Distinguished Service Cross
Sept 17, 2008
BY Staff Sgt. Brandon Aird, 173rd ABCT Public Affairs
VICENZA, Italy -- Staff Sgt. Erich Phillips, mortar platoon sergeant for Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, also known as "The Rock," was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross Sept. 15, 2008, in Vicenza, Italy for his actions Aug. 22, 2007, at Ranch House in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.
The DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the Army, and only the fifth awarded to a servicemember during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Before dawn on Aug. 22, 2007, 60 to 80 Taliban extremists moved into position to launch a three-pronged attack against Ranch House. Video footage posted on an extremist website showed Taliban rehearsing over a detailed map of Ranch House's fighting positions.
"Their plan was to overrun our forward operating base," said Phillips, who is from Eastpoint, Fla.
When the Taliban attacked Ranch House, 22 American Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team were living at the base. They worked side-by-side with the Afghan National Army in one of the most rugged and remote NATO bases in Afghanistan.
Every defended position was bombarded with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades simultaneously, said Phillips.
"I woke up to RPG's slamming into my building," recalled Phillips.
The Taliban, whom breached the Afghan perimeter, quickly over took an ANA and Afghan Security Guards (private security firm) weapons and ammo cache, which they unleashed on the U.S. Soldiers.
"At this point all communication was lost with Post 3 and Post 4," said Phillips. Phillips didn't know it yet, but Post 3 was destroyed and Pfc. Jeddah Deloria was trapped underneath the collapsed fighting position. The other wounded Soldiers from Post 3 had retreated to Post 2.
Phillips organized defenses around the tactical operations center, which was being hit by RPG's, machine guns and small-arms fire. The 22 Soldiers were outnumbered three to one.
Phillips seeing that the TOC risked being overrun began positioning Soldiers in a defensive perimeter and relayed information to 1st Lt. Matthew Ferrara, platoon leader, who was on the radio calling for artillery and close air support.
The effective enemy fire destroyed the TOC's radio antennas mounted on the roof, which left the platoon with no communication for five minutes.
Ferrara moved the TOC outside and with a dismounted radio, re-established communications.
After learning Post 2 had numerous causalities, Phillips grabbed Sgt. Kyle Dirkintis, the platoon medic, and attempted to assault up the mountain toward Post 2. Phillip's Soldiers used hand grenades and small-arms fire to help cover his and Dirkintis' movement.
While bounding toward Post 2, Phillips and Dirkintis were pinned down by enemy fire at a set of wooden structures, which were Post 2's living quarters.
"At this point, Soldiers at Post 2 yelled down to me that two enemy fighters were on the other end of the building I was taking cover on," said Phillips.
Phillips, only three meters away from the enemy, rolled two hand grenades over the top of the living quarters.
"Once the explosion went off doc (Dirkintis) realized how bad we were taking fire and he came from behind cover to fire and was shot in the chest," explained Phillips.
Dirkintis coughing up blood and suffering from a collapsed lung was unable to stand up. Phillips coordinated with Post 2 to provide cover fire while he dragged Dirkintis down the hill. Upon reaching the mortar pit, Phillips started to perform first aid and was assisted by another Soldier.
Phillips directed the Soldier to provide first aid while he continued to fire small arms and direct another Soldier's grenades toward Taliban positions until an Air Force A-10 Warthog began strafing the base.
"The first gun run went southeast to west behind the aid station right into the back of the TOC, and the second came from the south to the north down the center of the FOB," said Phillips.
The Warthog helped repel the advancing Taliban and enabled Phillips to lead a team of Soldiers to recover Deloria who had been alone at Post 3 for two and a half hours.
"Once I climbed the ladder to Post 3 I could see the post had taken severe damage and had fallen on top of Deloria," said Phillips. "Deloria had attempted to blow all four claymore mines. He even applied first aid to himself and was holding his weapon when I found him. I tried to carry Deloria back down to the causality collection point, but he said 'I want to walk sergeant'."
Once back to the causality collection point, Phillips began preparing Soldiers for evacuation and helped evacuate all of the wounded. Once the quick reaction force arrived, Phillips led the Soldiers to retake the lost section of the base.
By fighting's end, half of the U.S. Soldiers would be wounded and one ANA and ASG would be killed. No Soldiers were killed in the two and half hour firefight and the base was not overrun.
"I just tried to maintain the front line," said Phillips. "The other Soldiers deserve just as much recognition as me."
Phillips would go on to fight in an ambush near Aranus and the battle of Wanat - the two largest battles the 173rd ABCT saw in Afghanistan during their deployment - which resulted in 14 Chosen Company Soldiers killed in action.
Phillips, who also was awarded the Purple Heart, is scheduled to leave Chosen Company and become a ranger instructor at 6th Ranger Training Battalion.
There are several links about SSG Phillips receiving the Distinguished Service Cross. Some can be found here, here, here, here and here.
I had the great fortune of meeting Erich in Italy a couple of weeks ago. Another one of many of our great Warriors whose demeanor gives no indication of arrogance or ego or "hero" but who, I think, is definitely a hero among men. A Warrior who, in my opinion and in the opinion of those who certainly know more than I, EARNED this award yet comments that all who were there (at Ranch House) deserve to be recognized and that he was "just doing his job." Yes, Erich, you were "just doing your job" but because you executed so well EVERY American life was spared that day. I've spent many hours with the men at WRAMC who were wounded at the Ranch House. I'll forever be thankful to you for the actions that you - and others including CPT Ferrara and SGT Dirkintis - took that day so that those men lived and are healing.
For those of you reading this post, the published details about the ambush at Aranas and the Battle of Wanat are sketchy at best. From all I've learned anyone who went through those battles and the Ranch House has been through hell and then some. Anyone who was a part of any one of those events has been through hell.
Well done Erich. And well deserved being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Best to you as you move on from the 173rd to your position with the Rangers. You are one of our nation's great treasures and will be one helluva asset as a Ranger instructor.
One of the many highlights of our visit to Vicenza, Italy for the Welcome Home festivities for the 2-503 was being invited to several ceremonies. One of my favorites was an Awards Ceremony held for Chosen Company made even more special because all except one of the men pictured above are some of our Wounded Warriors from WRAMC. These particular Wounded Warriors were wounded at either the Battle at the Ranch House or the Battle at Wanat. We actually found out about this ceremony at the last minute so kev, Kelly MacCorquodale (SGT Ryan Pitt's mom) and I high tailed it across Caserma Ederle to witness LTC Ostlund present these amazing Soldiers with several awards. Unfortunately I didn't even think to write down what award(s) each was given. I do know there were Bronze Stars with Valor and ARCOMs with Valor awarded that day.
The ceremony was moving in many ways. It was moving because of how tall and proud these men were standing despite some of their wounds which make it uncomfortable to down right painful for them to stand for so long. It was moving because of the looks on their faces and LTC Ostlund's face as he approached each Soldier, we listened to the formal reading of the wording that accompanied each award and then LTC Oslund quietly made direct comments to the Soldier as he pinned on their awards. And it was exceptionally moving at the end when the Company broke formation and formed a line to pass by all of the awardees. There were many tight hugs and a lot of emotion. I am grateful for the opportunity to have shared those moments with the men I have had the honor of getting to know during visits to WRAMC.
Here are more photos:
Although we arrived on Monday, 24 hours later than expected and in Milan instead of Venice we are here. 1SG Scott Beeson and his incredible wife, Giselle, picked us up at the Milan airport. We enjoyed a three hour drive to Camp Ederle with them. WOW! Great people.
Monday night Scott and his wife hosted the 2/503 Chosen Wounded Warriors at a dinner at their home. kev and I along with SGT Pitts' mom were invited to join in the fun. I'll let the following photos speak for themselves about the great time we had until way after midnight.
On Tuesday morning (that's today) we attended the Change of Responsibility Ceremony for Chosen Company. I had the honor of sitting with some of the Wounded and with some family members. It was incredibly difficult to hear the names of those who gave their lives during the deployment.
Tonight we are going into Vicenza. Gonna get a little local flavor with a few of the guys.
I snagged these two photos off of Facebook. Hey Ilene - these are for you!
Wounded Warriors (in civilian clothes) L to R - Denton, Pitts, Chavez, (all wounded in the Battle of Wanat) and Remmel and Schilling (wounded in the Battle at the Ranch House)
Wounded Warriors (in civilian clothes) L to R - Deloria, Albert, Denton, Pitts, Chavez, Remmel, Schilling and Kalenits
LOOKING GOOD MEN!
I had the honor, this past weekend, of meeting and spending time with SPC Stafford and his mother along with several other of the Chosen Few who were wounded at the Battle of Wanat. Truly America's finest and some great men to spend a Saturday afternoon with. We wish them all the VERY best as they continue to heal.
From CNN.com
Taliban attack survivor describes scene of 'pure chaos'
By Barbara Starr
Pentagon Correspondent
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A soldier who survived a Taliban attack that killed nine U.S. troops in Afghanistan last month described a scene of "pure chaos" in which he watched buddies die.
Army Spc. Tyler Stafford and fellow soldiers in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team were establishing an outpost near the village of Wanat when about 200 Taliban militants attacked July 13.
"They had 200-plus guys all shooting at us -- I mean, pure chaos," Stafford said. "You could hear guys screaming."
Nine Americans were killed and 12 -- including Stafford -- were wounded in the deadliest attack on U.S. forces in Afghanistan in three years. Afghan sources said that up to 100 militants were killed in the attack.
Stafford, who is recovering at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, said he and his fellow soldiers were facing Taliban fighters on three sides when the attack began.
The Americans were outmanned and outgunned. A NATO spokesman said the defense of the outpost was "heroic."
Once he was wounded, Stafford called out to his friend, Cpl. Matthew Phillips.
"I yelled to him, I was like, 'Phillips, man I need help. I'm hit.' ... I looked at him and I called him about four or five times. I was like, 'Phillips. Phillips. Are you all right, Phillips?' And he never moved.
"That's the first one of my buddies I've ever seen die."
A short distance away was Cpl. Jonathan Ayers.
"He never once stopped shooting," Stafford said. "I thought that was completely amazing. He never, I mean, he finally was killed by [rocket-propelled grenades] and gunfire, but he never once stopped shooting back at them."
Lt. Jonathan Brostrom and Cpl. Jason Hovater were killed when they ran through a hail of Taliban gunfire in an attempt to carry more ammunition to their fellow soldiers, Stafford said.
"They knew our guys were in trouble, and when the Airborne's in trouble, you don't leave them to die; you go help them," Stafford said. "They brought what they could."
The Americans were running low on ammunition, and some of them were so badly wounded they were unable to move, Stafford said.
Help did not come for an hour, he said.
Stafford eventually was helicoptered to safety. He said he looked back at the scene below while aboard the chopper.
"It's like one of the those movies out of like Vietnam that you see with all these special effects and everything's on fire," he recalled. "Smoke in the air, and that's all you see is tracer rounds going back and forth ... just, 'boom, boom, boom.' "
The other Americans who died were Sgt. Israel Garcia, Cpl. Gunnar Zwilling, Spc. Sergio Abad, Cpl. Pruitt Rainey and Cpl. Jason Bogar.
"The way they served each other -- you're fighting for the guy on your back, the guy that's in the foxhole next to you, when that kind of stuff happens. We all love each other very much," Stafford said.
From Herald Zeitung (New Braunfels, TX)
Bronze Star Honor For Battlefield Valor
By Mark Koopmans
August 19, 2008
A 22-year-old New Braunfels resident and U.S. Army combat veteran has been nominated for the Bronze Star with Valor, the nation’s fourth highest medal for bravery.
It was only five weeks ago today that Spc. Jonathan Kaderli, a line medic, stood alongside 44 other soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team of the 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) as the team came under a surprise attack.
Organized by Taliban insurgents who numbered in the hundreds, according to several published reports, the Taliban fought the Americans near the village of Wanat in the Kunar Province of northeastern Afghanistan — close to the border with Pakistan.
The battle occurred just after dawn at a temporary vehicle patrol base near the village, said Regiment Commander, Col. Charles “Chip” Preysler, in a recent interview with Stars and Stripes, a daily newspaper published for the U.S. military and their families.
A platoon-sized element of Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion and a smaller Afghan National Army force of about 25 men were occupying a hastily built area as was the norm over the 15 months that the unit had been in country, Preysler said.
The soldiers, who were scheduled to finish their deployment within several weeks of the attack, were on a reconnaissance mission to establish a presence and find a good location to connect with the local government, populace and Afghan National Police, he said.
When the raging attack finally ended about four hours after it began, Kaderli had lost nine brothers-in-arms, 20 percent of the entire unit.
Later, as reports of the attack became known, many around the nation mourned the incident, which marked the single worst loss of American life in Afghanistan since 2005.
“The noise of the mortars — that whistling noise — the A-10 (warplanes) and the Apache (helicopters) sent in to support us, it’s just like you see and hear in the movies,” said the soft-spoken Kaderli, who currently is on leave from his regiment’s headquarters of Vicenza, Italy, for several weeks.
Back from the 24/7 stresses of war, his plans include simply relaxing at home. On Saturday, the family hosted a barbecue and beer party — probably one of the best ways in the world to relax right now, Kaderli said.
Next weekend, he heads to Colorado and a reunion with a close friend and fellow soldier who is recovering from injuries suffered during the Battle of Wanat, as it has become known.
“Ever since basic training, Bill Hewitt has been one of my best friends and he makes me appreciate the Army,” said Kaderli, who began his military service a little more than two years ago.
“How could I sit back on the sidelines and watch the war on the news while all these young men my age were out there fighting,” he said. “I had to do something to help. That’s why I joined,”
While Kaderli’s nomination for the Bronze Star with Valor has been approved by his boss, an Army Major and medical commander, the young medic affectionately known as “Doc” prefers to think of his warrior brothers instead of himself and any award he could earn.
“Everyone that day was a hero,” he said with pride. “Everyone fought bravely, like true soldiers. Training and instinct took over as we fought for the man on our left and the man on our right.”
Kaderli, who feels uncomfortable sharing all the details of such a recent and traumatic event, said he might one day write about it in a book — something he has wanted to do all his life, never realizing it might entail writing a chapter so personal.
In the Stars and Stripes interview, Preysler said, “These guys fought for 15 months, and I mean this literally, they have fought harder and (had) more engagements, more direct-fire engagements, than any brigade in the United States Army in probably the toughest terrain.
“(They) are absolutely veterans and they know what they’re doing and they have that airborne spirit and they fought a very, very tough battle and held the ground and did everything they were supposed to do.”
Kaderli, the combat medic who normally carries an M-4 rifle, but who found himself helping defend the temporary base with a shotgun he commandeered from a HUMVEE after leaving his weapon to help a wounded soldier in the field, said “I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”
“I’ve no regrets, no-one cowered from their duties and everyone fought hard,” he said. “We were just going to work and we had a job to do.”
Mark Koopmans can be reached at mkoopmans(at)herald-zeitung.com
From Stars and Stripes
Community Mourns Nine Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast Edition, Saturday July 19, 2008
VICENZA, Italy — They didn’t answer the final roll call. Three times, 1st Sgt. Patrick Fatuesi called out to each of nine soldiers, first by rank and last name, then adding their first names, and finally beckoning the soldiers by their full names. Each time, an eerily somber silence met his beckoning. More than 400 people gathered at the Caserma Ederle chapel on a rainy Friday to honor the nine men of 2nd Platoon, "Chosen Company," 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, who were killed Sunday in a firefight in Afghanistan. The rest of the article about the Memorial Service with related photos can be read here. Rest in Peace Brave Warriors Spc Sergio S Abad, 21 CPL Jonathan R Ayers, 24 CPL Jason M C Bogar, 25 1LT Jonathan P Brostrom, 24 SGT Israel Garcia-Velazquez, 24 CPL Jason D Hovater, 24 CPL Matthew B Phillips, 27 CPL Pruitt A Rainey, 22 CPL Gunnar W Zwilling, 20
