Silver Star

Tomlin, of 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, is awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action on April 9, 2007, while serving as scout platoon leader in Afghanistan. He distinguished himself against an enemy force that outnumbered his own by six to one. Tomlin led several dismounted counterattacks against the enemy at the risk of his own life and demonstrated leadership, personal courage, and selfless dedication, the award citation stated. His example of bravery under fire was the key component to turning a dire situation into a complete victory for the task force. Tomlin enlisted in the Army in March 1995 and is from Barkhamsted, Conn.

DoD

Silver Star Winner Talks With Press

About 9:30 a.m., with the temperature already climbing toward 120 degrees, Army Sgt. 1st Class William Tomlin III heard the sharp crack of incoming fire. Nearly 300 “bad guys” were closing in on the 45 soldiers and forward air controllers under his command.

It was April 9, 2007, another day in the war in Afghanistan and the third straight day of fighting for Tomlin’s platoon. A native of Barkhamsted, Tomlin, 31, would on this day display gallantry under fire that this month made him the recipient of the Silver Star, the third highest decoration that can be awarded to a member of the armed forces.

The six-hour battle began with machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades raining down on a small team of snipers Tomlin had ordered forward to scout for the incoming enemy.

Tomlin rushed to the rescue.

“I grabbed three or four guys with me and we moved into a position where we could suppress the bad guys,” Tomlin recalled in a telephone interview from his North Carolina home on Thursday. His voice was calm and steady as he recalled the events that led to the medal, presented to him by President Bush on May 22.

It was the first of several actions taken with “complete disregard for his personal well-being” which led to the decoration. The battle culminated with more than 50 enemy fighters killed and not a single American loss. Tomlin led the effort throughout, spotting trouble shortly after the opening shots when the enemy attempted to flank and overrun his position.

“They got to about 15 meters from us,” Tomlin recalled. “It was really a kind of a battle to see who could throw more grenades. We won that one.”

The enemy came again.

“They got within 60 or 70 meters, which in machine gun language is pretty close,” Tomlin said.

According to the Army, Tomlin saved lives on that scorching day, organizing his own unit and three reinforcing platoons into a cohesive combat team which stood its ground until the ammunition nearly ran out.

By early afternoon, after being told the next batch of ammunition was 24 hours away, Tomlin decided that it was time to move out. He led his men east into the desert, then south on a 24-kilometer journey to relative safety.

BY JIM MOORE REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN via The Two Malconents

Silver Star

Army Sgt. 1st Class James Brasher’s “daring acts of intrepidity and gallantry in the face of a numerically superior and determined force,” have earned him a Silver Star according to the citation that accompanied the medal.

Those courageous acts occurred on Dec. 8, 2007, when Brasher was serving as platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The company had been tasked to participate in Operation Mar Kararadad, during which Brasher repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to keep his soldiers out of danger.

The multinational mission to clear insurgents from the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qal’eh, actually began the night before when the company landed by helicopter just outside of the city. Under cover of darkness the soldiers moved to occupy a hill overlooking the city.

At dawn, Company A started taking small-arms and heavy machine-gun fire from a small town at the base of the hill. Brasher and the 2nd Platoon leader decided the town, which was isolated from the rest of Musa Qal’eh by a dry riverbed and already scheduled to be cleared by the Platoon, should be cleared immediately.

As the soldiers began systematically clearing buildings, a Taliban fighter attempted to the lead squad, which included Brasher. He killed the gunman before he could kill or injure any Paratroopers.

The squad began taking small-arms as it advanced to the next compound. Again, Brasher reacted, throwing fragmentation grenades toward the enemy position, thereby suppressing the attack and preventing the enemy from getting a fix on the soldiers’ position.

When the platoon leader’s element was attacked with machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled-grenades, Brasher joined the group to pinpoint the enemy position, once again exposing himself to enemy fire.

Brasher then led a squad to clear a compound that put him and his soldiers in a better position to return fire. As he was directing the Paratroopers, he spotted a Taliban fighter with a machine gun and opened fire. He then led his squad over a mud wall in pursuit of the fleeing insurgent, killing two more gunmen as the squad rounded the corner. When the squad encountered a larger enemy force more insurgents were killed.

As the Taliban forces consolidated into a highly defensible compound with thick walls, Brasher spotted the enemy positions inside and began engaging them. That’s when one of the insurgent’s bullets tore through his right forearm and bicep, which slowed him down, but didn’t stop him from fighting and giving instructions, according to the citation. In fact, the unit’s medics had to force him to submit to medical care.

“SFC Brasher’s fearless actions and dedication to mission accomplishment enabled Second Platoon to destroy over 20 well-trained Taliban fighters. His quick decisions and aggressive stance against the enemy saved the lives of his men,” the citation reads.

For his gallantry in action with marked distinction, Army Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scarparrotti, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division presented Brasher with a Silver Star on October 9. The ceremony was held at the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum at Fort Bragg, N.C.

DoD