Someone gave the German Ministry of Defence's website a new look and shamefully enough, the old pages about award holders are now gone. I hope they reinstate that kind of content, but for the time being it takes fricking archive.org to gain access. And not all the information was freely available to begin with. Admittedly though, this is not entirely the MoD's fault; per local laws, they require the soldier's (or their next of kin's) consent for the release of personal information.
At any rate, if the interest is there, I'll try to translate as many of the 28 total citations as I can find.
 
Federal Republic of Germany

Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry, for deeds of exceptional bravery beyond the call of duty

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The Good Friday Battle

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Corporal Robert Hartert, Parachute Infantry Battalion 373, killed in action on April 2, 2010 in Isa Khel, Kunduz Province, Afghanistan (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)

On April 2, 2010 in Kunduz province's Taleban-controlled Char Dara district, a platoon of 34 German paratroopers tasked with clearing a suspected improvised explosive device on a road near Isa Khel was ambushed by at least 40 insurgents and Chechen militants affiliated with the "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan".
The platoon's vanguard was on the brink of being overrun, its leader wounded and incapacitated. Another group of insurgents some 40 strong attacked a nearby outpost, preventing reinforcements from relieving the German platoon in Isa Khel. Their attacks triggered a complex multi-dimensional battle which lasted for over nine hours. The nature of the engagement, oftentimes fought at very close a distance, rendered close air support and artillery support impossible.

During the early stages of the engagement, Corporal Robert Hartert, a member of the surrounded vanguard, distinguished himself by acts of extreme courage. In a bid to defend his comrades who were seeking to evacuate their wounded leader, Hartert manned a machine gun. He provided fierce and effective covering fire over a prolonged period of time until his supply of ammunition was all but spent. This he did while exposed to the enemy's concerted and resourceful efforts to destroy him. Hartert showed no regard for his own safety. His tenacity awarded his comrades with an opportunity to retrieve their wounded leader. Following their success, Hartert was shot to death almost immediately.


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Corporal Martin Augustyniak, Parachute Infantry Battalion 373, killed in action on April 2, 2010 in Isa Khel, Kunduz Province, Afghanistan (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)

On April 2, 2010 in Kunduz province's Taleban-controlled Char Dara district, a platoon of 34 German paratroopers tasked with clearing a suspected improvised explosive device on a road near Isa Khel was ambushed by at least 40 insurgents and Chechen militants affiliated with the "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan".
The platoon's vanguard was on the brink of being overrun, its leader wounded and incapacitated. Another group of insurgents some 40 strong attacked a nearby outpost, preventing reinforcements from relieving the German platoon in Isa Khel. Their attacks triggered a complex multi-dimensional battle which lasted for over nine hours. The nature of the engagement, oftentimes fought at very close a distance, rendered close air support and artillery support impossible.

During the early stages of the engagement, Corporal Augustyniak, a member of the surrounded advance party, distinguished himself by exceptional acts of courage. He played a vital role in the evacuation of the wounded leader of the vanguard, unyielding in his efforts even after a bullet had graced his head. Augustyniak then proceeded to provide covering fire for the vanguard, which was in the process of being overrun, the enemy having come close enough to hurl explosives and insults at the Germans. Showing utter disregard for his own safety, Augustyniak knowingly exposed himself to the full brunt of the enemy attack.

Using his rifle, his rocket propelled grenade launcher and other arms at his disposal to devastating effect, Augustyniak continued to suppress the attacking insurgents despite having been wounded twice already. His heroism allowed a number of soldiers of his platoon to retreat to what seemed to be a more favourable position. Augustyniak then boarded an armoured personnel carrier, the weapon system of which had been destroyed, and continued to defend this vehicle with handheld weapons.

Unbeknownst to the platoon leader, the attacking force had already cut off his route of retreat. The vehicle which Augustyniak had so valiantly helped to protect was destroyed by enemy action. He died in the wreckage.


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Corporal Maik Mutschke, Parachute Infantry Battalion 373 (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)

On April 2, 2010 in Kunduz province's Taleban-controlled Char Dara district, a platoon of 34 German paratroopers tasked with clearing a suspected improvised explosive device on a road near Isa Khel was ambushed by at least 40 insurgents and Chechen militants affiliated with the "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan".
The platoon's vanguard was on the brink of being overrun, its leader wounded and incapacitated. Another group of insurgents some 40 strong attacked a nearby outpost, preventing reinforcements from relieving the German platoon in Isa Khel. Their attacks triggered a complex multi-dimensional battle which lasted for over nine hours. The nature of the engagement, oftentimes fought at very close a distance, rendered close air support and artillery support impossible.

During the initial stage of the engagement, Corporal Mutschke, a member of the surrounded advance party, distinguished himself by outstanding bravery. After his leader had been wounded and incapacitated, Mutschke took the initiative. In a bid to establish a line of communications between the vanguard and the rest of the platoon, he broke through the encirclement entirely on his own and covered some 300 meters of open ground, defying the enemy's constant and concerted efforts to kill him. After having quickly briefed his platoon leader, Mutschke returned by the very same route to rejoin the fight, during which he was gravely wounded. His valiant effort allowed the vanguard to be relieved and saved it from certain annihilation.


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Sergeant First Class Ralf Rönckendorf, Parachute Infantry Battalion 373 (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)

On April 2, 2010 in Kunduz province's Taleban-controlled Char Dara district, a platoon of 34 German paratroopers tasked with clearing a suspected improvised explosive device on a road near Isa Khel was ambushed by at least 40 insurgents and Chechen militants affiliated with the "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan".
The platoon's vanguard was on the brink of being overrun, its leader wounded and incapacitated. Another group of insurgents some 40 strong attacked a nearby outpost, preventing reinforcements from relieving the German platoon in Isa Khel. Their attacks triggered a complex multi-dimensional battle which lasted for over nine hours. The nature of the engagement, oftentimes fought at very close a distance, rendered close air support and artillery support impossible.

During the early stages of the engagement, Sergeant First Class Rönckendorf distinguished himself by acts of extreme courage. A combat medic, he fought valiantly to clear a path to the wounded vanguard's leader. Showing no regard for his own safety, Rönckendorf then administered first aid while completely exposed to hostile fire. He proceeded to lead his comrades' efforts to evacuate the wounded man. At this point during the engagement, the enemy destroyed the armorred personnel carrier Rönckendorf was in the process of approaching. Despite having lost his eyesight in the ensuing explosion, Sergeant First Class Rönckendorf kept his calm and aided in his very own evacuation to the absolute best of his abilities.

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Sergeant First Class Philipp Oliver Pordzik, Parachute Infantry Battalion 313 (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)

On April 2, 2010 in Kunduz province's Taleban-controlled Char Dara district, a platoon of 34 German paratroopers tasked with clearing a suspected improvised explosive device on a road near Isa Khel was ambushed by at least 40 insurgents and Chechen militants affiliated with the "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan".
The platoon's vanguard was on the brink of being overrun, its leader wounded and incapacitated. Another group of insurgents some 40 strong attacked a nearby outpost, preventing reinforcements from relieving the German platoon in Isa Khel. Their attacks triggered a complex multi-dimensional battle which lasted for over nine hours. The nature of the engagement, oftentimes fought at very close a distance, rendered close air support and artillery support impossible.

During the efforts to relieve the surrounded platoon, Sergeant First Class Pordzik distinguished himself by acts of outstanding courage. As leader of a platoon sent to the relief of Isa Khel, the valiant Pordzik led his soldiers in a vigorous and unyielding bid to break through the insurgents' encirclement. After what was described as the most fierce close-quarters combat German soldiers have participated in since the Second World War, Pordzik arrived where an armoured personnel carrier had previously been destroyed by the enemy. There he assumed the task to coordinate the defense of the perimeter, the replenishment of the defenders' dwindling supplies of ammunition and prepared the evacuation of an ever-growing number of casualties. In this capacity, Sergeant First Class Pordzik continuously exposed himself to unrelenting hostile fire. His calm and resourceful leadership was essential to the successful defense of the position and the preservation of morale.

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Sergeant First Class Mario Kunert, Parachute Infantry Battalion 373

On April 2, 2010 in Kunduz province's Taleban-controlled Char Dara district, a platoon of 34 German paratroopers tasked with clearing a suspected improvised explosive device on a road near Isa Khel was ambushed by at least 40 insurgents and Chechen militants affiliated with the "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan".
The platoon's vanguard was on the brink of being overrun, its leader wounded and incapacitated. Another group of insurgents some 40 strong attacked a nearby outpost, preventing reinforcements from relieving the German platoon in Isa Khel. Their attacks triggered a complex multi-dimensional battle which lasted for over nine hours. The nature of the engagement, oftentimes fought at very close a distance, rendered close air support and artillery support impossible.

Throughout the engagement, Sergeant First Class Kunert showed outstanding leadership and tremendous courage. After his platoon's vanguard had been surrounded early into the engagement and its leader incapacitated, Kunert spearheaded the relief effort. Together with four men, he mounted a fierce counter-attack and threw back the enemy closing in on the vanguard's position. His courage in battle and his rousing and vigorous leadership style allowed the greatly outnumbered vanguard to regroup, and rendered the evacuation of its wounded leader possible. Under Kunert's leadership, the platoon defended a militarily untenable position for a forbidding amount of time.

This thread is reserved for the highest award for valour; it would be remiss of me not to add the following, though:

So fierce was this engagement not a single member of the surrounded platoon survived unscathed, and so fierce it was that all the principal participants of the battle received awards for courage – most notably Germany's second-highest award for valour, the Gold Cross of Honour (Special Grade), for outstandingly brave perfomance and soldierly conduct at the risk of one's life.

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This award was given to:
  • (posthumously) Sergeant First Class Nils Bruns, who was killed in action during Kunert's counter-attack
  • Major Ulrike Hoedel, the company's mobile field surgeon and her assistant, Master Sergeant Thorsten Junker, who took part in the effort to relieve the surrounded platoon. After their arrival in Isa Khel, they stabilized the casualties while under constant fire and even performed basic surgery. After Sergeant First Class Pordzik and his soldiers had repelled the insurgents from a suitable landing zone, Hoedel and Junker covered an extensive swath of open ground no less than sixteen times to carry all the wounded to the landing zone.
  • Lieutenant Pierre Schweger, a parachute infantry platoon leader, who showed great personal courage during the relief effort
  • the crews of two US Army Blackhawks who, when it was implicitely left at their discretion whether or not they would attempt to land outside fiercely-disputed Isa Khel, defied the insurgents' attempts to deny them the use of the skies and proceeded to evacuate the German casualties to safety. Had it not be for them, the German ministry of defence said afterwards, a day that ended with three German deaths could've had easily ended with eleven. Those soldiers were: Captain Robert Mcdonough, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Steven Husted, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason Lacrosse, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nelson Visaya, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Brown, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Sean Johnson, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric Wells, Staff Sergeant Travis Brown, Sergeant William Ebel, Sergeant Antonio Gattis, Sergeant Steven Shumaker, Specialist Matthew Baker, Specialist Todd Marchese, and Specialist Gregory Martinez.
Last but not least, it must not go unmentioned that the Afghan Army also attempted to relieve their German colleagues. Sadly, an unfortunate chain of events (the Afghans arrived with an unmarked technical in the lead) culminated in a friendly fire incident. Six Afghan servicemembers were mistakenly killed by German soldiers.

N.B.: Unfortunately, the press releases I used in the translations above gave conflicting accounts of the exact timeline of events. If any German member or silent reader could provide corrections to the timeline, by all means hesitate not to come forward.
 
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Federal Republic of Germany

Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry, for deeds of exceptional bravery beyond the call of duty

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Lieutenant Colonel Jared Sembritzki, Mountain Infantry Battalion 231 (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)

Quick Reaction Force 5 was a German mountain infantry battle group of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operating in Baghlan province's contested Baghlani Jadid District between April and October of 2010. Its area of responsibility of more than 500 square kilometers, important to ISAF due to its control over the Highways 1 and 7 – and as such the main axis of traffic between Kunduz and the Afghan capital of Kabul –, lay firmly in the hands of armed insurgents supported by local tribes. With the upcoming general elections in view, QRF 5's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Jared Sembritzki, was given the task to reclaim this area so as to gain the Afghan people's trust and establish unimpaired lines of communication to the benefit of ISAF and its Afghan allies.

In a series of incidents particularly worthy of note, Sembritzki was ordered to establish an outpost overlooking the suspected militant hideouts of Shahabuddin and Aka-Khel, intended to serve as a foothold for operations against a local insurgent cell who had earlier in September killed two Hungarian coalition troops. With his task force as well as members of a US special forces unit at this disposal, Sembritzki succeeded in repelling the opposing force in a display of outstanding leaderhip which has been commended by allied officials. He then oversaw the construction of the outpost by German engineers, and an agreement was struck to the effect that a militia of local men still loyal to the Afghan government would man the outpost with German support.

Quickly, the enemy began to display in no uncertain terms his intentions to destroy Outpost Shahabuddin. In the latter half of September, Sembritzki and his troops distinguished themselves by repelling more than ten attacks on the outpost, facing a ruthless enemy who did not hesitate to abuse local civilians as human shields or deploy suicide bombers. Stretched thin as a result of a a series of diversionary attacks, the Germans could however not avert defeat when in late September, a fierce insurgent attack routed Shahabuddin's garrison of Afghan militiamen. Determined not to lose his local allies' trust, Sembritzki proceeded to mount a multi-pronged counter-attack.

Closing in on Outpost Shahabuddin, Lieutenant Colonel Sembritzki and his troops were met with a stiff resistance by scores of militants occupying both this well-fortified position as well as the surrounding area, where they made cunning use of the region's geographical features. Realizing the distinct possibility that his local allies might switch allegiance and join his enemy should he not succeed, Sembritzki decided to press on the attack and personally took the lead. In this capacity, which he held almost incessantly over a period of three days, he frequently exposed himself to intense hostile fire, took part in the battle courageously and rallied his soldiers to great effect. After 72 hours of fierce fighting, Sembritzki was among the first to set foot in Outpost Shahabuddin. His courage, ingenuity and selfless leadership – that was met with his troops' most vocal acclaim – played a decisive role in this great operational success, which ultimately cost the enemy 60 men killed and 19 taken prisoner.

N.B.: For some bizzare reason, no official document gives an exact date of the engagement which Sembritzki has been commended for.
 
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Richard Ira Bong (September 24, 1920 – August 6, 1945) was a United States Army Air Forces major and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. He was one of the most decorated American fighter pilots and the country's top flying ace in the war, credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft, all with the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter. He died in California while testing a Lockheed P-80 jet fighter shortly before the war ended.

On September 10, 1942, Lt. Bong was assigned to the 9th Fighter Squadron, which was flying P-40 Warhawks, based at Darwin, Australia. In November, while the squadron waited for delivery of the scarce P-38s, Bong and other 9th FS pilots were reassigned temporarily to fly missions and gain combat experience with the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, based in Port Moresby, New Guinea. On December 27, Bong claimed his initial aerial victory, shooting down a Mitsubishi A6M "Zero", and a Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" over Buna (during the Battle of Buna-Gona). For this action, Bong was awarded the Silver Star.

Bong rejoined the 9th FS, by then equipped with P-38s, in January 1943; the 49th FG was based at Schwimmer Field near Port Moresby. In April, he was promoted to first lieutenant. On July 26, Bong claimed four Japanese fighters over Lae, in an action that earned him the Distinguished Service Cross. In August, he was promoted to captain.

While on leave to the United States the following November and December, Bong met Marjorie Vattendahl at a Superior State Teachers' College homecoming event and began dating her.

After returning to the southwest Pacific in January 1944, he named his P-38 "Marge" and adorned the nose with her photo. On April 12, Captain Bong shot down his 26th and 27th Japanese aircraft, surpassing Eddie Rickenbacker's American record of 26 credited victories in World War I. Soon afterwards, he was promoted to major by General Kenney and dispatched to the United States to see General "Hap" Arnold, who gave him a leave. After visiting training bases and going on a 15-state bond promotion tour, Bong returned to New Guinea in September. He was assigned to the V Fighter Command staff as an advanced gunnery instructor with permission to go on missions but not to seek combat. Bong continued flying from Tacloban, Leyte, during the Philippines campaign; by December 17, he had increased his air-to-air victory claims to 40.

Bong considered his gunnery accuracy to be poor, so he compensated by getting as close to his targets as possible to make sure he hit them. In some cases he flew through the debris of exploding enemy aircraft, and on one occasion collided with his target, which he claimed as a "probable" victory.

On the recommendation of General Kenney, the Far East Air Force commander, Bong received the Medal of Honor from General Douglas MacArthur in a special ceremony in December 1944. Bong's Medal of Honor citation says that he flew combat missions despite his status as an instructor, which was one of his duties as standardization officer for V Fighter Command. His rank of major would have qualified him for a squadron command, but he always flew as a flight (four-plane) or element (two-plane) leader.

In January 1945, Kenney sent America's ace of aces home for good. Bong married Vattendahl on February 10, 1945. He participated in numerous PR activities, such as promoting the sale of war bonds.

Bong then became a test pilot assigned to Lockheed's plant in Burbank, California, where he flew P-80 Shooting Star jet fighters at the Lockheed Air Terminal. On August 6, 1945, he took off to perform the acceptance flight of P-80A 44-85048. It was his 12th flight in the P-80; he had a total of four hours and fifteen minutes of flight time in the jet.

The plane's primary fuel pump malfunctioned during takeoff. Bong either forgot to switch to the auxiliary fuel pump, or for some reason was unable to do so. Bong cleared away from the aircraft, but was too low for his parachute to deploy. The plane crashed into a narrow field at Oxnard St & Satsuma Ave, North Hollywood. His death was front-page news across the country, sharing space with the first news of the bombing of Hiroshima.

The I-16 fuel pump had been added to P-80s after an earlier fatal crash. Captain Ray Crawford, a fellow P-80 test/acceptance flight pilot who flew on August 6, later said Bong had told him that he had forgotten to turn on the I-16 pump on an earlier flight.

In his autobiography, Chuck Yeager writes that part of the culture of test flying at the time, due to its fearsome mortality rates, was anger toward pilots who died in test flights, to avoid being overcome by sorrow for lost comrades.
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Major Richard Bong with his fighter-P-38 Lightning named "Marge"(his girlfriend and later wife) and decorated with her picture

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Dakota Louis Meyer (born June 26, 1988) is a United States Marine. A veteran of the War in Afghanistan, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on 8 September 2009, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Meyer is the second-youngest living Medal of Honor recipient, the third living recipient for either the Iraq War or the War in Afghanistan and the first living U.S. Marine in 38 years to be so honored.

" For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8, Regional Corps Advisory Command 3-7, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 8 September 2009. Corporal Meyer maintained security at a patrol rally point while other members of his team moved on foot with two platoons of Afghan National Army and Border Police into the village of Ganjgal for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Moving into the village, the patrol was ambushed by more than 50 enemy fighters firing rocket propelled grenades, mortars, and machine guns from houses and fortified positions on the slopes above. Hearing over the radio that four U.S. team members were cut off, Corporal Meyer seized the initiative. With a fellow Marine driving, Corporal Meyer took the exposed gunner's position in a gun-truck as they drove down the steeply terraced terrain in a daring attempt to disrupt the enemy attack and locate the trapped U.S. team. Disregarding intense enemy fire now concentrated on their lone vehicle, Corporal Meyer killed a number of enemy fighters with the mounted machine guns and his rifle, some at near point blank range, as he and his driver made three solo trips into the ambush area. During the first two trips, he and his driver evacuated two dozen Afghan soldiers, many of whom were wounded. When one machine gun became inoperable, he directed a return to the rally point to switch to another gun-truck for a third trip into the ambush area where his accurate fire directly supported the remaining U.S. personnel and Afghan soldiers fighting their way out of the ambush. Despite a shrapnel wound to his arm, Corporal Meyer made two more trips into the ambush area in a third gun-truck accompanied by four other Afghan vehicles to recover more wounded Afghan soldiers and search for the missing U.S. team members. Still under heavy enemy fire, he dismounted the vehicle on the fifth trip and moved on foot to locate and recover the bodies of his team members. Meyer's daring initiative and bold fighting spirit throughout the 6-hour battle significantly disrupted the enemy's attack and inspired the members of the combined force to fight on. His unwavering courage and steadfast devotion to his U.S. and Afghan comrades in the face of almost certain death reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."
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Federal Republic of Germany

Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry, for deeds of exceptional bravery beyond the call of duty

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Lieutenant Colonel Jared Sembritzki, Mountain Infantry Battalion 231 (Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry)
Brigadier General Jared Sembritzki will be installed as the Chief of Staff, United States Army Europe, on May 1st.

Good to hear they didn't send some office sitter to work with the Americans.
 
(Germany)

Conferment of the Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry upon Sergeant First Class Jan Berges, Parachute Infantry Battalion 263; Sergeant First Class Alexander Dietzen, Parachute Infantry Battalion 263; Sergeant First Class Henry Lukács, Parachute Infantry Battalion 263; and Staff Sergeant Markus Geist, Infantry Warfare Development Group, Air Assault School; for deeds of exceptional bravery beyond the call of duty performed on October 20, 2008, in Haji Amanullah, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

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In the early hours of October 20, 2008 in Kunduz province's Taliban-beleaguered Char Dara district, a German infantry company with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan security forces bore down on the village of Haji Amanullah to arrest a local teacher suspected of supplying improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to insurgents active in the area. Having established road checkpoints to control all access, the unit set out to systematically search the homes of Haji Amanullah.

Around midday, the troops discovered an explosive device hidden under agricultural tools and radioed for reinforcements. The advance party of the unit responding consisted of Sergeants First Class Jan Berges, Alexander Dietzen, Henry Lukács and Staff Sergeant Markus Geist riding in two light 'Wolf' patrol vehicles.

At the same time, a suicide bomber approached a checkpoint at the opposite end of the village and detonated his vehicle borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED). Knowing their skills as trained combat first responders could be put to good use, the four men immediately resolved to divert to the site of the attack.

There, they encountered the harrowing sight of a multitude of maimed bodies strewn about the road and a 'Mungo' personnel carrier engulfed in flames. Sounds of gunshots and detonations echoing off nearby walls gave the impression of an ongoing insurgent attack. With the squad responsible for the checkpoint in a state of disarray, Berges, Dietzen, Lukács and Geist took the initiative.

Even whilst organising the defence against the presumed attack, the four men hastened towards the burning 'Mungo'. Upon close inspection they realised that the force of the SVBIED had ignited several boxes of 40 mm grenades and other explosives stored inside the vehicle. The burning ordnance spelt certain death for the four wounded German soldiers and the seven Afghan children lying helplessly amongst the debris.

In utter disregard of their own lives, the four men rushed to help. Braving the fire, they boarded the stricken 'Mungo' and retrieved the body of mortally wounded Sergeant Patrick Behlke. Barely had he and another man been dragged to safety when Berges, Dietzen, Lukács and Geist returned to tend to the remaining casualties. One by one they retrieved the other victims of whom many lay dying.

In doing so, the men exposed themselves to the blaze's fury and a constant barrage of ricocheting bullets and grenades fragments numerous times.

Although their best efforts to resuscitate Behlke, Corporal Roman Schmidt and a grieviously injured Afghan child were in vain, the four men managed against all odds to stabilise the other survivors; two German soldiers and an eight-year-old Afghan girl owe to them their lives.

Sergeants First Class Bergen, Dietzen, Lukács and Staff Sergeant Geist distinguished themselves by exceptional bravery and the utmost of selflessness in the face of grave danger. In the most admirable of ways their deeds exhibit the values of the armed forces of a democratic Germany.

– Berlin, July 6 2009.
 
Ronald J. Shurer II (December 7, 1978 – May 14, 2020) was a United States Army Special Forces staff sergeant and medic. As a senior medical sergeant during the Battle of Shok Valley in April 2008, he and his team were attacked by an enemy force of more than 200 fighters. Shurer fought for more than an hour to reach part of his unit, killing several insurgents along the way. He was initially awarded a Silver Star for this action, but in 2016 The Pentagon upgraded this recognition to a Medal of Honor. He received the latter honor in a White House ceremony on October 1, 2018

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to

STAFF SERGEANT RONALD J. SHURER II UNITED STATES ARMY

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Shurer II distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on April 6, 2008, while serving as a Senior Medical Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sergeant Shurer was part of an assault element inserted by helicopter into a location in Afghanistan. As the assault element moved up a near vertical mountain toward its objective, it was engaged by fierce enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. The lead portion of the assault element, which included the ground commander, sustained several casualties and became pinned down on the mountainside. Staff Sergeant Shurer and the rest of the trailing portion of the assault element were likewise engaged by enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. As the attack intensified, Staff Sergeant Shurer braved enemy fire to move to an injured Soldier and treat his wounds. Having stabilized the injured Soldier, Staff Sergeant Shurer then learned of the casualties among the lead element. Staff Sergeant Shurer fought his way up the mountainside, under intense enemy fire, to the lead element’s location. Upon reaching the lead element, he treated and stabilized two more Soldiers. Finishing those lifesaving efforts, Staff Sergeant Shurer noticed two additional severely wounded Soldiers under intense enemy fire. The bullet that had wounded one of these Soldiers had also impacted Staff Sergeant Shurer’s helmet. With complete disregard for his own life, Staff Sergeant Shurer again moved through enemy fire to treat and stabilize one Soldier’s severely wounded arm. Shortly thereafter, Staff Sergeant Shurer continued to brave withering enemy fire to get to the other Soldier’s location in order to treat his lower leg, which had been almost completely severed by a high-caliber sniper round. After treating the Soldier, Staff Sergeant Shurer began to evacuate the wounded; carrying and lowering them down the sheer mountainside. While moving down the mountain, Staff Sergeant Shurer used his own body to shield the wounded from enemy fire and debris caused by danger-close air strikes. Reaching the base of the mountain, Staff Sergeant Shurer set up a casualty collection point and continued to treat the wounded. With the arrival of the medical evacuation helicopter, Staff Sergeant Shurer, again under enemy fire, helped load the wounded into the helicopter. Having ensured the safety of the wounded, Staff Sergeant Shurer then regained control of his commando squad and rejoined the fight. He continued to lead his troops and emplace security elements until it was time to move to the evacuation landing zone for the helicopter. Staff Sergeant Shurer’s actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.
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Shurer was honorably discharged in May 2009 and became a special agent in the Phoenix office of the United States Secret Service. He was later selected for the agency's Counter Assault Team and assigned to its Special Operations Division in Washington, D.C. He lived in Burke, Virginia, with his wife and two sons. Shurer was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2017, and on May 14, 2020, he died as a result of the disease at the age of 41
 
Karanbahadur Rana VC (21 December 1898 – 25 July 1973) was a Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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Photo taken:1969
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On 9 April 1917, the British XXI Corps was on the coastal sector of Palestine just north of Jaffa with the 75th Division on the right of the corps. The British planned an operation which in several stages would capture Tulkarm. The 75th Division launched a preliminary attack at 0510 hours on 9 April and met fierce resistance. On 10 April, in the fighting at El Kefr, Palestine, Rifleman Karanbahadur Rana, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, 75th Division, was awarded the Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery. The citation published on 21 June 1918 stated:

For most conspicuous bravery, resource in action under adverse conditions, and utter contempt for danger.During an attack, he, with a few other men, succeeded under intense fire, in creeping forward with a Lewis gun in order to engage an enemy machine gun which had caused severe casualties to officers and other ranks who had attempted to put it out of action. No. 1 of the Lewis gun opened fire, and was shot immediately. Without a moment's hesitation Rifleman Karanbahadur pushed the dead man off the gun, and in spite of bombs thrown at him and heavy fire from both flanks, he opened fire and knocked out the enemy machine-gun crew; then, switching his fire on to the enemy bombers and riflemen in front of him, he silenced their fire. He kept his gun in action and showed the greatest coolness in removing defects which on two occasions prevented the gun from firing. During the remainder of the day he did magnificent work, and when a withdrawal was ordered he assisted with covering fire until the enemy were close on him. He displayed throughout a very high standard of valour and devotion to duty.:

The unit, date and place of VC actions were not gazetted from 1916 until 11 November 1918. These details were gazetted on 31 March 1919 when Karanbahadur Rana was listed with the '2/3rd Q.A.O. Gurkha Rif.’, the date ‘10.4.18’ and place ‘El Kefr’. The gazette incorrectly stated El Kefr was in Egypt. It is in Palestine. In silencing the enemy machine-gun, Karanbahadur Rana, enabled his company commander, Lieutenant Frederick Barter, who had been lying within 30 yards of the machine gun for five and a half hours to withdraw. As a company sergeant-major with The Royal Welch Fusiliers, Lieutenant Barter had been awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery at Festubert, France, on 16 May 1915.
 
Trond André Bolle (5 July 1968 – 27 June 2010) was a Norwegian military officer and a commando of Marinejegerkommandoen (Norwegian Navy Special Operations Command, NORNAVSOC), with the rank of orlogskaptein.

"Lieutenant Commander Trond André Bolle was awarded the War Cross with Sword (posthumously) on 21 January 2011. The decision was announced by the Minister of Defence, Grete Faremo, shortly after the cabinet session the same day. Lt. Cmdr. Bolle receives the award for his actions and behaviour during his command of the Norwegian Special Operations Force Task Group II in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan's Helmand province from October 2005 to February 2006. According to the Minister of Defence, Lt. Cmdr Bolle performed "above and beyond the call of duty" on numerous occasions during this period, his leadership was described as "exemplary". Lieutenant Commander Trond André Bolle was killed in action on 27 June 2010, in an IED incident in Afghanistan's Faryab province. Three other soldiers, Christian Lian, Simen Tokle and Andreas Eldjarn were also killed in the incident, which happened on the road between Khwaja Gawhar and Almar Bazar. The vehicle was the fourth vehicle in a row of four vehicles. This award marks the first award of the War Cross with Sword for actions performed after the end of World War II. The award was presented on Veterans day (also Victory in Europe Day), 8 May 2011."

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S**t. I worked with Trond in another theatre in the early 2000s. I didn't realise that he'd been killed.

Fair winds mate.
 
Jack Foreman Mantle, VC (12 April 1917 – 4 July 1940) was a sailor in the Royal Navy and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Mantle was 23 years old, and an acting leading seaman in the Royal Navy during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 4 July 1940, during an air raid on Portland, England, Leading Seaman Mantle of HMS Foylebank, who was manning the starboard pom-pom gun, had his left leg shattered by the blast from a bomb early in the action. Although wounded again many times, he remained at his gun, training and firing by hand when Foylebank's electric power failed, until he collapsed and died. His citation in the London Gazette reads:

Leading Seaman Jack Mantle was in charge of the Starboard pom-pom when FOYLEBANK was attacked by enemy aircraft on the 4th of July, 1940. Early in the action his left leg was shattered by a bomb, but he stood fast at his gun and went on firing with hand-gear only; for the ship's electric power had failed. Almost at once he was wounded again in many places. Between his bursts of fire he had time to reflect on the grievous injuries of which he was soon to die; but his great courage bore him up till the end of the fight, when he fell by the gun he had so valiantly served.[2]
This was only the second occasion that the Victoria Cross has been awarded for action in the United Kingdom.
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Joe Ronnie Hooper (August 8, 1938 – May 6, 1979) was an American who served in both the United States Navy and United States Army where he finished his career there as a captain. He earned the Medal of Honor while serving as an army staff sergeant on February 21, 1968 during the Vietnam War. He was one of the most decorated U.S. soldiers of the war and was wounded in action eight times.


Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Huế, Republic of Vietnam, February 21, 1968. Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Born: August 8, 1938, Piedmont, S.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Staff Sergeant (then Sgt.) Hooper, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving as squad leader with Company D. Company D was assaulting a heavily defended enemy position along a river bank when it encountered a withering hail of fire from rockets, machine guns and automatic weapons. S/Sgt. Hooper rallied several men and stormed across the river, overrunning several bunkers on the opposite shore. Thus inspired, the rest of the company moved to the attack. With utter disregard for his own safety, he moved out under the intense fire again and pulled back the wounded, moving them to safety. During this act S/Sgt. Hooper was seriously wounded, but he refused medical aid and returned to his men. With the relentless enemy fire disrupting the attack, he single-handedly stormed 3 enemy bunkers, destroying them with hand grenade and rifle fire, and shot 2 enemy soldiers who had attacked and wounded the Chaplain. Leading his men forward in a sweep of the area, S/Sgt. Hooper destroyed 3 buildings housing enemy riflemen. At this point he was attacked by a North Vietnamese officer whom he fatally wounded with his bayonet. Finding his men under heavy fire from a house to the front, he proceeded alone to the building, killing its occupants with rifle fire and grenades. By now his initial body wound had been compounded by grenade fragments, yet despite the multiple wounds and loss of blood, he continued to lead his men against the intense enemy fire. As his squad reached the final line of enemy resistance, it received devastating fire from 4 bunkers in line on its left flank. S/Sgt. Hooper gathered several hand grenades and raced down a small trench which ran the length of the bunker line, tossing grenades into each bunker as he passed by, killing all but 2 of the occupants. With these positions destroyed, he concentrated on the last bunkers facing his men, destroying the first with an incendiary grenade and neutralising 2 more by rifle fire. He then raced across an open field, still under enemy fire, to rescue a wounded man who was trapped in a trench. Upon reaching the man, he was faced by an armed enemy soldier whom he killed with a pistol. Moving his comrade to safety and returning to his men, he neutralized the final pocket of enemy resistance by fatally wounding 3 North Vietnamese officers with rifle fire. S/Sgt. Hooper then established a final line and reorganised his men, not accepting treatment until this was accomplished and not consenting to evacuation until the following morning. His supreme valour, inspiring leadership and heroic self-sacrifice were directly responsible for the company's success and provided a lasting example in personal courage for every man on the field. S/Sgt. Hooper's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

For his service in Vietnam, the U.S. Army also awarded Hooper two Silver Stars, six Bronze Stars, eight Purple Hearts, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Medal with six campaign stars, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He is credited with 115 enemy killed in ground combat, 22 of which occurred on February 21, 1968. He became one of the most-decorated soldiers in the Vietnam War, and was one of three soldiers wounded in action eight times in the war.

According to rumors, he was distressed by the anti-war politics of the time, and compensated with excessive drinking which contributed to his death. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Louisville, Kentucky on May 6, 1979, at the age of 40.

Hooper is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 46, adjacent to the Memorial Amphitheater.
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As we build to the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2 and VJ Day, we remember the bravery of Victoria Cross hero, Naik Gian Singh, who tackled 20 Japanese soldiers and an anti tank gun as the last man standing.
He recalled to his son Charanjit Sangha: "I am going to die now, so I might as well do something."
Mr. Singh's gallantry was credited with saving the platoon which had many casualties and enabled the operation to be carried out successfully leading to severe losses to the enemy.

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Baldomero López (August 23, 1925 – September 15, 1950) was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for smothering a hand grenade with his own body during the Inchon Landing on September 15, 1950.

He enlisted in the United States Navy on July 8, 1943, shortly after graduating from high school, and served until June 11 of the next year. He was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in the midst of World War II, and because of the ongoing war he and his classmates were placed in an accelerated three-year program. Upon graduating on June 6, 1947, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He attended The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia, after which he became a platoon commander in the Platoon Leaders Class Training Regiment.

In 1948, López went to China, where he served as a mortar section commander and later as a rifle platoon commander at Tsingtao and Shanghai. On his return from China he was assigned to Camp Pendleton, California. He was serving there when, shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War, he volunteered for duty as an infantry officer in Korea. He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on June 16, 1950
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In Korea, Lt. López served as a platoon commander in A Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced). On September 15, 1950, he took part in the amphibious invasion of Inchon. After landing on the beach, he was captured in an iconic photograph by Marguerite Higgins as he led his men over a seawall. Minutes later, while preparing to throw a hand grenade into a North Korean bunker, he was struck by automatic weapons fire in the chest and right shoulder, causing him to drop the activated device. Although seriously wounded, Lt. López crawled toward the grenade and unable to throw it because of his injuries, pulled it under his body to shield others from the blast. He was killed in the resulting explosion and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Secretary of the Navy Dan A. Kimball presented the medal to Lopez's parents during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on August 30, 1951.
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Lieutenant López leading his men under fire over the seawall at Inchon several minutes before his death.


Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Marine platoon commander of Company A, in action against enemy aggressor forces. With his platoon 1st Lt. Lopez was engaged in the reduction of immediate enemy beach defenses after landing with the assault waves. Exposing himself to hostile fire, he moved forward alongside a bunker and prepared to throw a hand grenade into the next pillbox whose fire was pinning down that sector of the beach. Taken under fire by an enemy automatic weapon and hit in the right shoulder and chest as he lifted his arm to throw, he fell backward and dropped the deadly missile. After a moment, he turned and dragged his body forward in an effort to retrieve the grenade and throw it. In critical condition from pain and loss of blood, and unable to grasp the hand grenade firmly enough to hurl it, he chose to sacrifice himself rather than endanger the lives of his men and, with a sweeping motion of his wounded right arm, cradled the grenade under him and absorbed the full impact of the explosion. His exceptional courage, fortitude, and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. Lopez and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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Charles Denver Barger (June 3, 1892 – November 25, 1936) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I. He earned the medal while serving as a Chauchat automatic rifle gunner during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, when he and another soldier, Jesse N. Funk, entered no man's land despite heavy fire and rescued two wounded officers and one enlisted man.
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On October 31, 1918, near Bois-de-Bantheville, Barger's regiment sent several patrols into no man's land to reconnoitre German positions in preparation for an advance as part of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Unusually, the patrols had been sent out during daylight, rather than waiting for the cover of darkness. Two patrols from Barger's regiment became pinned down by heavy rifle and machine gun fire. Second Lieutenant John M. Millis, of Company L, was seriously wounded in the legs and ordered his men to leave without him. One man managed to crawl to the safety of the Allied lines and brought news that Millis and another wounded officer were trapped in no man's land.

Upon hearing this, Barger and Private First Class Jesse N. Funk, voluntarily ran 500 yards (460 m) through heavy machine gun fire with a stretcher to rescue Millis, but he insisted that First Lieutenant Ernest G. Rowell, of Company I, be rescued first. When they returned to no man's land to rescue Millis, they discovered a wounded enlisted man about fifty yards from a machine gun nest, so they returned a third time to rescue him. For these actions, General John J. Pershing presented Barger and Funk the Medal of Honor in February 1919 in Trier, Germany.

“Then there was Charlie Barger," Funk revealed after the war. "He came from down at Stotts City, Missouri, and he’d never had much of a chance in life. He was an automatic Chauchat gunner; I was his carrier, and I used to write his letters for him and I got to know him pretty well. He was scared, too—just as badly scared as any of us, but he had the grit to put it all behind him, and what was more, he’d force it down so far that he could cheer up the other fellows. Believe me, he sure had grit and I’m proud to have been the running mate of a man that had as much fight in him as he had.” In total, Barger was awarded the Purple Heart ten times for wounds he sustained.

Later Life:
Barger returned to farming with his adopted uncle, Henry McFerron, and later as a construction worker in Waco, Missouri, but had a rough time making ends meet. He had difficulty adjusting to civilian life and struggled to stay employed. He was a member of the American Legion, and fellow veterans from that group helped him find work until "the general public and those who could give employment to veterans became apathetic to the appeals for help on the ground[s that] he was a national hero".

On January 1, 1921, congress approved the recruiting of new soldiers, and he enlisted in Joplin on the tenth. He was assigned as a machine gunner to Company D, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, at Camp Pike, Arkansas, until being permanently discharged from the Army on July 15, 1921.

While stationed in Arkansas, Barger married Audrey E. Hurst in Hardy, Arkansas, on March 2, 1921, and on June 6, 1922, they had a son named Charles Denver Barger, Jr. This marriage was short-lived, and he went on to marry Ruth Irene Bailey. They had two children, Joseph Elmer Barger, born on January 25, 1925, and Mabel Louise "Dodi" Barger, born on April 13, 1928.

In January 1922, Barger was hired as a police officer in Kansas City. On February 22, he and Officer Howard Pollard were dispatched to 1724 Holly Street where two men were involved in bootlegging and one was suspected of murder. The suspects holed up on the second floor of the residence and decided to shoot it out with the officers. Pollard was hit in the arm and went down, and Barger was shot in the left wrist, right arm, chest and head—a total of five times. Nonetheless, he returned fire, shooting one man in the abdomen and hitting the other three times. While the latter fled, the man hit in the abdomen was taken into custody and died from his injury a short while later.

Barger recovered from his injuries, but his head wound coupled with the effects of mustard gas and post-traumatic stress eventually took its toll on his physical and mental health. He remained with the police force for twelve years before they let him go with no compensation or pension.

For the next few years Barger did whatever he could to make ends meet, but every day was a struggle. He raised rabbits to put meat on the table, planted a garden, and, against everything he believed in, accepted charity from the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, the only two agencies that stood by him through the years. "It's fine to have all the medals," he lamented, "but the trouble is you can't eat them."

In the Spring of 1936, Barger moved to a farm four miles southwest of Oak Grove, outside of Kansas City, and began working for the Civilian Conservation Corps in Blue Springs.

On the night of November 23, county police were called to his home where they found him wielding a large hunting knife and setting fire to his farmhouse. He had three self-inflicted wounds to his throat, and the deputies reported that "his clothing was torn and his body burned in a dozen places." When the officers attempted to arrest him for threatening to kill his wife, he lunged at them with the knife. Deputy Frank Ridenour fired in self-defence, inflicting a non-life-threatening wound to Barger's right thigh. He was taken to the Kansas City General Hospital and died two days later from third-degree burns to his face and arms. He was buried at Blue Springs Cemetery in Blue Springs, not far from his Oak Grove home.

"That the breakdown was due to his war experience no comrade of Charles Barger would deny," a reporter friend wrote after his death. "Yet through the years every effort made by the veterans' organizations to persuade the government that sent him to war to admit responsibility for his mental condition ended in failure. There was no 'proof' in cold language that his suffering was connected with his service. Charles Barger remained a name and a case number."

 
There's no citation for this soldier, other than a sentence embedded in a press release about him being acknowledged for his "courage in battle" and his "valiant and skillful leadership" which saved "a friendly unit from certain annihilation". However, Sergeant Seibert did give an interview which was frontpaged by the German Army on April 13, 2010. (Via the Internet Archive, as always.)

Federal Republic of Germany

Cross of Honour for Conspicuous Gallantry, for deeds of exceptional bravery beyond the call of duty

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Master Sergeant Daniel Seibert, Army Combat School

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How often did you already have to comment on the events of June 4 2009 ?

Way too often.

What makes you say that? Do you associate negative memories with that day?

No, I do not. But the time has come for me to move on and focus on new tasks. The events near Kunduz lie in the past, I don't want to dwell on them all the time. My value as a soldier and leader isn't determined by how I performed in combat that day.

But you are the first soldier of the German Defence Forces to have been awarded a medal for gallantry in combat. Is that not an honour?

It is an honour, but I was decorated in my soldiers' stead. Without my men, I wouldn't have made a difference that day. The outcome was a result of excellent teamwork. It wasn't of one man's doing.

What had happened prior to the engagement on June 4 2009?

Eight kilometres ahead of us, a reconnaissance team of three Fennek scout cars with three crew members each was ambushed by the Taliban. A suicide bomber had blown himself up near one of the vehicles, then the attackers opened fire from multiple dug-outs with small arms and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). It was a well-coordinated ambush.

They requested your assistance?

Our platoon was closest to the events as as they unfolded; we were busy completing an IED-Sweep, though.

What is an IED-Sweep?

It means searching a road for hidden explosive devices so disposal experts may clear them out. Our task was to protect said experts. We were in hostile territory after all, we always had to be prepared for booby traps or ambushes.

So, you were given the order to relieve the reconnaissance party?


Listening in on the radio, we followed the events as they unfolded. Once I heard our recce guys were taking fire, there was no doubt in my mind we had to come to their aid. The commanding officer of the Quick Reaction Force gave the order soon after.

My instructions were to establish a line of communications with the recce team leader and determine from where they were taking fire. Actually, that's exactly what the team had been deployed for in the first place: identify potential hostile positions. But it wasn't meant to be.

You knew you were about to go into combat?

Of course.

Did you know that your comrades were being attacked by overwhelmingly superior numbers?


At that point in time, we didn't know how superior their numbers actually were. We learned it the hard way, really.

What were your thoughts moments before you entered combat?

That we would spare no effort to get our comrades off the hook.

The risk of injury or death was not on your mind?

No, not at that moment. You can't allow fear to grip you. You'd become paralysed.

What equipment did your platoon have at its disposal?

We had four Dingo mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles and three Fuchs armoured personnel carriers, all equipped with MG3 machine guns.

How long did it take your platoon to reach the battlefield?

About seven minutes.

What happened next?

I rode in the leading Dingo, advancing ahead of the platoon. The attack took place near the village of Basoz. As we were closing in, the recce team leader approached us. I remember him dismounting his Fennek as if it were yesterday: the helmet on his head, his rifle in one hand and a grenade in the other, yelling: "They're all over the place!"

You were given the order to rout the enemy?

We received instructions to advance into the village and expel the Taliban from their firing positions. But our enemy had a plan of his own: He was intent on encircling the recce team and destroy it, and was already about to set his plan in motion. Both roads leading into the village were well and truly blocked.

But we made good use of the fact that three Fenneks were all the Taliban were able to observe from their positions. They must have thought they succeeded in inmobilising a vehicle and, as a consequence, the entire party. We were regrouping covered by a turn in the road, they just couldn't see us.

You said, the recce team leader yelled: They are everywhere?

… and within seconds the first two of many RPGs hit a nearby house. The road was flanked by houses and solid walls typical for the country; deep ditches ran parallel to the road. There were no civilians in the area – but all the more militants.

Just as the rear of our platoon linked up with us, our rearward vehicles took heavy fire from the sides. The Taliban threw themselves at us fanatically, lunging out of their dug-outs to run at us all gun blazing. We returned fire and already inflicted some casualties on them, even in this early stage.

You had ordered your men to disembark?

Yes, only the gunners remained onboard. There was no alternative, we were stuck. We couldn't move in any direction, so we had to dismount our vehicles and set up a perimeter. But we had been trained for it.

The Taliban just started running towards you?

Ten of them came charging at us from 50 metres away – some on the road itself, some advancing through the ditches on both sides. They were armed with RPGs and AK-47.

Your gunners stopped them in their tracks?

They shot them all.

What were you doing at that time?

I was focused on leading my men, on giving orders.

How can one give orders over the noise of battle?

One shouts at the men, yells at them what to do. Sometimes I linked up with them directly, assigning targets by pointing at them.

Did you have to fire your own weapon?


And there was a duel situation of sorts. After we'd just pushed back their first charge, the enemy attempted to recover his casualties and attack our left flank. I was in the process of repositioning our heavy weapons when I noticed four militants barely 25 metres away, switching to a firing position.

One of them stopped and fired a burst at myself and the recce team leader, to whom I was just giving instructions. He shot off the sling from my comrade's rifle as well as parts of his boot. There were bullets flying left and right. But somehow I remained unharmed and proceeded to make sure that guy isn't going to point a gun at anyone anymore.

You took him out in a duel?

I shot him dead. It's either him or you. It was that simple then.

You were lucky he missed you or was a bad shot.

He fired a burst off the hoof. If he'd opted to fire single shots, I don't think I'd have been around to receive a decoration for bravery.

What is your assessment of the enemy's level of skill?

What we received was an expertly lead infantry charge. They knew exactly what they were doing and were very well trained.

It was not your first taste of combat during your rotation to Kunduz.

No, we had contact with the enemy time and again. However, the engagement on June 4 was something special. We had to close in for the kill. Our machine guns were put to good use giving covering fire; but the lion's share of the work was done by the infantry advancing on foot and without protection. It was a risky proposition, no doubt about it, but there's no other way to deal with this kind of foe.

And then, you proceeded to destroy the enemy?

I cannot publicly address the enemy's body count, but I will say this: Once the day was ours, he had a good many casualties to mourn.
 
Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC (17 July 1945 – 14 December 1971) was an officer of the Indian Air Force. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration during war time, in recognition of his lone defence of Srinagar Air Base against a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) air raid during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He is the only member of the Indian Air Force to be honoured with the PVC.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was serving with the No.18 Squadron, "The Flying Bullets" of IAF, flying the Folland Gnat fighter aircraft based at Srinagar. On 14 December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by six Pakistan Air Force F-86 jets of 26 Sqn from PAF base Peshawar. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at that time. As soon as the first aircraft attacked, Sekhon rolled for take-off as No 2 in a two-Gnat formation, with Flt. Lt. Ghumman in lead, just as the first bombs were falling on the runway. Only delayed due to dust kicked up by the preceding Gnat, Sekhon lost no time in singling out the first Sabre pair, which was re-forming after the bombing run. The Gnat Leader, Flt. Lt. Ghumman lost visual with his wingman just after take-off and remained out of the fight leaving Sekhon to handle the muddle all by himself. In the ensuing air battle, Sekhon scored a direct hit on one Sabre and set another ablaze. The latter was seen heading away towards Rajauri, trailing smoke.

Sekhon, after being hit, was advised to return to the base by ATC Squadron Leader Virendera Singh Pathania VrC, VM. He is said to have flown in straight, wings level for some time, then going inverted, plummeting down, probably due failure of control system. He attempted a last-minute ejection, which did not prove successful, as his canopy was seen to fly off. The wreckage of the Gnat was found in a gorge, near the road coming from Srinagar town to the base, a few miles from the base. Despite many search efforts by Army and Air Force, his remains were never found due to the mountainous terrain of where his fighter went down.
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On December 16,2021 Alwyne Cashe will be receiving his Medal of Honor. On October 17, 2005, near Samarra, Iraq, Cashe’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Cashe retrieved six Soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter from the burning vehicle, receiving burns on nearly 72% of his body. Alwyn Cashe died on Nov. 8, 2005, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Lieutenant General Gary Brito, Cashe's battalion commander at the time of the action, did not initially realize the extent of Cashe's injuries and the pain he must have been in when he nominated Cashe for the Silver Star award. Witnesses were evacuated for medical treatment and unavailable for statement. Brito subsequently submitted additional statements to the Army to justify upgrading Cashe's award to the Medal of Honor.
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The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous achievement following an improvised explosive device explosion on 17 October 2005, while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Sergeant First Class Cashe's disregard for his own safety proved evident when he saved the lives of six fellow soldiers despite his serious injuries. His bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Task Force DRAGON, the SLEDGEHAMMER Brigade, Task Force LIBERTY, and the United States Army. NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD: Sergeant First Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States as a Platoon Sergeant in 1st Platoon, Alpha Company (HARDOCK), 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment stationed at Forward Operating Base MACKENZIE, Iraq, on 17 October 2005. On the evening of 17 October 2005, Sergeant First Class Cashe's heroic actions saved the lives of six of his fellow soldiers. At approximately 1920 hours, 1st Platoon of Alpha Company, 1-15 Infantry departed FOB MACKENZIE to conduct a route clearance in the city of Daliaya, Iraq. Along Route JAIME, the lead Bradley Fighting Vehicle, of which Sergeant First Class Cashe was gunner having just moved from a NMC vehicle, struck a victim detonated pressure-switch IED at grid MC 25357243. The blast ignited the fuel cell on the vehicle causing fuel to spew everywhere. The vehicle came to a stop and immediately erupted in flames. Sergeant First Class Cashe was initially slightly injured and drenched with fuel. Despite his condition, he bravely managed to get out of the gunner's hatch, crawl down the BFV and assist the driver out of the driver's hatch. The driver had been burned and Sergeant First Class Cashe extinguished his flames. The following minutes were crucial. Six soldiers and a translator were in the back of the Bradley. Flames had engulfed the entire vehicle from the bottom and were coming out of every portal. The squad leader inside the vehicle managed to open the troop hatch door to help the soldiers escape. Without regard for his personal safety, Sergeant First Class Cashe rushed to the back of the vehicle, reaching into the hot flames and started pulling out his soldiers. The flames gripped his fuel soaked uniform. Flames quickly spread all over his body. Despite the terrible pain, Sergeant First Class Cashe placed the injured soldier on the ground and returned to the burning vehicle to retrieve another burning soldier; all the while, he was still on fire. A crew from a trail Bradley arrived within moments and assisted with CASEVAC. During all this and with severe burns, Sergeant First Class Cashe bravely continued to take control of the chaos. Within minutes, the company First Sergeant was on the scene and began to evacuate the seriously injured soldiers. One of which was Sergeant First Class Cashe. In the end, the national translator was killed in action, and 10 soldiers were injured. Seven of the ten were very seriously injured. Sergeant First Class Cashe stayed a hero through it all. His injuries were the worst as he suffered form 2d and 3d degree burns over 72% of his body. Sergeant First Class Cashe's heroic actions saved the lives of six of his beloved soldiers. He is truly deserving of this award. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Task Force LIBERTY and the United States Army.
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Joseph John Sadowski

Sergeant, U.S. Army

Medal of Honor Recipient

World War II

Sergeant Joseph John Sadowski (8 December 1917 - 14 September 1944) was a U.S. Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War II.

Joseph J. Sadowski was born on 8 December 1917 in Perth Amboy, NJ; he also joined the Army from that city. On 14 September 1944, he was serving as a Sergeant in the 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division. In Valhey, France, that day, Sadowski's tank was disabled by enemy fire and burst into flames. He and his crew dismounted the vehicle, except for one man who was trapped inside the burning tank. Despite intense enemy fire, Sadowski returned to the tank and attempted to rescue the crewman, but was killed before he could do so. For his act of heroism he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division.

Place and date: Valhey, France, 14 September 1944.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at Valhey, France. On the afternoon of 14 September 1944, Sgt. Sadowski as a tank commander was advancing with the leading elements of Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, through an intensely severe barrage of enemy fire from the streets and buildings of the town of Valhey. As Sgt. Sadowski's tank advanced through the hail of fire, it was struck by a shell from an 88-mm. gun fired at a range of 20 yards. The tank was disabled and burst into flames. The suddenness of the enemy attack caused confusion and hesitation among the crews of the remaining tanks of our forces. Sgt. Sadowski immediately ordered his crew to dismount and take cover in the adjoining buildings. After his crew had dismounted, Sgt. Sadowski discovered that 1 member of the crew, the bow gunner, had been unable to leave the tank. Although the tank was being subjected to a withering hail of enemy small-arms, bazooka, grenade, and mortar fire from the streets and from the windows of adjacent buildings, Sgt. Sadowski unhesitatingly returned to his tank and endeavored to pry up the bow gunner's hatch. While engaged in this attempt to rescue his comrade from the burning tank, he was cut down by a stream of machinegun fire which resulted in his death. The gallant and noble sacrifice of his life in the aid of his comrade, undertaken in the face of almost certain death, so inspired the remainder of the tank crews that they pressed forward with great ferocity and completely destroyed the enemy forces in this town without further loss to themselves. The heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Sgt. Sadowski, which resulted in his death, inspired the remainder of his force to press forward to victory, and reflect the highest tradition of the armed forces.
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