Silver Star Recipient
James Brasher |
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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.
Photo
courtesy of US Army / DoD |
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