Navy SEAL Awarded Navy Cross for actions in Afghanistan

San Diego Union Tribune | November 1st, 2003 | Otto Kreisher

[A Simple Soldier]

San Diego Union-Tribune

November 1, 2003

Coronado SEAL Wins Navy Cross

Award for heroism in Afghanistan

By Otto Kreisher, Copley News Service

WASHINGTON – A Navy SEAL assigned to the Special Warfare Center in Coronado received the Navy Cross, the nation's second-highest award, this week for heroism during a rescue mission in Afghanistan.

Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass also was one of three special-operations personnel among six service members honored by a prominent national-security support group, underscoring the unprecedented role special-operations forces played in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.

Bass was cited for "extraordinary heroism" during combat operations in northern Afghanistan as part of a U.S. and British special-operations mission to rescue two missing Americans. During the operation, he was "continuously engaged" by small-arms, mortar and rocket-propelled-grenade fire and had to walk through a minefield to reach the Americans, according to a citation honoring Bass.

The award statement said Bass advanced nearly one-quarter of a mile "under constant enemy fire" in an attempt to find one of the Americans. When he ran low on ammunition, the SEAL used weapons from dead enemy forces to continue his mission, which resulted in the recovery of the American.

The Navy Cross is second only to the Medal of Honor for bravery in combat.

Bass was among the first recipients of the "Grateful Nation" award from the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.

The organization also honored Maj. George Thiebes for his actions as an Army Special Forces company commander fighting in northern Iraq and Air Force Master Sgt. Michael Lamonica for two special-operations combat deployments to Afghanistan.

The "Grateful Nation" award also went to Army 1st Sgt. John R. Hawley for combat leadership in Afghanistan, Marine Reserve Cpl. Seth Wells for performance under fire in Iraq, and Coast Guard Reserve Chief Petty Officer Paula Jaklitsch for service in New York City during and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

[91B]

There was an Air Force forward air controller in Afghanistan who called in numerous air strikes under heavy fire when the chopper got shot down trying to rescue the SEAL-Neil Roberts (?)-who fell (or was knocked out of-can't remember exactly) another chopper. I read the guys testimony about the events of that day on Hackworth's site and he seemed deserving of a CMH to me. As far as I know he hasn't been awarded a lesser award, so maybe they are working on getting the medal of honor for him.

The whole decorations issue stinks IMHO, I recently read about a Marine tanker in Iraq who pulled his CO to safety under heavy fire and was given a Bronze Star (which seems like less than he deserved). Why have these awards of they aren't going to be given to anyone?

This troop and the SF officer who helped put down the POW insurrection in Afghanistan are the only men I've heard of to win a service cross in the WOT.

[cowgirlcutie]

THESE are our TRUE heroes...not football, baseball, or basketball players. Our military people make them look like pampered poodles.

[91B]

Army awards for Enduring Freedom https://www.perscomonline.army.mil/tagd/awards/OEF_Statistics.doc

Army awards for Iraqi Freedom https://www.perscomonline.army.mil/tagd/awards/OIF_Statistics_Iraq_Freedom.doc

Not comprehensive.

[A Simple Soldier]

A USAF PJ and a CCT were decorated with the Air Force Cross posthumously for actions in Afghanistan last year. The guys you are thinking of were recognized.

[91B]

Not the same guy. This guy lived and his testimony about the events in question were on Hack's website. I will try and find the link. His actions were extraordinary.

[91B]

His testimony can be found here: http://www.sftt.org/dw05222002.html#2

Read what happened and tell me whether or not you agree that he deserves the CMH.

[A Simple Soldier]

A very solid Silver Star, especially when compared to the other valor awards presented for the same action.

SrA Cunningham was one of the two AFCs from OEF I mentioned earlier.

Nate Self and 8 of his Rangers got the Silver Star. He was the Army CPT seated near the First Ladyt at the State of the Union address last January.

I am sure you know the politics of awards in the military. An EM or NCO getting a Silver Star today is a big, big deal.

In Vietnam or before he may have gotten a higher award, but due to valor awards inflation over time, the military has tightened up the criterion, probably too much.

[91B]

I've read a lot of CMH citations and what Sgt. Vance did that day is very comparable (I have no idea what he has been awarded, but in Hack's column at the time he said that those who survived the engagement pointed to Sgt. Vance's actions as critical to their survival). I think it sucks that it is nigh on to impossible for brave men to be awarded appropriate decorations for their heroism (I also think it is bad for morale).

[91B]

Here's a story to illustrate what I'm talking about. You remember Mike Durant? He was the chopper pilot taken prisoner by the Somalis during the "Blackhawk Down" action. Of course two SF troops try to rescue him, are killed and eventually earn the CMH. Well, I read Durant's book and he talks about going to Gary Gordon's hometown to give a speech and, because he was going to honor the CMH winner who tried to save him, he decided to go to the library to check out a book on the Medal of Honor. He found that the book hadn't been checked out for 20 years. But when he looked at who had checked it out do you know who he found was the last person to check out the book? Gary Gordon.

I read that and it gave me chills. Here he was, not even in the military yet and he was looking for inspiration in this book. Stuff like that is important.

[A Simple Soldier]

Doc,
I got your point awhile ago. I just disagree that the level of heroism was MOH worthy. Personally, I think more than a few MOHs were overawarded in years past, i.e., some should have probably been DSCs, but politics and other issues played a role.

I have not yet read Durant's book. Interesting story. I bet I know what book it is. FWIW, I served with a fellow LT when I was an LT who was Randy Shugart's best friend from the Ranger Battalions and Special Forces. We were in the same unit when Bakara Market happened. He was Stephanie Shugart's escort at the MOH ceremony at the White House.

When I was a rifle company commander, I would read Medal of Honor citations of similarly aged, ranked, and MOSed soldiers to the soldiers who were standing before me for Article 15s. My point was to force them to confront what they had done and think about how they had disgraced the memory and honor of this brave man. Did not work with everyone (you always get a knucklehead or two) but most got the point. A few even cried.

[ArneFufkin]

That's an amazing story.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Congressional Medal of Honor website:

http://www.cmohs.org/

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Now that's an example of a REAL Chief looking out for his crew. Way to go Chief Bass!

[VAW12]

I does my heart good to read the comments on this site about our service men and women. It’s sad the media can’t do the same. Makes you wonder what they care about? I am a former serviceman and a close friend of Chief Bass. Thank you for the kind words and support for our heroes