Iowa Marine may be candidate for Medal of Honor (latest on First Sergeant Brad Kasal)

Gazette online dot com ^ | 2-26-05 | AP

[doug from upland]

Iowa Marine may be candidate for Medal of Honor

Associated Press

Saturday, February 26, 2005, 2:59:02 PM

DES MOINES -- An Iowa Marine is receiving widespread praise for his bravery after leading a daring rescue mission in Iraq last fall. Sgt. Brad Kasal, of Afton, said he learned three fellow Marines were wounded inside an enemy-controlled house during house-to-house battles with insurgents in Fallujah on Nov. 13.

"The insurgents would kill them, or worse -- torture them and then kill them, so time was essential," Kasal said. "So I gathered up a bunch of young Marines and tried to enter the building to rescue them."

Kasal, 38, was shot seven times after leading his men into the house, and he suffered more than 40 shrapnel wounds after he bear-hugged a wounded Marine inside to protect him from a grenade explosion. He killed one enemy fighter in an exchange of rifle fire at point-blank range.

One Marine died in the rescue mission, but the other Americans came out alive.

More than three months later, a photo of the bloodied Kasal, still clutching his 9 mm handgun as he is helped by two fellow Marines from the Fallujah house, is displayed on dozens of Web sites.

An online newsletter published by the nonprofit Soldiers for the Truth reports it has learned that Kasal and another Marine could become the first Marine Corps recipients of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest decoration for heroism in combat, and it requires the approval of Congress after extensive scrutiny by military officials.

Kasal's family and friends in Iowa said they are aware of talk that the Iowan may receive the Medal of Honor, and they are elated he may be under consideration.

"I'm damn proud, that's how I feel," said Gerald Kasal, 67, the serviceman's father. Kasal was raised on a family farm near Afton in southern Iowa.

A spokesman for the Marine Corps declined comment.

Kasal, who graduated from East Union High School in 1984, always wanted to join the Marines, friends say. He has spent the past 20 years in the Marines, including two tours in Iraq, stints in Somalia and Afghanistan, and many other overseas operations.

After Kasal was severely wounded in Iraq in November, he was transported to military hospitals in Germany and Maryland, where doctors worked to repair his shattered right leg and to remove shrapnel from his body.

Kasal lost about 4 inches of leg bone after being struck repeatedly by bullets from an AK-47 assault rifle, and he still faces a bone-grafting operation in about a month. He is recuperating at his home in Oceanside, Calif., near the Camp Pendleton Marine base.

He hopes to be mostly healed in about three to four months, but for now he must use a wheelchair and crutches.

"The support has been astounding from the Marine Corps and friends," said Kasal, who was a senior leader for about 170 Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. "I get a lot of letters and cards of well wishes."

The incident occurred on the fifth day of the assault on Fallujah, known as Operation Phantom Fury. There had been heavy street fighting the previous day, and the Marines were entering the most dangerous part of Fallujah.

Kasal led his men as they moved down the street, clearing one house after another. A wounded Marine told Kasal that he and three comrades had gone into a building full of enemy fighters and all of the Americans were wounded, but he was the only one who made it out.

Kasal rounded up a half-dozen other men to storm the two-story brick and stucco house. The men barged into the house and found several dead insurgents on the floor, along with a wounded Marine.

Kasal and another Marine, Pfc. Alexander Nicoll, then went to clear a room that hadn't been checked yet, and Kasal began peering around the doorway to avoid exposing himself.

He found himself almost face-to-face with an enemy fighter who yelled something in Arabic and fired a burst from his rifle. The bullets missed Kasal, and he was able to get his M-16 rifle over the top of the enemy fighter's weapon.

"I shoved it into his chest and just started pulling the trigger. I kept pulling the trigger, about seven or eight times until he finally went down. Then I put two more rounds into his forehead just to make sure he was dead," Kasal said.

Somewhere behind him an insurgent opened fire with an automatic weapon. A hail of bullets struck Kasal in his lower right leg, and he heard Nicoll scream from being hit by gunfire. Kasal, who was crawling to safety, went back to grab Nicoll and was shot again, this time in the buttocks.

Kasal began treating Nicoll's wounds. As he wrestled with Nicoll's protective vest, he saw a hand grenade about 4 feet away with the pin pulled. Kasal rolled on top of Nicoll and pushed him down, absorbing most of the grenade blast.

After about 30 minutes, other Marines made their way into the house from a different direction. Eventually, the Marines reached Kasal and Nicoll, carrying both to safety, although Nicoll later had his lower right leg amputated.

Killed in the assault was Marine Sgt. Byron Norwood, 25, of Pflugerville, Texas, whose parents were recognized by Bush in his State of the Union address.

[Iris7]

My pleasure, Alpha6. Back on nights?

[nicko]

there were a lot of good men died at Chosin, Army and Marine-my old man (3rd Division, 7th INF Reg) earned a Bronze Star with V device there- he didn't get it by running, and he was one of the last off the Port of Hungnam...

[alfa6]

On days till a week from Tuesday, March 8th I think? Yippee

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Lucky for America we have the Marines we could never win a battle with the Army ..... then again we did manage North Africa, Italy, Normandy, the Rhine, and I seem to remember a few in the Pacific, Vietnam, and in Baghdad waiting for the Marines to show up.

A bunch of damn fine men in my family have worn the uniform and when I put down a Marine, he's a friend and knows it's a joke. I will say this about you and your type, once the Marines understood they were the smallest most unneeded branch they went into high PR mode.

Thank said, God Bless First Sgt. Kasal and all like him.

[DTogo]

That certainly puts Sgt. Norwood's sacrifice into perspective. They both deserve the MOH.

SALUTE!

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Iris7. God Bless the Marines and all our troops, past, present and future!

[Iris7]

My wife's father was a United States Army Infantry 2nd Lieutenant under MacArthur. A friend in Iraq (3rd tour) is an Army Reserve snake eater. An old Okinawa Marine, since deceased, a good man, friend, said that on Okinawa the Army and Marines were closer than brothers. Old Deano would never allow any teasing about the Army. He sure did tease everybody else, though!

I did not mean to slight the United States Army. I think I did, some, and am trying to make amends.

There is a young lad I watched grow up around here, don't know if I should publish his name, call him "C". Recent West Point graduate. Rescued a cut off platoon in Sadr City last summer. Took his five tanks in. The cut off platoon said there were hundreds of them. Helicopters were driven off by the heavy fire. An ambush of course.

So, "C" went in, lost two machines, two killed, four badly wounded, through the terrorist ambush and relieved the cut off platoon. The ambush was set up for tanks, and each Abrams was hit scores of times by RPG fire, usually plunging, and holed again and again. "C" had to stick his head out enough to see targets and said that three RPGs went by close enough to touch.

I always figured "C" would make a good man. Sure didn't expect him to be the man he is.

[Fatuncle]

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[Iris7]

Hi, Snippy.

Clearing those houses is really the pits. Just so dangerous. I can see why it has to be done the way it is, and that we, I, have to pay the price with tremendously good young men's lives. Don't like it much, though. Better to send guys like me. Not that I am brave, for sure, but those young ones deserve their lives, and we need their children. Mine are grown up.

[Stonewall Jackson]

I'm not sure who they are talking about, Sgt Peralta or a Marine who was killed last summer when he dove on a hand grenade to protect his squad (sorry, I don't remember his name, but the story was posted here on FR). The Marine tried to use his helmet to help muffle the blast, but was struck under the chin by a piece of shrapnel that penetrated his brain and he died a few weeks later.

[Iris7]

Quoting Puller so freely I have crossed the line and insulted the United States Army. I was wrong to do that.

I figure even old Puller was mighty happy to find the 7th Infantry Regiment waiting at the end of the road from Chosin.

If you will take my #27 for an apology I would appreciate it.

[nicko]

no apology needed...I'm a Chesty Puller fan myself, and I understand the point you were making...stop by VFW Post 8587 in Georgetown, Texas sometime, and we'll raise one to all of our finest...there's usually a half dozen guys there who were best friends with Chesty...and Doug McArthur...and Ike...and....

[in the Arena]

Thanks...

[SAMWolf]

Semper Fi Bump

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Sorry if I went off on you and will accept this as an apology.

You caught me at a bad time as I went to a funeral at the National Veterans Cemetery (Houston) of Friday and had viewed one of the traveling Vietnam Memorial Walls in Sugar Land on Saturday. I was in no mood to have the United States Army slighted.

[2Jedismom]

The Hobbit Hole sent this Marine a couple of our knives...

[2Jedismom]

Bump!

[andyandval]

How are you doing with posting the picture?

[A.A. Cunningham]

Ralph Smith could have used a blowhard mouthpiece like you.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

......and thank you for your input, I'm sure it strained your imagination given it's great insight ......