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Australian SAS soldier cited for battling 20 Iraqi troops
Sydney Morning Herald ^
| May 19 2003
| Tom Allard
Posted on 05/18/2003 7:30:48 AM PDT by knighthawk
An SAS soldier who almost single-handedly fought off 20 Iraqi special forces troops in a fierce battle to capture a missile site was yesterday awarded the medal of gallantry by the Prime Minister, John Howard.
Presented at a ceremony in Perth to coincide with the arrival of Australia's special forces contingent to Iraq, it was the first citation for the 2000 Australian personnel involved in the war against Iraq.
Trooper X - a machine-gunner from the 1st SAS regiment, whose identity cannot be revealed - used the brute force of the latest weaponry and precision sniper fire to protect his patrol from numerically superior enemy forces.
The SAS patrol, typically a team of six in two heavily armed long-range patrol vehicles, came under heavy fire in the western Iraqi desert as it approached a military command and control post.
Standing exposed at the back of one of the vehicles and "disregarding his own safety", Trooper X first unleashed a Javelin shoulder-held anti-tank missile at one of two Iraqi vehicles pursuing the SAS, quickly disabling it.
Trooper X then fired off machine-gun rounds against scattering Iraqi troops before launching a second Javelin missile at the other vehicle, hitting it with full force. Spying remnant Iraqi forces setting up a mortar, Trooper X pulled out his rifle and, with his first rounds, hit the base of the mortar tube, exploding it in the face of the Iraqi combatants.
While some Iraqi soldiers soon began to surrender, others were determined to keep up the fight after taking cover.
Further "judiciously placed" shots flushed out the remaining enemy and ensured the mission to destroy the missile site was completed successfully and without injury. "Throughout this engagement, Trooper X demonstrated skills and composure of the highest standard," his citation read.
"He acted with very little direction and his decision and subsequent actions had significant impacts on the outcome of the engagement."
Further awards for ADF personnel are expected and the Government is considering a medal for all those who participated.
Rallies to welcome home the troops are planned for Sydney and Perth later this month.
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: australia; australian; bravery; gutsandglory; iraq; iraqifreedom; johnhoward; medal; medalofgallantry; sas; westernfront
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Disregarded his own safety . . . Trooper X is congratulated by Mr Howard. Photo: ADF
With allies like these, who needs France, Russia, China or Germany. Or the rest. These are real soldiers, no whiners!
To: MizSterious; rebdov; Nix 2; green lantern; BeOSUser; Brad's Gramma; dreadme; Turk2; Squantos; ...
Ping
2
posted on
05/18/2003 7:31:07 AM PDT
by
knighthawk
(Full of power I'm spreading my wings, facing the storm that is gathering near)
To: knighthawk
Wow! Congrats to all Aussie lurkers and members. Thanks, Australia!
3
posted on
05/18/2003 7:36:50 AM PDT
by
rabidralph
(I wonder if he's any relation to Racer X?)
To: Byron_the_Aussie
Buy this guy a beer for me!
4
posted on
05/18/2003 7:42:53 AM PDT
by
donozark
To: knighthawk
That's some mighty good shooting. I'm glad he was on our side!
Thanks, Australia. Thanks, Britain. Thanks to all the others in the coaltion of the willing.
The lefties said it couldn't be done, do they ever get tired of being wrong? :)
5
posted on
05/18/2003 7:45:37 AM PDT
by
LibKill
(MOAB, the greatest advance in Foreign Relations since the cat-o'-nine-tails!)
To: knighthawk
With allies like these, who needs France, Russia, China or Germany. Or the rest. These are real soldiers, no whiners!Bless the Aussies, they're a tough bunch.
To: knighthawk
Very impressive.I honor his courage and skill. I am glad he's a friend!
7
posted on
05/18/2003 7:51:15 AM PDT
by
MEG33
To: knighthawk
Standing exposed at the back of one of the vehicles and "disregarding his own safety", Trooper X first unleashed a Javelin shoulder-held anti-tank missile at one of two Iraqi vehicles pursuing the SAS, quickly disabling it.
By "disabled" he means nothing left but burning tires.
Have you seen what one on these things does to a T-72?
To: knighthawk
Bad A$$ MFer bump.
9
posted on
05/18/2003 7:58:59 AM PDT
by
Apollo
10
posted on
05/18/2003 8:07:44 AM PDT
by
Consort
To: Saturnalia
Have you seen what one on these things does to a T-72?
Hahaha...yeah. Ever put a firecracker in a cupcake?
11
posted on
05/18/2003 8:11:11 AM PDT
by
July 4th
To: knighthawk
A single trooper X is worth several thousand each from the stumblebum forces from France, Russia, China or Germany.
12
posted on
05/18/2003 8:22:29 AM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
(Has The NY Slimes ever printed the truth in your life time?)
To: knighthawk; Travis McGee
Trooper X pulled out his rifle and, with his first rounds, hit the base of the
mortar tube, exploding it in the face of the Iraqi combatants...
Somewhere in heaven, Sgt. Alvin York is smiling...
13
posted on
05/18/2003 8:25:27 AM PDT
by
VOA
To: knighthawk
I think that I owe this mate a drink!
14
posted on
05/18/2003 8:31:03 AM PDT
by
Southack
(Media bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
To: July 4th
And waste a cupcake? Certainly not!
To: knighthawk
With allies like these, who needs France, Russia, China or Germany. Or the rest. These are real soldiers, no whiners! 1 posted on 05/18/2003 7:30 AM PDT by knighthawk [
DITTO !!!
16
posted on
05/18/2003 8:38:24 AM PDT
by
timestax
To: knighthawk
Dang! A one man Army!
17
posted on
05/18/2003 9:01:15 AM PDT
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
To: knighthawk
Hero bump for Trooper X and the Aussie SAS!
This is just one of the stories from the western front we have not heard, until now. I'm sure there are many more.
18
posted on
05/18/2003 9:07:54 AM PDT
by
dixiechick2000
(Never have so many been so wrong about so much.)
To: knighthawk
I am humbled, and honored, to have men like these on our side in this battle.
To: knighthawk
Way to go Ozzies but they have an unfair advantage over our American boys due to a childhood of hunting and wrestling alligators and crocs.
20
posted on
05/18/2003 10:00:21 AM PDT
by
dennisw
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