ariweiner
05-21-2004, 01:27 PM
Second-in-command killed, others hurt
EDITOR'S NOTE: Matt Harmon, a 1992 Carmi-White County High School graduate, is serving with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. A captain with the U.S. Army Special Forces 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), he wrote in a dispatch to The Times last month that Afghanistan is still very dangerous to U.S. forces. This dispatch tells why.
By CAPT. MATT HARMON
I recently arrived back at home in North Carolina.
On Saturday, May 15, my team of seven men was decimated when four of my men were shot in an ambush on a patrol in southern Afghanistan. Fortunately, we suffered only one fatality, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce Price (my second in command), because we were wearing body armor. Most of the other personnel were hit with multiple gunshots, including my team sergeant, who was hit eight times. Luckily, I was not hit, but I lost a good man, teammate and friend. All my other men are healing slowly, but they will be fine.
Because of the number of able men I had remaining, it was decided to send us home to the States rather than have us continue our missions in Afghanistan.
Instead, we were able to carry our fallen brother home. We will be burying him in Arlington National Cemetery in the coming week.
I have always appreciated the amount of support that I have received from the people of Southern Illinois and have always enjoyed giving them insight as to how the global war on terrorism is going through the eyes of one soldier. So much of the news and names of those soldiers that are killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan go unnoticed and maybe appear as a tiny blurb running across the bottom of your TV. It is my wish to tell you about one of them and his actions on that day.
Narrative for the award of the Silver Star to CW2 Bruce E. Price, Operational Detachment Alpha 313, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce E. Price, United States Army, distinguished himself by gallantry in action and extreme heroism above and beyond the call of duty as the assistant detachment commander for Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 313, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM during an armed reconnaissance mission near Musa Qalay, Afghanistan on 15 May 2004.
On this date, CW2 Price and his detachment were part of a combined patrol consisting of U.S. Special Forces and soldiers from the 1st Kandak, 3rd Brigade of the Afghan National Army. The purpose of the mission was to disrupt anti-coalition militia (ACM) activity in this known enemy sanctuary. CW2 Price commanded the lead vehicle in a convoy composed of two ground mobility vehicles (GMV) and two non-tactical vehicles. While moving through a small, restricted village, the patrol was ambushed at extremely close range from multiple prepared positions. CW2 Prices' GMV was immediately struck head-on by two rocket propelled grenades (RPG) and machine gun fire, disabling the vehicle. Within seconds of the ambush, all personnel in CW2 Price's vehicle were wounded or unable to return fire. The determined enemy swept the vehicle with repeated volleys of machine gun and RPG fire.
CW2 Price immediately rallied his men and tried to gain fire superiority in order to break the enemy attack. He quickly realized that the enemy force was concentrating its fire on the lead and trail vehicles of the patrol in an effort to trap the friendly forces inside a prepared kill zone. With his vehicle in flames and under a mounting volume of fire, CW2 Price gave the order to dismount and seek cover. CW2 Price then exited the vehicle and without hesitation began engaging enemy directly to his front from the exposed door machine gun position on his vehicle.
The ACM force immediately began concentrating its fire on CW2 Price. With total disregard for his own life, his continued to man the machine gun until he was mortally wounded by small arms fire. CW2 Price's courageous efforts to destroy the enemy enabled his teammates to reach cover and continue to fight. His valorous leadership and spirited actions served as the call to action, which inspired the entire patrol to drive the entrenched enemy from the field. CW2 Price's conspicuous personal heroism, extraordinary valor and selfless courage saved a number of his detachment members from certain injury and possible death at the cost of his life.
The gallantry in action and absolute bravery in the line of fire by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce E. Price reflect great credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan and the United States Army.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Nadie; his son, Aidan (age 8); his parents, two sisters and a brother. He was one hell of a soldier, leader, teammate and friend. He is not just another name going across the ticker at the bottom of your TV. Please don't forget that.
Very respectfully,
Capt. Matthew Harmon
Detachment Commander ODA 313
PHOTO PROVIDED
BEFORE THE AMBUSH -- Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce Price (left) talks with Capt. Matt Harmon (seated) of Carmi during a patrol a couple of weeks before the ambush that took Price's life. See story for details.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Matt Harmon, a 1992 Carmi-White County High School graduate, is serving with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. A captain with the U.S. Army Special Forces 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), he wrote in a dispatch to The Times last month that Afghanistan is still very dangerous to U.S. forces. This dispatch tells why.
By CAPT. MATT HARMON
I recently arrived back at home in North Carolina.
On Saturday, May 15, my team of seven men was decimated when four of my men were shot in an ambush on a patrol in southern Afghanistan. Fortunately, we suffered only one fatality, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce Price (my second in command), because we were wearing body armor. Most of the other personnel were hit with multiple gunshots, including my team sergeant, who was hit eight times. Luckily, I was not hit, but I lost a good man, teammate and friend. All my other men are healing slowly, but they will be fine.
Because of the number of able men I had remaining, it was decided to send us home to the States rather than have us continue our missions in Afghanistan.
Instead, we were able to carry our fallen brother home. We will be burying him in Arlington National Cemetery in the coming week.
I have always appreciated the amount of support that I have received from the people of Southern Illinois and have always enjoyed giving them insight as to how the global war on terrorism is going through the eyes of one soldier. So much of the news and names of those soldiers that are killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan go unnoticed and maybe appear as a tiny blurb running across the bottom of your TV. It is my wish to tell you about one of them and his actions on that day.
Narrative for the award of the Silver Star to CW2 Bruce E. Price, Operational Detachment Alpha 313, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce E. Price, United States Army, distinguished himself by gallantry in action and extreme heroism above and beyond the call of duty as the assistant detachment commander for Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 313, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM during an armed reconnaissance mission near Musa Qalay, Afghanistan on 15 May 2004.
On this date, CW2 Price and his detachment were part of a combined patrol consisting of U.S. Special Forces and soldiers from the 1st Kandak, 3rd Brigade of the Afghan National Army. The purpose of the mission was to disrupt anti-coalition militia (ACM) activity in this known enemy sanctuary. CW2 Price commanded the lead vehicle in a convoy composed of two ground mobility vehicles (GMV) and two non-tactical vehicles. While moving through a small, restricted village, the patrol was ambushed at extremely close range from multiple prepared positions. CW2 Prices' GMV was immediately struck head-on by two rocket propelled grenades (RPG) and machine gun fire, disabling the vehicle. Within seconds of the ambush, all personnel in CW2 Price's vehicle were wounded or unable to return fire. The determined enemy swept the vehicle with repeated volleys of machine gun and RPG fire.
CW2 Price immediately rallied his men and tried to gain fire superiority in order to break the enemy attack. He quickly realized that the enemy force was concentrating its fire on the lead and trail vehicles of the patrol in an effort to trap the friendly forces inside a prepared kill zone. With his vehicle in flames and under a mounting volume of fire, CW2 Price gave the order to dismount and seek cover. CW2 Price then exited the vehicle and without hesitation began engaging enemy directly to his front from the exposed door machine gun position on his vehicle.
The ACM force immediately began concentrating its fire on CW2 Price. With total disregard for his own life, his continued to man the machine gun until he was mortally wounded by small arms fire. CW2 Price's courageous efforts to destroy the enemy enabled his teammates to reach cover and continue to fight. His valorous leadership and spirited actions served as the call to action, which inspired the entire patrol to drive the entrenched enemy from the field. CW2 Price's conspicuous personal heroism, extraordinary valor and selfless courage saved a number of his detachment members from certain injury and possible death at the cost of his life.
The gallantry in action and absolute bravery in the line of fire by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce E. Price reflect great credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan and the United States Army.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Nadie; his son, Aidan (age 8); his parents, two sisters and a brother. He was one hell of a soldier, leader, teammate and friend. He is not just another name going across the ticker at the bottom of your TV. Please don't forget that.
Very respectfully,
Capt. Matthew Harmon
Detachment Commander ODA 313
PHOTO PROVIDED
BEFORE THE AMBUSH -- Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bruce Price (left) talks with Capt. Matt Harmon (seated) of Carmi during a patrol a couple of weeks before the ambush that took Price's life. See story for details.