USMC Medal of Honor candidate

[scrybe]

Searched and didn't see that this had been posted yet. This is the kind of guy I want on my side.


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-3/120077/831924510-BradKasal.jpg



Marine 1st Sergeant Brad Kasal (in the middle). I work with his older brother in Iraq (a former 82nd Airborne paratrooper who is a hero in his own right). This photo is from the most recent major offensive in Fallujah. Sgt. Kasal sacrificed his own safety to save a room full of fellow Marines. He ended up taking several AK rounds in the leg. Most of his lower leg was blown away but you can't tell it from this pic. He took rounds in the back which his armor saved him from. He took one round through his butt which passed through both cheeks leaving 4 holes in him. And he also took the brunt of a grenade blast. He jumped on top of a younger Marine to cover him from the fire. He killed the terrorist who did most of the damage to him and his men, and despite a massive loss of blood he never stopped fighting. Notice that he's still holding his pistol. He has been put in for the Medal of Honor for his actions on that day. He already has several Purple Hearts for previous battles throughout his career and he has turned some down so that he could stay with his unit. While in the hospital he has met President Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and several other celebrities. He said that Bush came in by himself and had a very long, sincere, and friendly visit with him. He had heard that when Clinton used to visit the hospital he would come with big crowds and lots of photographers.


Different source, not quoted. (http://www.crestonnewsadvertiser.com/363852769577363.php)

[coogi]

WoW !

[Aerosoul]

God damn, doesn't sound like there needs to be much debate. This is obviously a fine example of one of the most courageous and heroic men America has.

Semper F***ing Fi and give him the MOH!

[Ratamacue]

One tough motherf*cker. Full-well deserving of the MOH in my opinion. Semper Fi, Marine! woot

[ReconCominAtYa]

Any information on other Medal of Honor candidates in Iraq or Afghanistan. I know of a Combat Engineer(Marine? cant remember) who jumped on a .50 while defending a area and killed 50+ enemies until he was killed. Also wasnt there a Marine who jumped on a grenade when it was thrown into a room full of his buddies too?

[JTAR7242]

MoH nominations can take years to go through. Likely we may not find out about all of them until years from now. There are quite a few likely candidates circulating right now though.

[Bama_Operator]

At a minimum, I would hope he is awarded the Navy Cross.

Somebody asked the other day are Marines really as elite as they are made out to be? Here is your answer.

[usm2b]

God damn, doesn't sound like there needs to be much debate. This is obviously a fine example of one of the most courageous and heroic men America has.

Semper F***ing Fi and give him the MOH!

x2

[ReconCominAtYa]

yeah

but anyway, apologies if i butchered their stories.

Semper Fi! woot

[ramy]

Thats the kinda guy you want with you in your foxhole !

I hope he gets the MOH cause he deserves it woot woot

[Thor]

A great man

[[AFSOC]]

oooo-rah

[BlackFlag]

wow...pretty hardcore...see THIS is whats "so great about Marines."

This guy defiantely deserves the MOH, hopefully he will get it. Either that or the Navy Cross like Capt. Brian "Tosh" Chontosh who cleared a 200 meter trench of Iraqis by using his M-16 then beretta then 2 discarded AK-47's and an enemy RPG which killed over 20 enemies and wounded just as many more. That got him the Navy Cross.

But I have a feeling this guy will get it, he was sacrificing himself for his comrades left and right...what a Devil Dog.

[Brozozo]

Amazing, MOH would be appropriate, Navy Cross would be the very least.

[FozzieBear]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

[Brozozo]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

Why wouldn't you consider him a hero?

[FozzieBear]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

Why wouldn't you consider him a hero? because no man wants to be a hero... hes just doing his job and looking out for his buddies... just my 2 pennies though.

[Brozozo]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

Why wouldn't you consider him a hero? because no man wants to be a hero... hes just doing his job and looking out for his buddies... just my 2 pennies though.

True, nobody wants to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way.

[FozzieBear]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

Why wouldn't you consider him a hero? because no man wants to be a hero... hes just doing his job and looking out for his buddies... just my 2 pennies though.

True, nobody wants to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way.doesnt mean i dont have any less respect for the man.. i have respect for anyone with the bravery to go to war.

[Aerosoul]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

Why wouldn't you consider him a hero? because no man wants to be a hero... hes just doing his job and looking out for his buddies... just my 2 pennies though.

True, nobody wants to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way.

Quote from BHD...lol. I was gonna say it but I thought that would be cheesy.

[HUAH]

Give him the medal today! I'm humbled.

[ramy]

wow...pretty hardcore...see THIS is whats "so great about Marines."


Definately !!

This type of actions, make them great !

[Sloppy Joe2]

great man truelly great he deserves it i hope he recovers and is able to keep his leg hope to hear more on this in the future :|

[memphiz]

This guy is a true American war hero, just seeing the will to fight in his eyes make me want to be a soldier even more

Look at all that blood, hopefully he will fully recover.

[Ratamacue]

Look at all that blood, hopefully he will fully recover.
The second article says that he lost about 60% of his blood. Incredible, I didn't even think you could survive after losing that much. Said it before, I'll say it again: one tough motherf*cker.

[Pandy]

... 60% of his blood and still holding on to his pistol... one tough mother ****er say the least.

[Makaveli]

Semper Fi.

[FozzieBear]

Look at all that blood, hopefully he will fully recover.
The second article says that he lost about 60% of his blood. Incredible, I didn't even think you could survive after losing that much. Said it before, I'll say it again: one tough motherf*cker. that indy kart driver who got his legs sliced off in a big crash just after sept 11th only had 1 pint of blood in his body when he got to hostpital.

[ForgottenSoldier1942]

Also wasnt there a Marine who jumped on a grenade when it was thrown into a room full of his buddies too?

If I am correct, this incident took place during the Battle of Falujah. This Marine purposefully absorbed several AK rounds to protect his buddies. After this, a handgrenade was tossed from the room from which the terrorists were firing and rolled towards the squad of Marines...
Despite having been shot several times with 7.62mm ammunition at point-blank range, the Marine in question quickly grabbed the grenade and pulled it under his torso. It exploded, and finished off the heroic Marine, but his fellow Marines were spared.

I read about this incident on this site. If someone has the link to the thread, or the article, please post it.

[Millen]

give the man what he deserve , give him the medal

but with ore without a medal he stay a hero for me


Semper fi

[Opening Batsman]

A good job well done.

[Black Dog]

... 60% of his blood and still holding on to his pistol... one tough mother f*** say the least.

You have too take the 60% blood loss with a "little" bit of salt...press like to exaggerate, and here it's certainly the case.
That means the brain would be out of blood....don't have to be smart to know it's just b*llsh*t.

The indycar driver Alex Zanardi legs where amputated in hospital because they where both smashed...fozzy...you watch too much FOX network I think :bash: .

and....

...4 my part thy ALL deserve the MOH.

[Frost]

... 60% of his blood and still holding on to his pistol... one tough mother f*** say the least.

You have too take the 60% blood loss with a "little" bit of salt...press like to exaggerate, and here it's certainly the case.
That means the brain would be out of blood....don't have to be smart to know it's just b*llsh*t.

and....

...4 my part thy ALL deserve the MOH.
yup 60% is not healty. But large wounds allways look messy and it looks like 10liters when on the ground. Compare it to trowing a bottle of milk on floor. This is only 1liter, but looks like 10.



Brave guy, though. But what I haven't read is if he will recover from his wounds and be able to stay in the USMC???? I would like to know that. No medal can repay it when you get kicked out the corps and have to spend your life in a wheelchair or something simular

[msnger]

wow what a guy, big brother looking over younger ones.

[byrneing]

If i had 4 extra holes in my ass, id want a MOH too.

Well done to him tho.


Altho to be that tough, he musta been trained by aussies.

*Runs*

[AMBUSH]

Good to see they still make them like they use too. Semper Fi Devildog.

[wiking]

I've read quite a few MOH citations, and this man defenitely deserves it.

[un_swe]

Good work there, this is the stuff legends are made of.


un_swe

[MARINO]

Excellent guy, an example for all the people

[Ratamacue]

Also wasnt there a Marine who jumped on a grenade when it was thrown into a room full of his buddies too?

If I am correct, this incident took place during the Battle of Falujah. This Marine purposefully absorbed several AK rounds to protect his buddies. After this, a handgrenade was tossed from the room from which the terrorists were firing and rolled towards the squad of Marines...
Despite having been shot several times with 7.62mm ammunition at point-blank range, the Marine in question quickly grabbed the grenade and pulled it under his torso. It exploded, and finished off the heroic Marine, but his fellow Marines were spared.

I read about this incident on this site. If someone has the link to the thread, or the article, please post it.
There was also another earlier before that where a squad of Marines on patrol were ambushed and a grenade was tossed in the middle of them, and one dove next to it and threw his helmet over it...survived for a few days on life support, then died. And I think that there was another similar instance even before that.

[Jack Mehoff]

Don't forget SFC Smith

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1006552/posts

http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/smithpaulr.html

[FozzieBear]

... 60% of his blood and still holding on to his pistol... one tough mother f*** say the least.

You have too take the 60% blood loss with a "little" bit of salt...press like to exaggerate, and here it's certainly the case.
That means the brain would be out of blood....don't have to be smart to know it's just b*llsh*t.

The indycar driver Alex Zanardi legs where amputated in hospital because they where both smashed...fozzy...you watch too much FOX network I think :bash: .

and....

...4 my part thy ALL deserve the MOH. i dont get fox? o.O

[Abolith]

At a minimum, I would hope he is awarded the Navy Cross.

Somebody asked the other day are Marines really as elite as they are made out to be? Here is your answer.

X2, X3 and X4

One Badass Marine.....

[Alpha Leader]

I bowe for this brave,and great leader of men.

[HooyahCQB]

Don't forget SFC Smith

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1006552/posts

http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/smithpaulr.html


Hot Damn. Both of these guys deserve it.

[Brozozo]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.

Why wouldn't you consider him a hero? because no man wants to be a hero... hes just doing his job and looking out for his buddies... just my 2 pennies though.

True, nobody wants to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way.

Quote from BHD...lol. I was gonna say it but I thought that would be cheesy.

lol, ya, I kinda did that on purpose.

[Airborneranger4israel]

Dunahm was the name of the marine who jumped on the grenede, anybody know if this guy kept his leg? i sure hope so

[LazerLordz]

Admire his bravery.Semper Fi :D

[Bluezoo]

... 60% of his blood and still holding on to his pistol... one tough mother f*** say the least.

You have too take the 60% blood loss with a "little" bit of salt...press like to exaggerate, and here it's certainly the case.
That means the brain would be out of blood....don't have to be smart to know it's just b*llsh*t.

and....

...4 my part thy ALL deserve the MOH.
yup 60% is not healty. But large wounds allways look messy and it looks like 10liters when on the ground. Compare it to trowing a bottle of milk on floor. This is only 1liter, but looks like 10.



Brave guy, though. But what I haven't read is if he will recover from his wounds and be able to stay in the USMC???? I would like to know that. No medal can repay it when you get kicked out the corps and have to spend your life in a wheelchair or something simular

60%? He will go to shock. Hope he will be fine.

He deserves the MOH.

[Digital Marine]

This guy deserves the MoH! , damn how i admire his bravery

[11F5S]

Any information on other Medal of Honor candidates in Iraq or Afghanistan. I know of a Combat Engineer(Marine? cant remember) who jumped on a .50 while defending a area and killed 50+ enemies until he was killed. Also wasnt there a Marine who jumped on a grenade when it was thrown into a room full of his buddies too?

Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith (KIA) will receive America's highest award for bravery the MOH.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/02/Tampabay/Iraq_hero_joins_hallo.shtml

[AR-18]

Who says that someone should get the MOH?

[Ratamacue]

Any information on other Medal of Honor candidates in Iraq or Afghanistan. I know of a Combat Engineer(Marine? cant remember) who jumped on a .50 while defending a area and killed 50+ enemies until he was killed. Also wasnt there a Marine who jumped on a grenade when it was thrown into a room full of his buddies too?
Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith (KIA) will receive America's highest award for bravery the MOH.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/02/Tampabay/Iraq_hero_joins_hallo.shtml
Good to hear. He deserves it.

[-=TFN=-Karab]

Where's the pic? Is it removed from the host or is the host down? Can we get that up again? I want to save it to my folder.

[Ratamacue]

Where's the pic? Is it removed from the host or is the host down? Can we get that up again? I want to save it to my folder.
Copy/paste its URL, should work.

[Macs.]

Who says that someone should get the MOH?

They get nominated by other soldiers, I think.

[Yes Man]

Would have sucked to be the guy that shot him half a dozen times and still ended up getting killed.

Thats one tough Marine

[USMC8541]

Pic not working. Anyone have a link to one that works?

[wildernesswhore]

Same, I'd like to see this pic.

[Ratamacue]

Pic not working. Anyone have a link to one that works?
http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/ratamacue01/ayl.jpg

[Slug69]

Great story about a guy protecting his mates. If he has been wounded many times before, he deserves the M.O.H. just for stopping someone younger than him getting whacked.

How about a photo credit?

Here is a story from another soldier involved on that day. (Nov. 13, 2004.)

Here is the story, written by Staff Sgt. Nathaniel T. Garcia, referenced in LtCol Buhl's letter:

"The feeling of hot metal going into your body has become pretty familiar, and I don't like that," said Cpl. Robert Joseph Mitchell.
For the fourth time in the last five months, Mitchell would again be injured during the fierce fighting in Fallujah. As he recalls the event, his gaze turns from those who are listening to a place far away. "I was leading my squad down a road where we were clearing the buildings," said the 24-year-old native of Omaha, Neb. "I saw another one of the sergeants from another platoon run out of a house after huge amounts of fire erupted from that area. He had been wounded in the hand and said 'there were still friendlies down in the house.' He didn't know who or how many."

Mitchell and his Marines sprang into action, Nov. 13. Entering the first room of the house the Marines noticed a dead man on the ground suggesting the room had been cleared. Two rooms over Mitchell could see that there was a Marine down who needed to get out. Mitchell, along with three other Marines including his first sergeant tried to cross the larger of the two rooms to reach the wounded Marine.

As soon as they entered the next room, they received incoming fire from the top of a stairwell to their left. "Someone was firing down the staircase and throwing (fragmentation grenades) down at us," said Mitchell, a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. "We made it through to the next room, and there were other Marines in there trying to help the Marine that was down." The insurgent threat had the Marines trapped in their rooms with his direct line of fire covering their only exit. "Obviously the guy had a pretty good kill zone by firing right down the stairs at us," said Mitchell. "We couldn't move the down Marine because he was shot in the upper thigh. He was in a lot of pain and screaming."

During their movement, Mitchell's first sergeant and another one of his Marines had been hit. Unable to make it the room with Mitchell, they remained on the ground in a room slightly behind the stairs. Mitchell ran from the room he went in to the first sergeant and the other injured Marine. The first sergeant had been shot in the right leg and still conscious. He told Mitchell that he had taken a few shots in his calf. The blood around the area was evidence enough. Mitchell's other Marine had been shot in the leg as well, but the first sergeant thought the Marine might have been shot in the gut as well.

"I was getting ready to help the first sergeant out, but he told me to take care of the other Marine first," said Mitchell. "I went over to the Marine and started stripping his gear off. I was looking around for a wound. I thought for sure that I was going to see just his guts spilling out all over the place but that wasn't the case. He hadn't been shot in the gut. He did receive a shot to the left center of his back though. I thought that maybe he had taken a lung shot. He wasn't bleeding to bad."

The Marine he was tending to happened to be one of Mitchell's best friends. Seeing his injured friend hit Mitchell pretty hard. Despite his feelings, Mitchell knew he had to do something. "I had (medical) gear and went through the squad medic's course. I was pretty much prepared for whatever," said Mitchell. "I ended up just slapping a dressing on his back and throwing a tourniquet around his leg to stop the bleeding. After that, there wasn't much I could do for the first sergeant because I was out of dressings and tourniquets."

Although Mitchell didn't have enough tourniquets to use on the first sergeant, he noticed that the wounds were not bleeding too excessively, and he knew the first sergeant was a tough Marine. "I mean, it was 1st Sgt. Kasal, the guy that was the epitome of Marines," said Mitchell. "From there all I could do was monitor their situation and try to figure out how the hell we were going to get out of that house. We couldn't even expose ourselves in the direction of the door because the guy upstairs would just pour rounds down at us."

The Marine he had just treated that was still conscious and looking around. He pointed out to Mitchell that his weapon had been damaged. Mitchell looked at his weapon and noticed that a round had hit the bolt. "At this time I started feeling a little bit weak in the leg. I looked down and my leg was pretty bloody," said Mitchell. "Not too bad, but I noticed there was blood on it and I could feel pain. I thought it was fragments from the concrete around the wall that had hit me. I didn't see any punctures through my cammies though." He continued to monitor his Marines and the radio and direct traffic till help arrived. Help arrived in the form of a squad from 2nd Platoon. They showed up just in time to help the Marines plan casualty evacuation.

However, Mitchell was worried that the platoon may fire on the building with them still in it. He cried out to the Marines, "Do not fire, do not fire inside the house!" Second platoon managed to get a squad inside the house to help evacuate the casualties and the other Marines by taking up positions to suppress the fire while they escaped. Once everyone was out of the house and a safe distance away, the Marines planted satchel charges on the house to bring it down on the insurgent inside. Once they had the chance to account for everyone, Mitchell's squad was down from 13 to seven capable members. Mitchell also had a chance to look at his own wounds. He found that shrapnel had been lodged in his thigh for some time during the encounter in the building, but can't remember when.

[DPGLAW]

brave guy... but i wouldnt call him heroic... hes just lookin' out for his buddies.. semper fi.


What are you doing? Smoking crack? How is that not heroic? lol....

I say that this Marine an example of the bravest people alive, those protecting us now in Iraq and Afghanistan and many other places we don't know about. I hope that he recovers completely and is able to stay in the military if he wants. As someone of his caliber can teach the newer generatiosn of Marines much that will help them to stay alive and to kill those terrorist sons of bitches....Semper Fi!!!!!!! If anyone has ever deserved the Medal of Honor, he certainly does as well and I really hope he gets it. Stories like this show me, and all other civilians, how little our problems are and to never give up, if he can do what he did there is nothing that the human being is NOT capable of if they put their minds to it.

[Gauntlet]

Distinguished Service Cross at the least. But I say Medal of Honor. Putting your buddies before yourself takes guts. Not to mention he was saving a wounded buddy. Most would run and give up the wounded man. But not this Marine.

[Ratamacue]

Distinguished Service Cross at the least. But I say Medal of Honor. Putting your buddies before yourself takes guts. Not to mention he was saving a wounded buddy. Most would run and give up the wounded man. But not this Marine.
In the Navy/Marine Corps, the award second to the MOH is the Navy Cross, not the Distinguished Service Cross.

[Gauntlet]

Distinguished Service Cross at the least. But I say Medal of Honor. Putting your buddies before yourself takes guts. Not to mention he was saving a wounded buddy. Most would run and give up the wounded man. But not this Marine.
In the Navy/Marine Corps, the award second to the MOH is the Navy Cross, not the Distinguished Service Cross.

I do realize that the Navy and the Marines are very close but I didn't know that they shared the Navy Cross.
But you do realized what I'm trying to say.

[Ratamacue]

Distinguished Service Cross at the least. But I say Medal of Honor. Putting your buddies before yourself takes guts. Not to mention he was saving a wounded buddy. Most would run and give up the wounded man. But not this Marine.
In the Navy/Marine Corps, the award second to the MOH is the Navy Cross, not the Distinguished Service Cross.
I do realize that the Navy and the Marines are very close but I didn't know that they shared the Navy Cross.
But you do realized what I'm trying to say.
The Marines fall under the Department of the Navy, therefore they share the same awards (I think). I got what you mean though, was just making a correction. Hey, at least you learned something new today. ;)

[Gauntlet]

Here's a similar story from Vietnam

To: PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ROBERT H. JENKINS, JR.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Marine Gunner with Company C, Third Reconnaissance Battalion, Third Marine Division in connection with operations against enemy forces in the Republic of Vietnam. Early on the morning of 5 March 1969, Private First Class Jenkins' twelve-man reconnaissance team was occupying a defensive position at Fire Support Base Argonne south of the Demilitarized Zone. Suddenly, the Marines were assaulted by a North Vietnamese Army platoon employing mortars, automatic weapons, and hand grenades. Reacting instantly, Private First Class Jenkins and another Marine quickly moved into a two-man fighting emplacement, and as they boldly delivered accurate machine gun fire against the enemy, a North Vietnamese soldier threw a hand grenade into the friendly emplacement. Fully realizing the inevitable results of his action, Private First Class Jenkins quickly seized his comrade, and pushing the man to the ground, he leaped on top of the Marine to shield him from the explosion. Absorbing the full impact of the detonation, Private First Class Jenkins was seriously injured and subsequently succumbed to his wounds. His courage, inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty saved a fellow Marine from serious injury or possible death and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

so did the dude get any medals yet?

[Ratamacue]

so did the dude get any medals yet?
These things take alot of time. It was over a year before Capt. Brian Chontosh got his Navy Cross for actions in March 2003, and that Army SFC only recently was awarded the MOH for his actions in April 2003.

[Ratamacue]

NPR has a 2-part interview you can listen to here (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4525928) with 1st Sgt. Kasal and PFC Nicoll, the Marine he went in to rescue. Pretty good, talking about his actions and the treatment for their injuries.