Army awards Silver Star to fallen Green Beret
U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office
http://www.soc.mil/News/releases/04APR/040430-02.htm
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, April 30, 2004) — An Army Special Forces Soldier killed April 11 during combat in Iraq has been posthumously awarded the Silver Star, officials at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command here announced today.
Sgt. Maj. Michael B. Stack, a Special Forces company sergeant major assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Ky., was awarded the medal for his valorous actions when his convoy came under attack during a patrol in Iraq.
The Silver Star is the Army’s third highest award for combat valor.
Stack’s leadership, bravery under fire and personal sacrifice during the attack on his convoy enabled a 12-man element to survive contact with an overwhelming enemy force in multiple ambushes.
Stack’s Special Forces team was traveling from Baghdad to Al Hillah, Iraq, when they first came under fire on April 11. His vehicle was pulling rear security for the convoy and he immediately began to fire upon the enemy so others in the kill zone could escape from the hail of enemy fire.
He then led a security force into the kill zone to eliminate the remaining threat and allow for the safe evacuation of causalities. After the casualties were evacuated, Stack then began preparation for a counterattack on the enemy position.
Stack manned a .50 caliber machine gun to cover the element’s movement toward the enemy position. Because of a damaged vehicle, the counter-attack was abandoned, so he directed a link-up with a nearby quick reaction Force and return to Forward Operation Base 52 to refit. Knowing that the element was in danger of being attacked, Stack began to lead the Soldiers in reinforcing their position.
That night, as their convoy moved toward Al Hillah, the Special Forces element was ambushed several times from several directions by a high volume of enemy fire in a multiple-kilometer kill zone.
In the midst of the ambush, Stack remained calm and continued to direct fire upon the enemy while keeping control of the his element and allowing other vehicles to maneuver to covered and concealed positions.
After seeing Stack’s actions, which helped lead the Special Forces element out of the kill zone, the enemy began to concentrate fire on his vehicle. An explosion killed Stack instantly.
Stack’s personal sacrifice and courage allowed the remainder of the element to fight its way out of the ambush and ultimately, to survive the attack.
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