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With
darkness
descending
over
operations
for
then-First
Sergeant
Michael
Clemens,
sporadic
fighting
turned
into
chaos,
which
Clemens
led his
men
through.
November
15,
2006,
was day
four of
Operation
Turki
Bowl, a
mission
where
Clemens
and his
fellow
soldiers
were
tasked
with
clearing
a
volatile
part of
Iraq of
insurgents
and
weapons.
From his
overwatch
position,
Clemens
observed
several
insurgents
in a
village
ahead
and did
not
hesitate
to
launch a
patrol
of the
area.
Under
sporadic
enemy
fire,
Clemens
led
three
other
American
soldiers
and four
Iraqi
Army
soldiers
towards
the
insurgent
position.
Peering
around a
corner,
Clemens
spotted
a large
truck –
suspected
of being
packed
with
weapons
– and
heard
the
chatter
of
several
insurgents.
Clemens
held his
position
and
“lasered”
the
truck,
bringing
down
pinpoint
air
support,
ripping
the
truck
apart
and
ending
the
insurgents'
threat.
Over his
radio,
Clemens
received
word
that his
Captain,
the
ranking
officer
in the
unit,
was hit
when his
vehicle
struck
an IED
and
there
were
numerous
other
casualties.
Quickly
pulling
back
with his
patrol,
Clemens
moved to
secure
the area
of the
attack
and
evaluate
the
situation.
Clemens
boldly
assumed
leadership
of the
troops
on the
ground
and
coordinated
with
superiors,
air
support,
and the
medevac
helicopters
to
continue the
fight and help the wounded.
Through his leadership, his
company repelled two
counter-attacks and killed
12 insurgents, with all but
one of the wounded Americans
surviving.
For his
brilliant command under fire
and tremendous operational
success, Clemens was awarded
the Bronze Star with Valor. |
