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[narrator] More than 40 million Americans
have served
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in the United States armed forces.
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Of those, fewer than 3,600 have been
awarded the military's highest honor.
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[bomb dropping]
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- Whoa! Don't touch the weapon.
- Chocolate.
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[ ♪♪♪ ]
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- Whoa! You want candy?
- Candy.
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- Don't touch my weapon.
- Candy.
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You want candy?
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[bomb exploding]
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[Ronald Reagan]
Where did we find such men?
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We find them
where we've always found them.
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In our villages and towns,
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on our city streets, in our shops,
and on our farms.
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[Dwight H. Johnson]
Summoned a degree of courage
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that stirs wonder and respect
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and an overpowering pride in all of us.
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[George W. Bush]
It recognizes gallantry
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that goes above and beyond
the call of duty.
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[Barack Obama]
We may not always hear of their success,
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but they are there, in the thick
of the fight, in the dark of night,
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achieving their mission.
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[man] Normally, when someone hears
the term "the one percent"
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what comes to mind
is that one percent Americans
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who have such a disproportionate amount
of the wealth of our great country,
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but there's another one percent.
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That's the one percent
that has served our country in uniform.
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Sergeant Romesha is
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an even smaller part of that one percent
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that serves, because not only
had his father served in Vietnam,
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indeed in the same division in which
Sergeant Romesha ultimately served.
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But his grandfather
served in World War II, as well.
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There's something special
about how each son or daughter feels
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this quiet but intense need to serve,
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to continue the legacy of one's family.
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And that's particularly true
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in the post 9/11 period,
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uh, after which everyone who raises
his or her right hand
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realizes that he or she is volunteering
for the military at a time of war.
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[aircraft engine roars]
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[man] Holy shit!
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[female newscaster]
This just in. You are looking at
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obviously a very disturbing
live shot there.
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[male newscaster] It does not appear
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that there's any kind
of an effort up there yet.
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- Now remember... Oh, my God!
- [woman] Oh, my God! My...
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[male newscaster 2] I think we have
a terrorist act of proportions
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that we cannot begin to imagine
at this juncture.
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My goodness!
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[man] On my orders,
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the United States Military
has begun strikes
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against Al-Qaeda terrorist training camps
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and military installations
of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
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[Petraeus] There had been this sense
that the enemy's action
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began where the road ended.
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And so for several commanders
in Afghanistan
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there was an intent
to continue to extend the road,
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and as you extended the road,
you would establish a combat outpost
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to secure that road.
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And the idea was that you would have
this spreading inkblot of security
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and that would enable further extensions.
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It was an attempt
to bring peace to the region,
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and Combat Outpost Keating
was one of those camps,
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but it is also, as it happens,
one of the deadliest parts of Afghanistan.
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[gunshot]
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Sounds like it came
from behind the switchbacks.
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Red Patrol squad leaders,
get me a sit rep on your squad.
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[squad leader 1]
Red One, accounted for.
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[squad leader 2]
Red Two, accounted for.
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[squad leader 3]
Red Three, accounted for.
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[rear soldier] Tracks are old. These
fuckers haven't been here in a while.
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Yeah. Probably just haven't set up
since we flagged it.
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Maybe we should switch up
our patrol route.
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[rear soldier] Okay.
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[man] We'd do two patrols a day,
per platoon,
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so we knew, all right,
that's a good spot where they could
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possibly attack from or shoot at us from.
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Clint was a really strong
section sergeant.
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I've been in the Army for a few years now
and I wouldn't take anybody over Romesha.
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Ever.
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Ah, this is the spot.
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Good cover.
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Looking right fucking down on us.
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Line of sight on LRAS 1,
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LRAS 2,
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TOC,
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front gate.
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[softly, to himself] Son of a bitch!
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Raz, if that's my last Dr. Pepper,
you're digging the piss tubes next week.
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[sniggers]
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[man] When I had first got there,
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I just, like, looked up,
and I, like, did a circle
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and it was just mountains all around me.
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And you're like,
"What in the fuck is goin' on here?"
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[Petraeus] Combat Outpost Keating,
called "COP Keating,"
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is about as far out
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as any of the outposts
that we had in Afghanistan.
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[Tapper] In that part of the country,
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you're either on a mountain
or at the bottom of a mountain.
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Combat Outpost Keating was
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placed at the bottom
of three steep mountains.
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Why it was put at the bottom
of three steep mountains,
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uh, is really just an example of how,
in the military, quite often, you have
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five bad choices in front of you
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and you just have to pick
the least horrific one.
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[Raz] It's hard to defend
and you're an easy target.
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Everything you're looking at is up.
[chuckles]
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[Larson] Started looking around
and going, "Oh, man!
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They could be right there, right now,
or they could be right there."
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A lot of times they were,
they just weren't shooting at us,
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but we could see 'em moving.
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But just for...
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[clicks fingers]...that long,
and then they were gone.
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[man] It's funny because
people are always, like,
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"Oh, what's the difference between Iraq
and Afghanistan?"
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Or "Did you have some kind of guidance
or understanding of war?"
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And the answer's no.
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Afghanistan was the Wild West, man.
There was no buildings,
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there was no infrastructure.
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It was just kind of
this toe-to-toe fighting
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in the desolate land of the mountains.
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[gunfire]
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[Larson] We got hit quite a bit.
I'd say...
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at least once a day, if not twice a day.
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We'd all jump up
and rush to battle positions.
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[rapid gunfire]
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[man] Single shots, or mortar attacks,
or recoilless rifles, RPGs...
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[relentless gunfire]
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[Raz] There's no safe space, really,
I guess you could say,
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unless you're inside a building
and even then,
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you know, the rockets will
just punch right through.
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[Rodriguez] This is our shower.
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Of course, we have no power.
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So you have to shower
with a headlight on.
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[Bundermann]
We lived in a 20x40 building
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with bunks on each side.
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I knew everything about these guys,
and they knew everything about me, right?
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You just can't live two feet
from someone for that long
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and not know what's going on with them.
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I could tell when Ro
had a blister on his hand
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'cause he would change the way he was
holding his remote control, right?
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Loves video games.
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[Larson]
Ro and I, we didn't get along at first,
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but, you know,
we became really good friends,
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and our platoon got along really well.
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We meshed really well together.
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[Raz] Our platoon was like that.
That's just how we were.
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We hung out all the time,
everybody was friends.
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It was very rare
for other units to have that.
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[Taliban soldiers speaking Pashto]
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[Tapper] This is an area of Afghanistan
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where people are bred to resist.
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[Taliban soldiers continue speaking]
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[Tapper] They are smart.
They are strategic.
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00:10:02,310 --> 00:10:04,020
They are ruthless.
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They study before they attack,
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and they have centuries' worth
of experience as a people fighting.
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[Petraeus] I was about 11 months into
my time in command of U.S. Central Command
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in Afghanistan,
and I had a lot of concerns
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about the vulnerability
of these isolated combat outposts.
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And, everything that happened
in COP Keating
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was really the manifestation
of our worst fears.
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[Bundermann]
Early, it was right around 6 a.m...
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[radio] This is Gallegos at LRAS 2.
We're under heavy attack.
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...there's an immense amount
of small arms fire.
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Gallegos, it's Ro. I'm on the way.
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[Raz] I had woke up
and we had that moment,
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like you didn't really talk,
but you had a whole conversation.
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And that's kind of when it all sank in,
like this is...
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We're gonna have to hunker down.
This is gonna be a long fight.
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[distant gunfire]
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[Bundermann] It was obvious, quickly,
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that this was different
than previous attacks.
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We've had a couple of coordinated ones
where it was small arms and indirect,
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but this was very much more than usual.
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- [Taliban soldier speaking]
- [machine gun fire]
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[Rodriguez] I stand up,
I put my K-Pod on, my vest,
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00:11:36,571 --> 00:11:39,324
and it was just fucking muzzle flashes
everywhere.
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[Raz] Thousands of bullets
flying through the air.
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Rockets everywhere,
bullets bouncing off everything.
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00:11:46,372 --> 00:11:48,917
It's, you know, every... it's just chaos.
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[Taliban soldiers shouting]
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[Raz] And they're also above us,
looking down.
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00:11:57,008 --> 00:11:58,768
It's like looking down
into a football field.
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[rapid gunfire]
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[man] As a brigade commander,
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00:12:13,066 --> 00:12:17,487
I was in Jalalabad,
which is about 160 km south.
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00:12:18,154 --> 00:12:20,156
We woke to news that
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Outpost Keating was under attack.
190
00:12:24,494 --> 00:12:28,498
There was 300 attackers
for the 50 that were at the outpost.
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00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:32,001
This was obviously something
very different, very extreme.
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00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:36,839
[radio] RPG coming in. RPG. RPG.
193
00:12:37,674 --> 00:12:41,094
- [indistinct radio response]
- [intense gunfire]
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00:12:41,177 --> 00:12:44,222
[radio] Three machine gun nests
on the north face, firing directly down.
195
00:12:44,305 --> 00:12:45,974
[indistinct radio response]
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00:12:46,057 --> 00:12:47,392
Repeat, 155.
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00:12:48,309 --> 00:12:49,870
[Bundermann]
They attacked from everywhere,
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00:12:49,894 --> 00:12:51,694
all four sides,
we started taking direct fire.
199
00:12:58,486 --> 00:13:01,197
That kind of volume of fire
and the number of weapon systems
200
00:13:01,281 --> 00:13:03,700
that were trained on us
was just... unbelievable.
201
00:13:06,411 --> 00:13:09,205
[radio] This is Gallegos in LRAS 2.
We're under heavy attack.
202
00:13:10,957 --> 00:13:12,250
Is anyone there?
203
00:13:12,333 --> 00:13:15,086
- [gunfire]
- [loud explosion]
204
00:13:16,337 --> 00:13:19,966
[Tapper] At LRAS 2,
which is an armored Humvee
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00:13:20,049 --> 00:13:21,301
used for fortification,
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00:13:22,302 --> 00:13:24,887
there were a few soldiers
that were stuck.
207
00:13:24,971 --> 00:13:26,097
They were trapped.
208
00:13:26,556 --> 00:13:28,099
[explosion]
209
00:13:30,601 --> 00:13:32,729
[Gallegos] 50-cal is destroyed.
We need support.
210
00:13:32,812 --> 00:13:36,190
We can't move. We can't get up.
They're firing RPGs.
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00:13:36,524 --> 00:13:39,569
Gallegos, it's Ro.
I'm about to lay down cover fire.
212
00:13:39,652 --> 00:13:42,113
When the incoming lets up,
get the fuck outta there.
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00:13:53,249 --> 00:13:56,169
[Bundermann] We need more air support
directed to RPG Rock.
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00:13:57,837 --> 00:13:59,964
[Gallegos]
Ro, this isn't working. We can't move!
215
00:14:09,682 --> 00:14:12,310
[gunfire continues]
216
00:14:14,103 --> 00:14:16,731
[Gallegos] I got enemy fire.
I got RPGs coming in.
217
00:14:16,814 --> 00:14:18,816
Enemy's just running all over the place.
218
00:14:19,525 --> 00:14:20,902
Take care of the RPGs.
219
00:14:23,696 --> 00:14:26,657
[Gallegos] Ro, it's too hot!
Get the fuck outta here!
220
00:14:26,866 --> 00:14:27,866
Sit tight!
221
00:14:35,249 --> 00:14:39,087
[Tapper] Clint Romesha
is this very intense guy.
222
00:14:40,254 --> 00:14:43,966
He's a man of very few words,
but when he utters them, they mean a lot.
223
00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:48,763
He's from a small town in California.
224
00:14:51,057 --> 00:14:53,476
A traditional Mormon background.
225
00:14:54,644 --> 00:14:58,523
His father and others in his family
were leaders in the church.
226
00:14:59,941 --> 00:15:04,278
And, in fact, for a while,
he went to school early in the morning,
227
00:15:04,570 --> 00:15:06,656
seminary, to be a leader.
228
00:15:09,242 --> 00:15:12,412
But, ultimately,
he decided that it wasn't for him,
229
00:15:13,329 --> 00:15:15,540
and he fought in Afghanistan and Iraq.
230
00:15:16,833 --> 00:15:20,586
He has this religious fervor in him,
231
00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:22,296
not for...
232
00:15:23,005 --> 00:15:26,342
God, not for gifts after this life,
233
00:15:26,759 --> 00:15:29,220
but for his men,
234
00:15:29,303 --> 00:15:32,348
and for surviving this life.
235
00:15:38,187 --> 00:15:39,939
[Larson] Coming out of Iraq,
236
00:15:40,022 --> 00:15:42,608
you have a bond that you can't break.
237
00:15:44,110 --> 00:15:48,197
You relate with guys that have been
through a similar situation.
238
00:15:48,823 --> 00:15:52,410
Clint and I figured out we could actually
work together really well,
239
00:15:52,743 --> 00:15:54,704
and I understood his way of thinking.
240
00:15:57,373 --> 00:15:58,373
[Larson] Whoa!
241
00:15:59,125 --> 00:16:01,794
- Want another? Whoa! Back up.
- [boy] Candy!
242
00:16:01,878 --> 00:16:03,838
- No. Don't touch my weapon, Okay?
- Candy.
243
00:16:04,464 --> 00:16:06,650
- [Larson] Back up. I don't have candy.
- [boy] Chocolate!
244
00:16:06,674 --> 00:16:07,674
I don't have chocolate.
245
00:16:07,717 --> 00:16:10,511
You want chocolate? Look. Candy man.
Chocolate man. Yeah, there.
246
00:16:11,095 --> 00:16:13,157
- [Romesha] Hey! Don't touch the weapon.
- [boy] Chocolate?
247
00:16:13,181 --> 00:16:15,183
Don't touch the...
I don't have candy or chocolate.
248
00:16:15,266 --> 00:16:16,660
- [boy] Candy?
- I got a protein bar.
249
00:16:16,684 --> 00:16:19,103
It's all I have. I have no candy.
Little shit!
250
00:16:35,495 --> 00:16:36,704
[Larson] Me and Ro,
251
00:16:37,038 --> 00:16:38,206
we really clicked.
252
00:16:39,749 --> 00:16:43,544
He's a small little guy, but he knows
what to do and when to do it,
253
00:16:43,628 --> 00:16:47,048
so he doesn't get him
or his soldiers killed.
254
00:16:50,009 --> 00:16:52,011
[volley of gunfire]
255
00:16:54,514 --> 00:16:56,766
[soldier over radio]
Enemy fire, I've got RPGs...
256
00:16:58,976 --> 00:16:59,977
[Romesha] Fuck!
257
00:17:00,561 --> 00:17:03,648
[soldier 2 over radio] I need mortar fire
on target GRP-125.
258
00:17:05,399 --> 00:17:07,735
[soldier 3 over radio]
50-cal is destroyed. Need support.
259
00:17:09,779 --> 00:17:11,781
[relentless gunfire]
260
00:17:14,742 --> 00:17:15,742
[explosion]
261
00:17:15,785 --> 00:17:18,430
[soldier 4 over radio] Three machine gun
nests up on the north face,
262
00:17:18,454 --> 00:17:19,956
firing directly down.
263
00:17:20,831 --> 00:17:23,960
Red Platoon squad leaders,
get me a sit rep on your squad.
264
00:17:24,460 --> 00:17:26,730
[soldier 5 over radio] Jesus Christ!
They got an RPG pointed right at us!
265
00:17:26,754 --> 00:17:28,214
[explosion]
266
00:17:28,339 --> 00:17:30,174
[Bundermann]
Reports came in immediately.
267
00:17:30,258 --> 00:17:32,818
"We can't get to this location."
"We can't get to that location."
268
00:17:32,885 --> 00:17:35,680
And what that means
when soldiers are saying that is
269
00:17:36,514 --> 00:17:40,434
"If I move from where I'm at,
I will get killed."
270
00:17:42,228 --> 00:17:45,731
My commander and another
platoon leader weren't at the COP.
271
00:17:45,815 --> 00:17:48,359
So, I was left in command of the troop...
272
00:17:48,442 --> 00:17:49,711
[into radio] I need air support.
273
00:17:49,735 --> 00:17:51,696
...and I was working
with Sergeant Romesha
274
00:17:52,029 --> 00:17:54,198
to figure out
where everybody was at, right,
275
00:17:54,282 --> 00:17:56,325
so we had guys,
we didn't know where they were.
276
00:17:57,451 --> 00:18:00,162
[Raz] Lieutenant Bundermann
is now the acting CO,
277
00:18:00,246 --> 00:18:02,248
and Romesha's the acting Platoon Sergeant
278
00:18:02,748 --> 00:18:04,500
and it all falls
on both of their shoulders,
279
00:18:04,625 --> 00:18:07,169
and I don't think either one of them
would have expected that.
280
00:18:08,713 --> 00:18:11,793
[soldier over radio] There's a sniper
on my six. I've got a sniper on my six.
281
00:18:11,841 --> 00:18:12,758
I'm on my way.
282
00:18:12,842 --> 00:18:15,177
[squad leader 1]
Koppes is under heavy fire at LRAS 1.
283
00:18:16,053 --> 00:18:18,139
Ro went back and forth
to different gun positions,
284
00:18:19,223 --> 00:18:22,476
and he's doing it without any regard
for himself.
285
00:18:26,147 --> 00:18:27,457
And Koppes would say things like,
286
00:18:27,481 --> 00:18:30,318
"Can you shoot this sniper?
I really need... that guy needs to go."
287
00:18:32,612 --> 00:18:34,614
[Koppes]
Hey, there's a sniper on my back!
288
00:18:37,533 --> 00:18:40,036
[Larson]
Now, Romesha picked up a Dragonov,
289
00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,163
which is a Russian sniper rifle.
290
00:18:43,831 --> 00:18:46,042
And thought, "Well, if there's a sniper...
291
00:18:47,084 --> 00:18:49,545
hitting Koppes, maybe I can hit him."
292
00:18:50,963 --> 00:18:53,799
[soldier over radio] I need mortar fire
on Target GRP-125.
293
00:18:57,970 --> 00:19:00,181
[indistinct radio communication]
294
00:19:00,306 --> 00:19:02,308
[gunfire continues]
295
00:19:03,726 --> 00:19:06,729
Sergeant Romesha
has to expose himself enough
296
00:19:06,812 --> 00:19:09,940
so that he can draw a bead
on that enemy sniper,
297
00:19:10,441 --> 00:19:15,321
which means, of course, that he has
to be visible to the enemy as well.
298
00:19:16,447 --> 00:19:18,449
[gunfire continues]
299
00:19:27,750 --> 00:19:31,629
[Larson] Romesha waited for the sniper
to pull back up to get on Koppes...
300
00:19:36,133 --> 00:19:37,343
[continuous gunfire]
301
00:19:39,929 --> 00:19:40,929
...caught his breath...
302
00:19:41,055 --> 00:19:43,057
[gunfire continues]
303
00:19:47,019 --> 00:19:49,689
...and Koppes's sniper problems
were fixed at that point.
304
00:19:53,150 --> 00:19:55,420
[Bunnermann over radio]
e have enemy in the wire. I repeat.
305
00:19:55,444 --> 00:19:57,113
We have enemy in the wire.
306
00:19:57,321 --> 00:19:58,447
"Enemy in the wire."
307
00:19:59,031 --> 00:20:01,951
That means that the Taliban
are inside the camp.
308
00:20:02,576 --> 00:20:03,576
[soldier] Fuck!
309
00:20:04,328 --> 00:20:06,330
[relentless gunfire]
310
00:20:08,749 --> 00:20:10,894
I see this Taliban dude poke his head
around the corner
311
00:20:10,918 --> 00:20:12,837
and I was like, "Oh, fuck!"
312
00:20:17,758 --> 00:20:20,970
In some ways, they were just walking on
like it was a Sunday stroll,
313
00:20:21,053 --> 00:20:23,723
and I don't know if they thought
this was going to be over,
314
00:20:24,181 --> 00:20:28,018
um, but once they were in there, you know,
it's always real, but you're going...
315
00:20:28,102 --> 00:20:29,437
[takes a deep breath]
316
00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:31,856
- [gunfire]
- [Taliban soldiers shouting]
317
00:20:39,029 --> 00:20:41,031
[Taliban soldiers shouting]
318
00:20:43,033 --> 00:20:45,995
[Taliban soldiers talking]
319
00:20:46,328 --> 00:20:47,830
"Enemy inside the wire,"
320
00:20:48,289 --> 00:20:52,251
it makes your... I mean,
that makes your heart skip a beat.
321
00:20:52,334 --> 00:20:55,212
It completely changes what was already,
322
00:20:55,296 --> 00:20:59,383
you know, a near impossible situation
with 300 plus enemy attackers.
323
00:21:00,634 --> 00:21:04,013
We have enemy in the wire. I repeat.
We have enemy in the wire.
324
00:21:04,096 --> 00:21:05,306
I need air support now.
325
00:21:05,389 --> 00:21:06,432
[explosion]
326
00:21:07,057 --> 00:21:08,559
Gotta be fuckin' kidding me!
327
00:21:08,809 --> 00:21:10,620
[George] The challenge
with air supporting was,
328
00:21:10,644 --> 00:21:13,272
unfortunately,
there weren't Apaches up there.
329
00:21:13,355 --> 00:21:15,649
They had to come all the way
from Jalalabad.
330
00:21:16,817 --> 00:21:18,527
What I remember is
331
00:21:18,611 --> 00:21:21,697
trying to get the assets up there
as quickly as possible.
332
00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,201
[pilot] I think we can do that, man.
333
00:21:25,284 --> 00:21:28,370
[George] With Combat Outpost Keating,
the problem was remoteness.
334
00:21:30,873 --> 00:21:32,625
Five minutes in that kind of an attack,
335
00:21:32,708 --> 00:21:35,544
ten minutes, twenty minutes,
that's too long.
336
00:21:38,297 --> 00:21:42,635
[soldier over radio] Copy, Lieutenant.
Ten wounded. Three confirmed KIAs.
337
00:21:42,718 --> 00:21:44,478
[response over radio]
Scrambling air support.
338
00:21:44,512 --> 00:21:46,432
- [soldier over radio] Standby.
- [Romesha] Fuck!
339
00:21:48,015 --> 00:21:49,767
[Bundermann]
We had a couple confirmed...
340
00:21:50,726 --> 00:21:55,606
KIAs, right. So, Sergeant Kirk
had been killed by that point in time,
341
00:21:56,232 --> 00:21:58,234
Scusa, and Thompson.
342
00:21:58,776 --> 00:21:59,776
And...
343
00:22:00,069 --> 00:22:01,237
uh, that was...
344
00:22:01,987 --> 00:22:03,572
that was intense for me.
345
00:22:03,656 --> 00:22:04,698
I was, um...
346
00:22:05,908 --> 00:22:09,203
you know, not expecting that, right.
In the past, we...
347
00:22:09,286 --> 00:22:12,039
we had some guys get hurt,
but no one had gotten killed.
348
00:22:13,833 --> 00:22:15,753
[soldier 1]
Sir, they've breached the front gate.
349
00:22:16,752 --> 00:22:19,004
- Sir, we need to prep for...
- Oh, God damn it!
350
00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,758
[soldier 1] Hunker down. Kill anything
that comes through this door.
351
00:22:22,925 --> 00:22:24,176
[soldier 2] I'm not doing that.
352
00:22:24,468 --> 00:22:26,828
[pilot over radio] Scrambling air support.
Stand by for ETA.
353
00:22:28,013 --> 00:22:30,641
[soldier over radio] Need close
air support directed to RPG Rock.
354
00:22:34,353 --> 00:22:35,914
[Bundermann] I guess I haven't found a way
355
00:22:35,938 --> 00:22:38,440
to categorize it any way differently
than we were losing.
356
00:22:39,733 --> 00:22:42,945
They controlled the initiative,
they had a higher volume of fire.
357
00:22:44,363 --> 00:22:46,115
And they were imposing their will on us.
358
00:22:46,740 --> 00:22:47,741
The truth is...
359
00:22:48,576 --> 00:22:50,619
that the odds were they were gonna die.
360
00:22:51,078 --> 00:22:53,205
The odds were they were gonna get killed.
361
00:22:54,039 --> 00:22:56,208
[soldier] Sir, we need to prep
for Alamo Position.
362
00:22:57,459 --> 00:22:59,211
We got soldiers unaccounted for.
363
00:22:59,295 --> 00:23:02,148
[soldier] Guys, if we don't fall back,
there won't be a base left to save.
364
00:23:02,172 --> 00:23:03,172
Fuck that!
365
00:23:03,382 --> 00:23:06,468
Taliban have fire superiority.
We sit here, we're dead.
366
00:23:08,929 --> 00:23:10,139
What do you wanna do?
367
00:23:13,100 --> 00:23:14,100
Take it back.
368
00:23:14,852 --> 00:23:17,897
Two six-men assault teams. You take
the first team east for cover fire,
369
00:23:17,980 --> 00:23:20,107
I take the second team west,
secure the front gate.
370
00:23:20,983 --> 00:23:23,744
[Bundermann] Your team's gonna be
walking right through the kill zone.
371
00:23:25,863 --> 00:23:29,825
I've never seen Ro back down from anything
and I think that's just how he is.
372
00:23:30,618 --> 00:23:32,202
Okay, Ro. Get her done.
373
00:23:35,831 --> 00:23:37,833
Romesha mapped out the plan
374
00:23:37,917 --> 00:23:40,628
to retake the front entrance of the COP.
375
00:23:41,253 --> 00:23:43,013
[Tapper] It was very
strategically important.
376
00:23:43,088 --> 00:23:44,089
If the enemy was there,
377
00:23:44,173 --> 00:23:48,093
that was just their beachhead
for taking more of the American camp.
378
00:23:48,552 --> 00:23:50,387
So he needed to stop them in their tracks.
379
00:23:54,433 --> 00:23:56,560
I need volunteers to take this bitch back.
380
00:23:57,603 --> 00:23:58,771
Clint's one of the...
381
00:23:58,979 --> 00:24:01,148
maybe one or two people
on the face of the Earth
382
00:24:01,231 --> 00:24:03,233
that I would do anything for,
without question.
383
00:24:03,317 --> 00:24:04,317
I'd just do it.
384
00:24:06,028 --> 00:24:07,196
[gunfire continues]
385
00:24:07,821 --> 00:24:10,783
It was like that: "Okay.
This is where I'm gonna die today."
386
00:24:10,866 --> 00:24:15,663
Like, "But at least I'm gonna take
as many of 'em with me as possible."
387
00:24:16,914 --> 00:24:17,915
Let's do this.
388
00:24:18,791 --> 00:24:20,125
Go! Move!
389
00:24:22,461 --> 00:24:24,463
[relentless gunfire]
390
00:24:36,850 --> 00:24:38,727
Running and gunning at the same time.
391
00:24:39,478 --> 00:24:41,605
You can't stop. You gotta keep going.
392
00:24:42,106 --> 00:24:43,899
It's almost like
you're two different people.
393
00:24:43,983 --> 00:24:46,303
Your brain's thinking one thing
and your body's just going.
394
00:24:51,490 --> 00:24:54,785
- [soldier over radio] Enemy fire...
- Blue Four, where's my cover fire?
395
00:24:54,868 --> 00:24:56,428
[soldier in the distance]
Working on it!
396
00:25:02,167 --> 00:25:04,795
- We can't secure it from here.
- [Raz] Incoming!
397
00:25:08,215 --> 00:25:11,468
Where's my machine gun, Blue Four?
I need cover fire!
398
00:25:11,552 --> 00:25:14,680
[Blue Four] Negative, Ro!
We're pinned down at the ANA building!
399
00:25:18,308 --> 00:25:19,309
This could get bad.
400
00:25:22,938 --> 00:25:25,024
Okay, we're gonna take it.
401
00:25:26,066 --> 00:25:28,068
[ ♪♪♪ ]
402
00:25:41,874 --> 00:25:44,877
And there was about 30 or 40 guys
getting ready to breach the front gate.
403
00:25:48,172 --> 00:25:50,674
Romesha, he was the mastermind
behind the whole...
404
00:25:51,467 --> 00:25:52,467
counterattack.
405
00:25:55,012 --> 00:25:56,388
We're holding this gate.
406
00:25:56,889 --> 00:25:58,724
[gunfire continues]
407
00:26:07,733 --> 00:26:09,485
When he led the charge,
408
00:26:10,402 --> 00:26:13,238
it provided the first
and only amount of hope
409
00:26:13,572 --> 00:26:17,242
that the camp could actually be retaken.
410
00:26:17,326 --> 00:26:20,204
You cannot overstate the importance
of that victory.
411
00:26:20,537 --> 00:26:22,915
[Raz] To fight,
sunup to sundown like that,
412
00:26:22,998 --> 00:26:26,251
and to be the ground guy in charge,
making all the decisions...
413
00:26:27,961 --> 00:26:31,840
he rose to the occasion
and he went above and beyond.
414
00:26:31,924 --> 00:26:34,259
[pilot over radio]
We need enemy coordinates.
415
00:26:34,510 --> 00:26:36,470
[Raz] He was talking to
Lt. Bundermann and TOC,
416
00:26:36,595 --> 00:26:38,138
he was talking to the helicopters.
417
00:26:38,263 --> 00:26:39,973
[George] And it was at that point,
418
00:26:40,057 --> 00:26:43,310
they were able to start calling in some,
you know, close air support,
419
00:26:43,393 --> 00:26:45,729
which started making
a significant difference.
420
00:26:45,813 --> 00:26:46,813
[pilot] We're going hot.
421
00:26:48,607 --> 00:26:49,983
Take cover!
422
00:26:53,070 --> 00:26:55,405
[Raz] And, you know, he's getting
these Apaches to come in
423
00:26:55,489 --> 00:26:57,491
and start running gun runs on everything.
424
00:26:58,492 --> 00:27:00,577
That's when I knew... we got this.
425
00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,041
And there's a momentum
that comes with that.
426
00:27:06,458 --> 00:27:07,835
We just started pummeling.
427
00:27:11,213 --> 00:27:13,215
And we could take back what was ours.
428
00:27:13,966 --> 00:27:16,426
[pilot] Come on. Light 'em up!
429
00:27:21,223 --> 00:27:23,433
[Raz] Bombs started dropping and...
430
00:27:23,517 --> 00:27:26,103
they knew they were screwed,
so they took off running.
431
00:27:32,609 --> 00:27:37,406
[Petraeus] Ultimately, the Taliban
realizes that this is not their day.
432
00:27:38,740 --> 00:27:42,369
Although our forces had paid
an extraordinary price for that.
433
00:27:46,915 --> 00:27:49,001
[Larson]
Romesha came up with this plan
434
00:27:49,084 --> 00:27:51,003
to recover our fallen.
435
00:27:51,670 --> 00:27:54,357
[Bundermann] One of the things you
always look for is accountability.
436
00:27:54,381 --> 00:27:56,258
Do you have accountability
of your soldiers?
437
00:27:56,341 --> 00:28:00,095
That means you have them. Doesn't
necessarily mean that they're all...
438
00:28:01,138 --> 00:28:02,556
alive, but you have them.
439
00:28:02,639 --> 00:28:06,101
The new mission now is that we have
to find Hardt, we have to find Martin,
440
00:28:06,185 --> 00:28:07,728
and we have to go get Gallegos.
441
00:28:07,811 --> 00:28:11,440
We wanted to make sure we got everybody
and we didn't give up looking.
442
00:28:13,233 --> 00:28:14,526
Everybody's got a family.
443
00:28:15,485 --> 00:28:16,695
They've got friends.
444
00:28:17,738 --> 00:28:20,324
And they did an amazing thing, right?
445
00:28:20,407 --> 00:28:23,160
They did something incredible.
446
00:28:25,787 --> 00:28:27,164
And they...
447
00:28:28,373 --> 00:28:32,544
[inhales deeply] They made a sacrifice
that is hard to fathom.
448
00:28:33,378 --> 00:28:35,172
And we owe it to them
449
00:28:36,131 --> 00:28:38,050
that they're respected in the proper way.
450
00:28:42,054 --> 00:28:43,263
So, it's important...
451
00:28:45,724 --> 00:28:47,100
to do whatever it takes.
452
00:29:04,534 --> 00:29:05,577
This is Red Four.
453
00:29:06,703 --> 00:29:08,080
Respond in sequence.
454
00:29:10,123 --> 00:29:11,723
[squad leader 1] Red One, accounted for.
455
00:29:13,418 --> 00:29:15,018
[squad leader 2] Red Two, accounted for.
456
00:29:15,295 --> 00:29:16,975
[squad leader 3] Red Three, accounted for.
457
00:29:18,632 --> 00:29:21,260
[Raz] It was 12 hours, start to finish,
sunrise to sunset.
458
00:29:22,511 --> 00:29:24,596
You know, we took on 400 Taliban.
459
00:29:25,514 --> 00:29:29,393
And if it hadn't been for Clint,
they might have won that fight.
460
00:29:34,106 --> 00:29:37,317
[narrator] It was a win,
but not without shattering loss.
461
00:29:39,945 --> 00:29:41,196
Eight Americans killed.
462
00:29:42,322 --> 00:29:43,448
Eight Americans...
463
00:29:43,949 --> 00:29:45,701
with loved ones waiting back home.
464
00:29:48,036 --> 00:29:49,538
[man] To be celebrated for...
465
00:29:50,664 --> 00:29:52,499
your courage, your heroics,
466
00:29:54,251 --> 00:29:56,545
you know, was flattering. It's...
467
00:29:58,130 --> 00:30:00,299
But I don't look at anything
I did that day
468
00:30:00,382 --> 00:30:02,926
as heroic or courageous,
it was doin' a job.
469
00:30:04,511 --> 00:30:06,096
You know, eight other guys...
470
00:30:08,015 --> 00:30:09,015
gave up...
471
00:30:11,059 --> 00:30:14,062
more than was ever required of them.
472
00:30:14,646 --> 00:30:16,606
So, why do I get celebrated when...
473
00:30:21,236 --> 00:30:23,363
those guys will never...
[breathes shakily]
474
00:30:29,369 --> 00:30:30,954
...never again get to see
475
00:30:31,997 --> 00:30:35,417
hugs, smiles,
say anything to their families.
476
00:30:43,842 --> 00:30:46,094
[narrator] A changed and shaken
Sergeant Romesha
477
00:30:46,178 --> 00:30:48,263
returned home to his three children.
478
00:30:49,514 --> 00:30:50,682
[inaudible dialogue]
479
00:30:51,391 --> 00:30:55,062
His oldest, Desiree,
like her father's men,
480
00:30:55,604 --> 00:30:57,439
has learned something about coping.
481
00:30:58,065 --> 00:31:02,027
The most important thing he's taught me
is don't let things get to you.
482
00:31:02,194 --> 00:31:05,489
If something affects you,
you need to learn how to deal with it
483
00:31:05,614 --> 00:31:06,865
and then move on from it.
484
00:31:07,449 --> 00:31:08,617
And learn from that.
485
00:31:09,659 --> 00:31:12,829
[Romesha] My defining moments will be
when my kids grow up,
486
00:31:13,205 --> 00:31:15,499
carry the torch to the next generation.
487
00:31:15,582 --> 00:31:20,253
That they are productive and successful
members of this great country.
488
00:31:20,754 --> 00:31:22,839
It's the only thing
we can really ever ask for is
489
00:31:23,006 --> 00:31:26,802
making sure our kids
carry on our legacies for us.
490
00:31:29,638 --> 00:31:31,807
[narrator] But what would
the sergeant's own legacy be?
491
00:31:33,266 --> 00:31:34,935
That was not yet clear.
492
00:31:37,229 --> 00:31:39,940
In the more than 11 years
that the United States has been
493
00:31:40,065 --> 00:31:44,277
fighting in Afghanistan,
Presidents Bush and Obama have awarded
494
00:31:44,403 --> 00:31:48,156
six American service members
the highest honor one can receive,
495
00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,326
the Medal of Honor,
for actions in that war.
496
00:31:51,410 --> 00:31:55,330
On Monday, President Obama will award
the seventh American service member
497
00:31:55,414 --> 00:31:59,167
the Medal of Honor,
former Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha.
498
00:31:59,251 --> 00:32:01,920
When I first heard the news
of the Medal of Honor,
499
00:32:02,003 --> 00:32:04,256
my first thought was
"What the heck is that?"
500
00:32:04,673 --> 00:32:07,551
But then, as this started to unroll,
501
00:32:07,801 --> 00:32:09,803
many people come up to me and say,
502
00:32:09,886 --> 00:32:12,764
"Tell your father thank you
for everything he's done."
503
00:32:12,848 --> 00:32:14,683
And you're always like, "Go, Dad!"
504
00:32:17,227 --> 00:32:18,937
[Romesha] Before the ceremony started,
505
00:32:19,020 --> 00:32:21,690
we got brought into the Oval Office
and met President Obama.
506
00:32:22,566 --> 00:32:25,819
The two youngest kids, they got in there
and they're messing with the fruit,
507
00:32:25,902 --> 00:32:27,821
and they started running on the furniture.
508
00:32:27,946 --> 00:32:30,407
I'm sitting there thinking,
"Oh my goodness, I got
509
00:32:30,490 --> 00:32:33,994
a one-and-a-half-year-old son jumping
on the couch in the Oval Office."
510
00:32:36,037 --> 00:32:38,707
[Barack Obama] We just spent some time
together in the Oval Office,
511
00:32:39,124 --> 00:32:41,251
along with your three beautiful children,
512
00:32:42,127 --> 00:32:44,421
Dessi, Gwen, and Colin.
513
00:32:44,504 --> 00:32:46,506
Colin is not as shy as Clint.
514
00:32:46,631 --> 00:32:48,008
[audience laughs]
515
00:32:48,091 --> 00:32:51,386
Uh, he was in the Oval Office and...
516
00:32:52,429 --> 00:32:54,723
- he was racing around pretty good.
- [audience laughs]
517
00:32:54,806 --> 00:32:57,017
And sampled a number of the apples.
518
00:32:58,435 --> 00:33:00,145
Receiving the medal that day, I...
519
00:33:01,771 --> 00:33:03,315
I don't remember...
520
00:33:04,149 --> 00:33:05,692
hardly any of it.
521
00:33:05,775 --> 00:33:08,445
We gather to present the Medal of Honor
522
00:33:09,112 --> 00:33:10,363
to one of these soldiers,
523
00:33:11,031 --> 00:33:14,034
Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha.
524
00:33:17,329 --> 00:33:19,539
The explosions
shook them out of their beds
525
00:33:19,623 --> 00:33:21,708
and sent them rushing for their weapons,
526
00:33:22,083 --> 00:33:24,461
and soon the awful odds became clear.
527
00:33:25,378 --> 00:33:31,384
These 53 Americans were surrounded
by more than 300 Taliban fighters.
528
00:33:32,385 --> 00:33:34,596
Keating, it seemed, was gonna be overrun,
529
00:33:34,679 --> 00:33:38,266
and that's when Clint Romesha
decided to retake that camp.
530
00:33:39,392 --> 00:33:42,687
Clint gathered up his guys
and they began to fight their way back.
531
00:33:44,648 --> 00:33:46,816
[Romesha]
The only thing I remember that day,
532
00:33:47,025 --> 00:33:49,486
I was up on stage,
the ceremony had started,
533
00:33:50,070 --> 00:33:52,113
and in the first row was my family.
534
00:33:54,241 --> 00:33:55,742
Right behind them was the...
535
00:33:57,202 --> 00:33:59,162
families of the eight guys we'd lost.
536
00:33:59,996 --> 00:34:01,998
[muffled applause]
537
00:34:04,626 --> 00:34:07,963
Just off to my left was guys
I'd served with at COP Keating that day,
538
00:34:08,046 --> 00:34:11,591
and I just rememberlooking at all of them
and kinda thinking to myself
539
00:34:11,716 --> 00:34:13,927
that it was just really good
to be able to...
540
00:34:14,636 --> 00:34:17,973
know I wasn't there alone.
I had everybody there with me.
541
00:34:18,223 --> 00:34:21,059
And I would ask these soldiers,
this band of brothers,
542
00:34:21,268 --> 00:34:24,104
to stand and accept the gratitude
of our entire nation.
543
00:34:24,646 --> 00:34:26,648
[audience applauds]
544
00:34:28,316 --> 00:34:30,986
[Romesha] And then,
it came time to stand up.
545
00:34:35,240 --> 00:34:38,368
I remember standing up and,
I mean, it was just such a whirlwind,
546
00:34:38,451 --> 00:34:40,370
so many emotions,
so many things goin' on.
547
00:34:40,954 --> 00:34:45,000
Just kinda thinking to myself that,
you know, it sucked that such a...
548
00:34:46,585 --> 00:34:49,838
tragic thing had to happen to get
everybody here together.
549
00:34:50,797 --> 00:34:51,965
But what a blessing,
550
00:34:52,799 --> 00:34:54,926
sharing this one moment together.
551
00:34:57,053 --> 00:34:58,597
[ ♪♪♪ ]
552
00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:05,687
[inaudible dialogue]
553
00:35:10,191 --> 00:35:12,193
[audience applauds]
554
00:35:23,913 --> 00:35:26,916
[little girl] When I heard that Dad got
a Medal of Honor,
555
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,461
I was proud for him, happy.
556
00:35:31,588 --> 00:35:32,588
Excited.
557
00:35:34,507 --> 00:35:35,592
Hmm...
558
00:35:38,011 --> 00:35:40,388
But I didn't know
he was gonna turn this famous.
559
00:35:40,930 --> 00:35:42,349
[man] And you didn't know the exact
560
00:35:42,432 --> 00:35:44,851
number at the time, but you knew
you were outmanned, right?
561
00:35:44,934 --> 00:35:47,788
Yeah, I didn't have them in formation
for a head count beforehand, but...
562
00:35:47,812 --> 00:35:48,897
[David and audience laugh]
563
00:35:48,980 --> 00:35:51,340
[Romesha] And all of sudden
being thrust into the limelight.
564
00:35:52,150 --> 00:35:54,194
You know, it was a lot to handle at first.
565
00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:57,238
Then I really kinda realized that...
566
00:35:57,822 --> 00:36:01,451
we, as veterans, are kinda
doing ourself a disservice
567
00:36:01,743 --> 00:36:03,787
by not sharing our experiences.
568
00:36:06,831 --> 00:36:08,166
[narrator] For Clint Romesha,
569
00:36:08,249 --> 00:36:10,543
the limelight was about to spark
an epiphany.
570
00:36:10,877 --> 00:36:14,005
He and his brothers-in-arms
needed to share their experiences.
571
00:36:14,172 --> 00:36:16,841
The challenge,
one that so many soldiers face
572
00:36:17,384 --> 00:36:19,386
to overcome an innate stoicism
573
00:36:19,844 --> 00:36:22,305
would be met in a vivid and powerful way.
574
00:36:22,389 --> 00:36:25,058
[Larson] When Ro was starting to write
Red Platoon,
575
00:36:25,141 --> 00:36:27,519
I was... I was in favor of it.
576
00:36:27,602 --> 00:36:30,331
[Romesha] Then I went to the guys
and said, "All right, we'll do a book,
577
00:36:30,355 --> 00:36:32,107
but it's gonna come with your help,
578
00:36:32,190 --> 00:36:34,526
and it's not gonna be a book
about Clint Romesha did this,
579
00:36:34,609 --> 00:36:36,611
or Clint did that.
It's gonna be our story.
580
00:36:38,029 --> 00:36:39,739
[narrator] This new chapter in his life
581
00:36:39,823 --> 00:36:42,701
has provided something
surprising: catharsis.
582
00:36:43,284 --> 00:36:46,579
[Romesha] One of my biggest fears that day
was not what was gonna happen to me.
583
00:36:47,163 --> 00:36:48,915
That didn't scare me at all.
584
00:36:49,124 --> 00:36:51,918
Didn't care about gettin' shot,
didn't care about comin' home.
585
00:36:53,628 --> 00:36:54,628
What scared me...
586
00:36:57,048 --> 00:36:58,633
was leaving someone behind.
587
00:37:00,802 --> 00:37:02,512
[Larson] It is very important...
588
00:37:02,595 --> 00:37:05,557
that people hear these stories...
589
00:37:06,015 --> 00:37:08,560
and understand what soldiers went through.
590
00:37:08,643 --> 00:37:11,062
I think it really opens up the eyes
of the American people
591
00:37:11,146 --> 00:37:14,816
of what soldiers go through
on a day-to-day basis.
592
00:37:14,899 --> 00:37:16,901
[audience applauds]
593
00:37:17,819 --> 00:37:21,197
[Romesha] Every time we tell the story,
every time we talk about those guys,
594
00:37:23,116 --> 00:37:24,701
that's how I look at it now.
595
00:37:25,326 --> 00:37:27,412
Don't hide it away. Don't bottle it up.
596
00:37:29,539 --> 00:37:30,582
It weighs heavy,
597
00:37:30,999 --> 00:37:33,042
but to sit here and talk about it,
598
00:37:34,419 --> 00:37:36,546
to sit here and share it with others,
599
00:37:37,380 --> 00:37:39,716
I get to dump a little bit
of that weight on you.
600
00:37:39,799 --> 00:37:41,426
You get to help me carry it now.
601
00:37:42,010 --> 00:37:43,803
'Cause you know the sacrifice, you...
602
00:37:44,554 --> 00:37:46,014
You know their names, you...
603
00:37:48,266 --> 00:37:50,727
Maybe you have
a little more understanding of what
604
00:37:50,810 --> 00:37:53,229
"service to country" really means.
605
00:37:53,772 --> 00:37:56,649
[Larson] Romesha is continuing
the legacy of those we lost,
606
00:37:56,775 --> 00:37:58,401
just keeping them in memory.
607
00:38:00,153 --> 00:38:02,113
When we do get to reunite,
608
00:38:02,197 --> 00:38:04,282
the ones that came away from Keating,
609
00:38:05,116 --> 00:38:07,952
we usually have a lot of fun together.
610
00:38:08,620 --> 00:38:10,660
- [Larson] That'll work.
- [Romesha] That's working.
611
00:38:11,831 --> 00:38:13,666
- Oh!
- Oh, yeah!
612
00:38:13,750 --> 00:38:14,750
Woo!
613
00:38:15,251 --> 00:38:18,338
[Raz] We all keep in really close contact
with each other.
614
00:38:18,421 --> 00:38:20,340
We check on each other
all the time, we're...
615
00:38:20,423 --> 00:38:22,509
hanging out, you know,
two, three times a year.
616
00:38:23,176 --> 00:38:25,053
[Larson] Clint Romesha.
That's all I gotta say.
617
00:38:25,136 --> 00:38:28,431
[Romesha] Y'know, the guys I served with,
Larson and Raz and Bundermann, it's...
618
00:38:28,515 --> 00:38:31,893
you know, almost...
It's more family than friends.
619
00:38:31,976 --> 00:38:33,353
- There we go.
- You got this.
620
00:38:34,354 --> 00:38:36,815
[Romesha] You've shared it together,
you've lost it together,
621
00:38:36,898 --> 00:38:38,733
you've kept it together with each other.
622
00:38:38,817 --> 00:38:41,569
And when push comes to shove,
they're gonna be there for you,
623
00:38:41,820 --> 00:38:43,988
and when the dust settles, it's never...
624
00:38:44,072 --> 00:38:46,908
never seems to be
just one person that did everything.
625
00:38:46,991 --> 00:38:51,454
It's a whole group of guys
that supported you along the way.
626
00:38:51,663 --> 00:38:54,958
And it's kind of a package deal.
You get one, you get 'em all.
627
00:38:55,750 --> 00:38:57,293
[narrator] A potent reminder
628
00:38:57,377 --> 00:39:00,547
that although only one name is ascribed
to a Medal of Honor,
629
00:39:01,548 --> 00:39:03,842
it rarely belongs to just one person.
630
00:39:05,385 --> 00:39:08,805
In battle, a band of brothers
fights for one another.
631
00:39:09,722 --> 00:39:15,979
In doing so, it also fights for family,
for country, and for humanity itself.
632
00:39:21,359 --> 00:39:23,486
[ ♪♪♪ ]
633
00:40:26,841 --> 00:40:29,052
You know,
as I had time to look back at it,
634
00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:32,138
and kind of digest
and think about it more...
635
00:40:33,139 --> 00:40:34,891
Everything we did that day...
636
00:40:36,768 --> 00:40:39,062
you know, we didn't do it
'cause we hated the enemy.
637
00:40:39,145 --> 00:40:41,856
We didn't do it out of anger
'cause of what they were doing to us.
638
00:40:41,940 --> 00:40:44,400
There were times
you were pissed off, that you were,
639
00:40:44,484 --> 00:40:46,986
you know, getting attacked
and getting shot at
640
00:40:47,070 --> 00:40:49,113
and you have
your buddies dying around you.
641
00:40:49,197 --> 00:40:51,658
Of course, you get mad,
you get frustrated, but that wasn't
642
00:40:51,950 --> 00:40:56,287
the driving force. The driving force was
loving those guys so much...
643
00:40:57,413 --> 00:40:58,413
that...
644
00:40:59,499 --> 00:41:01,042
they were gonna come get you.
645
00:41:01,125 --> 00:41:03,586
And that's what we had to do for them.
It was that...
646
00:41:03,670 --> 00:41:06,631
I mean, people don't understand.
Combat is not
647
00:41:07,048 --> 00:41:10,218
a great thing to be in and it's not
a motivation to hate, by no means.
648
00:41:10,301 --> 00:41:13,554
It's a motivational love
for your brothers. Absolutely.
649
00:41:16,224 --> 00:41:17,308
When you live in a...
650
00:41:18,017 --> 00:41:21,020
a room that small with 20 people,
651
00:41:21,729 --> 00:41:24,399
it's not gonna be good.
Like Raz was my roommate,
652
00:41:24,565 --> 00:41:26,317
and he was... he's 6'5"
653
00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:28,987
and our room was 6'4 " by 6'4".
654
00:41:30,029 --> 00:41:32,448
And we did have an air-conditioner
in our room,
655
00:41:32,907 --> 00:41:34,701
uh, but every time...
656
00:41:35,493 --> 00:41:39,080
or a rocket would come in,
or we'd get gunfire,
657
00:41:39,288 --> 00:41:41,791
he'd wake up real fast
and smoke his head on the...
658
00:41:42,542 --> 00:41:46,170
uh, air-conditioner unit.
So, it was worth it.
659
00:41:48,464 --> 00:41:50,800
We had gun positions
that one person was at,
660
00:41:50,883 --> 00:41:52,343
and they were at it all day.
661
00:41:52,635 --> 00:41:54,804
Right? Think about that.
You're by yourself,
662
00:41:54,929 --> 00:41:58,683
you've got several hundred
enemy people trying to kill you,
663
00:41:59,058 --> 00:42:02,520
and you've got people running around
and you're covering one sector of fire.
664
00:42:02,603 --> 00:42:05,857
Right, his job, this soldier's job,
was to cover that one sector of fire.
665
00:42:05,940 --> 00:42:08,359
He's got bullets hitting his truck
behind him.
666
00:42:08,484 --> 00:42:11,195
He can't turn around and look at it,
can't do anything.
667
00:42:11,446 --> 00:42:14,449
His job is not to worry
if he's gonna get shot in the back,
668
00:42:14,699 --> 00:42:16,701
because he's focusing on his job.
669
00:42:17,035 --> 00:42:18,661
And he did that for a whole day.
670
00:42:20,997 --> 00:42:23,916
I come around the corner,
and the gunfire is pretty significant.
671
00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:26,169
The rockets are coming in, you know,
672
00:42:26,335 --> 00:42:29,630
a little bit more than usual.
It wasn't anything that threw me off.
673
00:42:29,714 --> 00:42:31,474
I thought we were just getting
hit extra-hard
674
00:42:31,549 --> 00:42:34,594
because that's just how it was
in the mornings or before you go to bed.
675
00:42:35,011 --> 00:42:37,096
Um, and I came around the corner,
676
00:42:37,180 --> 00:42:42,393
and when I got past the aid-station wall
that was the last barrier before openness,
677
00:42:42,477 --> 00:42:44,854
my first thought was, like,
678
00:42:45,146 --> 00:42:48,357
is it... I didn't think it was raining.
My first thought was, "Is it raining?"
679
00:42:48,441 --> 00:42:51,903
Because when I was running,
I just had my head down, I could just see,
680
00:42:52,153 --> 00:42:56,783
uh, dirt, like flipping up off the ground,
like dirt specks that looked like rain.
681
00:42:57,116 --> 00:42:59,577
I was like... And then it hit me,
as I ran around it.
682
00:42:59,660 --> 00:43:01,300
I was like,
"Oh, shit, those are bullets."
683
00:43:02,413 --> 00:43:05,666
This was about three o'clock
in the afternoon, I'm guessing.
684
00:43:05,750 --> 00:43:09,921
I didn't... stop and look at my watch
and write it down in my journal,
685
00:43:10,004 --> 00:43:12,006
but I'm guessing it was about three.
686
00:43:14,634 --> 00:43:17,220
And I was out of chew, and I was thirsty.
687
00:43:18,513 --> 00:43:21,140
Well, some of the barracks were on fire,
688
00:43:21,724 --> 00:43:24,310
and they said ours
was probably gonna catch on fire.
689
00:43:24,727 --> 00:43:28,147
Well, I had a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper
and a log of Copenhagen in there.
690
00:43:29,357 --> 00:43:31,567
I told Ro I was gonna be right back.
691
00:43:32,026 --> 00:43:34,654
So I ran to our barracks,
grabbed my Dr. Pepper,
692
00:43:34,737 --> 00:43:37,448
my Copenhagen, stopped in his room
and grabbed his cigarettes
693
00:43:37,532 --> 00:43:39,992
and went running back
to the shura building.
694
00:43:40,326 --> 00:43:43,454
And him and I sat down,
took our helmets off,
695
00:43:44,413 --> 00:43:46,833
had a sip of Dr. Pepper, and...
696
00:43:47,750 --> 00:43:50,628
we just kinda got to relax
for just a little bit.
697
00:43:53,381 --> 00:43:55,174
A couple days after it happened,
698
00:43:55,842 --> 00:43:58,261
maybe a week after it happened, um...
699
00:44:00,346 --> 00:44:04,225
Ro and I were sitting outside a building
at FOB Bostick, and...
700
00:44:05,810 --> 00:44:08,312
you know, he was talking to...
he talked to his dad.
701
00:44:08,646 --> 00:44:09,981
And, um...
702
00:44:12,024 --> 00:44:13,776
you know, they had talked, and...
703
00:44:14,193 --> 00:44:16,445
it was a relatively mundane conversation,
704
00:44:17,196 --> 00:44:19,240
until, uh...
705
00:44:24,328 --> 00:44:25,371
until he kinda...
706
00:44:26,038 --> 00:44:28,166
At the end of it, he said,
"You know, I'm..."
707
00:44:28,833 --> 00:44:31,669
He was happy that I was there with him.
708
00:44:32,253 --> 00:44:34,380
And he was proud of that.
709
00:44:34,922 --> 00:44:36,883
That meant a lot to me. Not just...
710
00:44:37,425 --> 00:44:40,428
Granted, at that point in time, there
were no awards. It wasn't about that.
711
00:44:40,553 --> 00:44:42,430
But, he was the soldier that said,
712
00:44:43,347 --> 00:44:47,185
"Lt. Bundermann, you did
what we were supposed to do."
713
00:44:47,935 --> 00:44:49,896
And that meant a lot and...
714
00:44:50,396 --> 00:44:52,982
I guess I don't really talk...
We don't talk about
715
00:44:53,274 --> 00:44:55,443
the actions and stuff like that.
716
00:44:55,526 --> 00:44:57,778
What we talk about is general BSing.
717
00:44:58,362 --> 00:45:02,825
Right? Whether it's Ro and I, or Raz,
or Larson or any of these guys, it's...
718
00:45:02,909 --> 00:45:05,328
it's not like, "Hey, you remember
this time you did that?"
719
00:45:05,411 --> 00:45:10,041
Or, you know, or maneuvering here
and there, it's much more about BSing
720
00:45:10,166 --> 00:45:13,961
and much more focusing
on the good things about life.
721
00:45:15,588 --> 00:45:18,090
A lot of people in these
modern-day conflicts
722
00:45:18,174 --> 00:45:21,344
in Iraq and Afghanistan,
is they don't have to sacrifice anything.
723
00:45:21,427 --> 00:45:23,780
You know, you look at World War II
and everything got rationed,
724
00:45:23,804 --> 00:45:26,557
everybody went to work for factories,
that, you know, make parts
725
00:45:26,641 --> 00:45:29,018
for airplanes and tanks and bombs and...
726
00:45:29,518 --> 00:45:33,105
Um, the American people haven't really had
to sacrifice anything for these wars.
727
00:45:33,189 --> 00:45:37,318
Um, so it's kind of a background event
and they read about in the news
728
00:45:37,401 --> 00:45:40,112
and they might know somebody
who's got a kid in the military,
729
00:45:40,196 --> 00:45:43,324
and they're like, "Oh yeah, you know,
so-and-so's son's over in Baghdad."
730
00:45:44,325 --> 00:45:46,327
You know, and in my eyes
and my perception,
731
00:45:46,410 --> 00:45:48,730
that's kind of as far as it goes
for a lot of people and...
732
00:45:48,955 --> 00:45:52,833
You know, it's not their fault,
you know, it's just kinda how it is.
733
00:45:53,417 --> 00:45:56,087
Um, and it plays into, like,
our responsibility,
734
00:45:56,170 --> 00:45:58,756
you know, it's our job to come back
and make sure that there's...
735
00:45:58,839 --> 00:46:01,801
Y'know, still to this day, there's people
in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting.
736
00:46:01,884 --> 00:46:05,179
They're fighting ISIS, they're fighting...
still fighting Taliban in Afghanistan.
737
00:46:05,429 --> 00:46:06,430
Um...
738
00:46:06,931 --> 00:46:10,268
the wars are still happening
and it's important that people know that
739
00:46:10,393 --> 00:46:12,144
there's still sacrifices being made
740
00:46:12,228 --> 00:46:15,022
by these young men and women
on the front lines, um...
741
00:46:15,648 --> 00:46:18,943
so that we can go about our lives
every day and not worry about, you know,
742
00:46:19,026 --> 00:46:21,362
somebody coming and hurting us
or attacking us.
743
00:46:21,445 --> 00:46:24,448
They're over there making sure
that stuff stays in check over there.
744
00:46:27,201 --> 00:46:31,914
The one thing I'd like my legacy to be
would be that everyone understands...
745
00:46:32,832 --> 00:46:34,792
there is greatness in all of us,
and it's that...
746
00:46:36,043 --> 00:46:39,463
It's that time in everyone's life that
that moment will come along. That...
747
00:46:39,922 --> 00:46:43,259
Don't ever think that you're
too small, too insignificant,
748
00:46:43,342 --> 00:46:45,469
that something's too hard,
too challenging.
749
00:46:45,928 --> 00:46:48,389
But those moments
will present themselves, that...
750
00:46:49,056 --> 00:46:51,267
you'll sit there
and have to make the choice.
751
00:46:51,350 --> 00:46:54,937
Do I sit here and let it pass me by,
and say nothing, do nothing,
752
00:46:55,438 --> 00:46:57,440
or do I stand up and do the right thing?
753
00:47:03,237 --> 00:47:06,991
To truly understand the extraordinary
actions for which Clint is being honored,
754
00:47:07,074 --> 00:47:10,911
uh, you need to understand
the almost unbelievable conditions
755
00:47:11,037 --> 00:47:12,747
under which he and B Troop served.
756
00:47:14,040 --> 00:47:16,625
This was a time in 2009
757
00:47:17,293 --> 00:47:22,048
when many of our troops
still served in small, rugged outposts,
758
00:47:22,340 --> 00:47:26,552
even as our commanders were shifting
their focus to larger towns and cities.
759
00:47:27,470 --> 00:47:31,932
So, Combat Outpost Keating
was a collection of buildings
760
00:47:32,433 --> 00:47:35,436
of concrete and plywood
with trenches and sand bags.
761
00:47:36,228 --> 00:47:40,816
Of all the outposts in Afghanistan,
Keating was among the most remote.
762
00:47:41,942 --> 00:47:45,488
It sat at the bottom of a steep valley
surrounded by mountains.
763
00:47:46,030 --> 00:47:49,784
Terrain that a later investigation said
"gave ideal cover
764
00:47:50,951 --> 00:47:52,787
for insurgents to attack."
765
00:47:54,038 --> 00:47:58,793
COP Keating, the investigation found,
was "tactically indefensible."
766
00:47:59,835 --> 00:48:04,298
But that's what these soldiers were asked
to do, defend the indefensible.
767
00:48:05,716 --> 00:48:09,178
The attack came in the morning,
just as the sun rose.
768
00:48:10,012 --> 00:48:14,517
Some of our guys were standing guard,
uh, most, like Clint, were still sleeping.
769
00:48:15,434 --> 00:48:17,686
The explosions shook them
out of their beds
770
00:48:17,770 --> 00:48:19,772
and sent them rushing for their weapons
771
00:48:20,064 --> 00:48:22,316
and soon the awful odds became clear.
772
00:48:23,401 --> 00:48:29,240
These 53 Americans were surrounded
by more than 300 Taliban fighters.
773
00:48:31,283 --> 00:48:34,870
What happened next has been described
as one of the most intense battles
774
00:48:35,037 --> 00:48:36,789
of the entire war in Afghanistan.
775
00:48:38,124 --> 00:48:41,794
The attackers had the advantage,
the high ground, the mountains above.
776
00:48:42,211 --> 00:48:44,422
And they were unleashing
everything they had,
777
00:48:45,256 --> 00:48:48,092
rocket-propelled grenades,
heavy machine guns,
778
00:48:48,592 --> 00:48:50,970
mortars, snipers taking aim.
779
00:48:51,929 --> 00:48:53,556
To those Americans down below,
780
00:48:53,639 --> 00:48:56,392
the fire was coming in
from every single direction.
781
00:48:56,851 --> 00:48:58,602
They'd never seen anything like it.
782
00:49:00,020 --> 00:49:02,481
With gunfire impacting all around him,
783
00:49:03,190 --> 00:49:06,193
Clint raced to one of the barracks
and grabbed a machine gun.
784
00:49:06,694 --> 00:49:10,948
He took aim at one of the enemy
machine teams and took it out.
785
00:49:11,991 --> 00:49:15,744
A rocket-propelled grenade exploded,
sending sharpnel that...
786
00:49:15,911 --> 00:49:19,665
shrapnel into his hip, his arm,
and his neck.
787
00:49:20,749 --> 00:49:21,876
But he kept fighting,
788
00:49:22,251 --> 00:49:26,338
disregarding his own wounds
and tending to an injured comrade instead.
789
00:49:28,174 --> 00:49:30,050
Then, over the radio,
790
00:49:30,968 --> 00:49:33,721
came words no soldier ever wants to hear:
791
00:49:34,847 --> 00:49:36,432
"Enemy in the wire."
792
00:49:37,558 --> 00:49:41,645
The Taliban had penetrated the camp.
They were taking over buildings.
793
00:49:42,188 --> 00:49:45,399
The combat was close,
at times as close as ten feet.
794
00:49:46,317 --> 00:49:48,777
When Clint took aim at three of them,
795
00:49:49,445 --> 00:49:50,988
they never took another step.
796
00:49:51,530 --> 00:49:53,365
But still the enemy advanced.
797
00:49:53,449 --> 00:49:55,242
So, the Americans pulled back
798
00:49:55,326 --> 00:49:58,704
to buildings that were easier to defend
to make one last stand.
799
00:49:59,997 --> 00:50:01,749
One of them later
800
00:50:01,832 --> 00:50:04,710
compared to the Alamo.
801
00:50:04,877 --> 00:50:06,962
One of them later compared it
to the Alamo.
802
00:50:08,130 --> 00:50:10,216
Keating, it seemed,
was gonna be overrun,
803
00:50:10,299 --> 00:50:13,844
and that's when Clint Romesha
decided to retake that camp.
804
00:50:15,137 --> 00:50:18,557
Clint gathered up his guys
and they began to fight their way back,
805
00:50:19,350 --> 00:50:23,062
storming one building, then another,
pushing the enemy back,
806
00:50:23,479 --> 00:50:25,231
having to actually shoot up
807
00:50:25,940 --> 00:50:27,775
at the enemy in the mountains above.
808
00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:30,569
By now, most of the camp was on fire.
809
00:50:31,070 --> 00:50:32,571
Amid the flames and smoke,
810
00:50:33,197 --> 00:50:35,199
Clint stood in a doorway,
811
00:50:35,282 --> 00:50:38,202
calling in airstrikes
that shook the earth all around them.
812
00:50:39,620 --> 00:50:43,040
Over the radio, they heard comrades
who were pinned down in a Humvee.
813
00:50:43,624 --> 00:50:47,586
So Clint and his team unloaded everything
they had into the enemy positions,
814
00:50:47,795 --> 00:50:50,923
and with that cover,
three wounded Americans made their escape,
815
00:50:51,423 --> 00:50:54,677
including a grievously injured
Stephan Mace.
816
00:50:56,345 --> 00:50:57,513
But more Americans,
817
00:50:58,347 --> 00:51:00,182
their bodies, were still out there,
818
00:51:00,933 --> 00:51:03,602
and Clint Romesha lives
the Soldier's Creed:
819
00:51:04,103 --> 00:51:06,021
"I will never leave a fallen comrade."
820
00:51:06,939 --> 00:51:11,318
So, he and his team started charging
as enemy fire poured down.
821
00:51:11,569 --> 00:51:14,029
And they kept charging,
50 meters, 80 meters,
822
00:51:14,280 --> 00:51:17,908
ultimately, a hundred-meter run
through a hail of bullets.
823
00:51:18,951 --> 00:51:21,203
They reached their fallen friends,
824
00:51:21,912 --> 00:51:23,289
and they brought them home.
825
00:51:26,542 --> 00:51:29,795
Throughout history, uh,
the question has often been asked,
826
00:51:29,962 --> 00:51:31,380
uh, "Why?
827
00:51:32,047 --> 00:51:34,758
Why do those in uniform
take such extraordinary risks?
828
00:51:35,301 --> 00:51:37,261
And what compels them to such courage?"
829
00:51:38,512 --> 00:51:41,807
You ask Clint and any of these soldiers
who are here today, and they'll tell you.
830
00:51:41,890 --> 00:51:46,353
Yes, they fight for their country
and they fight for our freedom.
831
00:51:47,438 --> 00:51:50,441
Yes, they fight to come home
to their families.
832
00:51:51,150 --> 00:51:53,277
But most of all,
they fight for each other,
833
00:51:53,527 --> 00:51:57,281
uh, to keep each other safe
and to have each other's backs.
834
00:51:58,365 --> 00:52:01,035
When I called Clint to tell him
that he would receive this medal,
835
00:52:01,118 --> 00:52:03,662
he said he was honored,
but he also said,
836
00:52:03,746 --> 00:52:06,081
"It wasn't just me out there,
it was a team effort."
837
00:52:06,165 --> 00:52:07,708
And so today,
838
00:52:08,208 --> 00:52:10,377
we also honor this American team,
839
00:52:11,420 --> 00:52:14,423
including those who made
the ultimate sacrifice.
840
00:52:15,549 --> 00:52:20,721
Private First Class Kevin Thompson,
who would have turned 26 years old today.
841
00:52:21,889 --> 00:52:23,682
Sergeant Michael Scusa,
842
00:52:24,725 --> 00:52:26,101
Sergeant Joshua Kirk,
843
00:52:27,227 --> 00:52:29,396
Sergeant Christopher Griffin,
844
00:52:30,606 --> 00:52:33,025
Staff Sergeant Justin Gallegos,
845
00:52:33,942 --> 00:52:35,694
Staff Sergeant Vernon Martin,
846
00:52:36,862 --> 00:52:38,197
Sergeant Joshua Hardt,
847
00:52:39,365 --> 00:52:41,325
and Specialist Stephan Mace.
848
00:52:43,035 --> 00:52:47,289
Each of these patriots gave their lives
looking out for each other.
849
00:52:48,332 --> 00:52:50,250
In a battle that raged all day,
850
00:52:50,542 --> 00:52:55,464
that brand of selflessness was displayed
again and again and again.
851
00:52:56,465 --> 00:53:00,636
Soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire
to pull a comrade to safety,
852
00:53:01,512 --> 00:53:03,097
tending to each other's wounds,
853
00:53:03,639 --> 00:53:07,142
performing buddy transfusions,
giving each other their own blood.
854
00:53:08,644 --> 00:53:11,814
And if you seek a measure of that day,
you need to look no further
855
00:53:11,897 --> 00:53:15,109
than the medals and ribbons
that grace their chests.
856
00:53:15,943 --> 00:53:20,698
For their sustained heroism,
37 Army Commendation Medals
857
00:53:21,615 --> 00:53:24,410
For their wounds, 27 Purple Hearts.
858
00:53:25,536 --> 00:53:28,372
For their valor, 18 Bronze Stars.
859
00:53:29,456 --> 00:53:32,626
For their gallantry, nine Silver Stars.
860
00:53:33,919 --> 00:53:37,548
These men were outnumbered, outgunned,
and almost overrun.
861
00:53:38,632 --> 00:53:41,927
Looking back, one of them said,
"I'm surprised any of us made it out."
862
00:53:43,137 --> 00:53:44,346
But they are here today.
863
00:53:45,222 --> 00:53:48,058
And I would ask these soldiers,
this band of brothers,
864
00:53:48,350 --> 00:53:51,562
to stand and accept
the gratitude of our entire nation.
865
00:53:52,062 --> 00:53:54,064
[audience applauds]
866
00:54:21,008 --> 00:54:23,051
There are many lessons from COP Keating.
867
00:54:24,386 --> 00:54:26,597
One of them is
that our troops should never,
868
00:54:28,056 --> 00:54:32,144
ever be put in a position where they
have to defend the indefensible.
869
00:54:33,479 --> 00:54:35,898
That's what these soldiers did
for each other
870
00:54:36,231 --> 00:54:38,275
in sacrifice driven by pure love.
871
00:54:39,318 --> 00:54:40,819
And because they did,
872
00:54:41,361 --> 00:54:43,071
eight grieving families
873
00:54:43,739 --> 00:54:46,700
were at least able to welcome
their soldiers home one last time.
874
00:54:47,826 --> 00:54:50,329
And more than 40 American soldiers
are alive today
875
00:54:50,788 --> 00:54:55,000
to carry on, to keep alive
the memory of their fallen brothers,
876
00:54:55,626 --> 00:54:56,626
to help...
877
00:54:57,377 --> 00:55:02,466
make sure that this country that we love
so much remains strong and free.
878
00:55:04,426 --> 00:55:06,553
What was it that turned the tide that day?
879
00:55:07,262 --> 00:55:10,349
How was it that so few Americans
prevailed against so many?
880
00:55:11,433 --> 00:55:14,853
As we prepare
for the reading of the citation,
881
00:55:15,145 --> 00:55:18,273
I'll leave you
with the words of Clint himself,
882
00:55:19,316 --> 00:55:23,695
because they say something about our army
and they say something about America.
883
00:55:24,530 --> 00:55:27,366
They say something about our spirit,
which will never be broken.
884
00:55:28,742 --> 00:55:31,245
"We weren't going to be beat that day,"
Clint said.
885
00:55:32,246 --> 00:55:35,332
"We're not gonna back down
in the face of adversity like that.
886
00:55:36,542 --> 00:55:39,419
We were just gonna win.
Plain and simple."
887
00:55:42,130 --> 00:55:44,132
God bless you, Clint Romesha,
888
00:55:45,133 --> 00:55:47,135
and all of your team.
889
00:55:48,220 --> 00:55:50,097
God bless all who serve,
890
00:55:50,180 --> 00:55:52,140
and God bless
the United States of America.
891
00:55:52,724 --> 00:55:54,101
With that, I'd like...
892
00:55:55,018 --> 00:55:56,395
the citation to be read.
893
00:56:11,451 --> 00:56:13,912
[male speaker] The President
of the United States of America,
894
00:56:14,621 --> 00:56:18,000
authorized by Act of Congress,
March 3rd, 1863,
895
00:56:18,792 --> 00:56:21,962
has awarded, in the name of Congress,
the Medal of Honor
896
00:56:22,754 --> 00:56:26,216
to Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha,
United States Army.
897
00:56:27,259 --> 00:56:29,428
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
898
00:56:29,511 --> 00:56:32,180
at the risk of his life,
above and beyond the call of duty.
899
00:56:33,098 --> 00:56:35,976
Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha
distinguished himself
900
00:56:36,059 --> 00:56:39,021
by acts of gallantry and intrepidity,
at the risk of his life
901
00:56:39,104 --> 00:56:42,441
above and beyond the call of duty
while serving as a section leader
902
00:56:42,524 --> 00:56:46,320
with Bravo Troop, Third Squadron,
61st Cavalry Regiment,
903
00:56:46,945 --> 00:56:50,073
4th Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division,
904
00:56:50,282 --> 00:56:52,659
during combat operations
against an armed enemy
905
00:56:52,743 --> 00:56:54,411
at Combat Outpost Keating,
906
00:56:54,786 --> 00:56:58,206
Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province,
Afghanistan
907
00:56:58,332 --> 00:57:00,375
on October 3rd, 2009.
908
00:57:01,126 --> 00:57:04,129
On that morning, Staff Sergeant Romesha
and his comrades awakened
909
00:57:04,212 --> 00:57:06,632
to an attack by an estimated
300 enemy fighters
910
00:57:06,715 --> 00:57:09,676
occupying the high ground
on all four sides of the complex,
911
00:57:09,760 --> 00:57:12,471
employing concentrated fire
from recoilless rifles,
912
00:57:12,554 --> 00:57:15,390
rocket-propelled grenades,
anti-aircraft machine guns,
913
00:57:15,474 --> 00:57:17,184
mortars, and small arms fire.
914
00:57:17,726 --> 00:57:21,188
Staff Sergeant Romesha moved, uncovered,
under intense enemy fire
915
00:57:21,313 --> 00:57:23,523
to conduct a reconnaissance
of the battlefield
916
00:57:23,607 --> 00:57:25,484
and seek reinforcements from the barracks
917
00:57:25,567 --> 00:57:28,695
before returning to action
with the support of an assistant gunner.
918
00:57:29,279 --> 00:57:31,907
Staff Sergeant Romesha took out
an enemy machine-gun team
919
00:57:31,990 --> 00:57:35,535
and, while engaging a second,
the generator he was using for cover
920
00:57:35,619 --> 00:57:39,873
was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade,
inflicting him with shrapnel wounds.
921
00:57:40,374 --> 00:57:43,752
Undeterred by his injuries,
Staff Sergeant Romesha continued to fight
922
00:57:43,835 --> 00:57:47,714
and upon the arrival of another soldier
to aid him and the assistant gunner,
923
00:57:47,839 --> 00:57:51,551
he again rushed through the exposed avenue
to assemble additional soldiers.
924
00:57:52,135 --> 00:57:54,721
Staff Sergeant Romesha
then mobilized a five-man team
925
00:57:54,805 --> 00:57:57,391
and returned to the fight
equipped with a sniper rifle.
926
00:57:57,849 --> 00:57:59,977
With complete disregard
for his own safety,
927
00:58:00,185 --> 00:58:03,981
Staff Sergeant Romesha continually
exposed himself to heavy enemy fire
928
00:58:04,398 --> 00:58:06,650
as he moved confidently
about the battlefield,
929
00:58:06,733 --> 00:58:09,403
engaging and destroying
multiple enemy targets,
930
00:58:09,695 --> 00:58:13,699
including three Taliban fighters who had
breached the combat outpost's perimeter.
931
00:58:14,241 --> 00:58:15,909
While orchestrating a successful plan
932
00:58:15,993 --> 00:58:18,578
to secure and reinforce key points
of the battlefield,
933
00:58:18,662 --> 00:58:21,289
Staff Sergeant Romesha
maintained radio communication
934
00:58:21,373 --> 00:58:23,250
with the Tactical Operations Center.
935
00:58:23,500 --> 00:58:26,294
As the enemy forces attacked
with even greater ferocity,
936
00:58:26,420 --> 00:58:28,630
unleashing a barrage
of rocket-propelled grenades
937
00:58:28,714 --> 00:58:30,173
and recoilless rifle rounds,
938
00:58:30,424 --> 00:58:33,093
Staff Sergeant Romesha
identified the point of attack
939
00:58:33,218 --> 00:58:36,722
and directed air support to destroy
over 30 enemy fighters.
940
00:58:37,639 --> 00:58:40,183
After receiving reports
that seriously injured soldiers
941
00:58:40,434 --> 00:58:42,019
were at a distant battle position,
942
00:58:42,144 --> 00:58:45,022
Staff Sergeant Romesha and his team
provided covering fire
943
00:58:45,105 --> 00:58:48,316
to allow the injured soldiers
to safely reach the aid station.
944
00:58:49,026 --> 00:58:51,486
Upon receipt of orders to proceed
to the next objective,
945
00:58:51,570 --> 00:58:53,864
his team pushed forward 100 meters
946
00:58:54,156 --> 00:58:57,909
under overwhelming enemy fire
to recover and prevent the enemy fighters
947
00:58:57,993 --> 00:59:00,620
from taking the bodies
of their fallen comrades.
948
00:59:01,413 --> 00:59:04,291
Staff Sergeant Romesha's heroic actions
throughout the day-long battle
949
00:59:04,374 --> 00:59:07,586
were critical in suppressing an enemy
that had far greater numbers.
950
00:59:08,045 --> 00:59:11,923
His extraordinary efforts gave Bravo Troop
the opportunity to regroup,
951
00:59:12,007 --> 00:59:14,634
reorganize,
and prepare for the counterattack
952
00:59:14,843 --> 00:59:17,220
that allowed the troop
to account for its personnel
953
00:59:17,304 --> 00:59:19,181
and secure Combat Outpost Keating.
954
00:59:20,015 --> 00:59:23,226
Staff Sergeant Romesha's discipline
and extraordinary heroism
955
00:59:23,477 --> 00:59:25,353
above and beyond the call of duty
956
00:59:25,645 --> 00:59:27,522
reflect great credit upon himself,
957
00:59:27,856 --> 00:59:31,526
Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron,
61st Cavalry Regiment,
958
00:59:31,985 --> 00:59:35,030
4th Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division,
959
00:59:35,322 --> 00:59:36,782
and the United States Army.
960
00:59:40,702 --> 00:59:42,913
[infants chattering and crying
in the audience]
961
00:59:56,593 --> 00:59:57,886
[inaudible dialogue]
962
00:59:59,012 --> 01:00:01,014
[audience applauds]
83695
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