Rank and organization: Master Sergeant, U.S. Army.
Place and date: 3 October 1993,
Mogadishu, Somalia.
Entered service at: ----- Born:
Lincoln, Maine.
Citation: Master Sergeant Gordon,
United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call
of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as Sniper Team Leader, United States
Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Master Sergeant Gordon's sniper team provided precision fires from the lead
helicopter during an assault and at two helicopter crash sites, while
subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires.
When Master Sergeant Gordon
learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the second
crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to
protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the
growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site.
After his third request to be inserted,
Master Sergeant Gordon received permission to perform his volunteer mission.
When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first
attempt, Master Sergeant Gordon was inserted one hundred meters south of the
crash site. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Master Sergeant
Gordon and his fellow sniper, while under intense small arms fire from the
enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach
the critically injured crew members.
Master Sergeant Gordon immediately pulled
the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a
perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable
position. Master Sergeant Gordon used his long range rifle and side arm to
kill an undetermined number of attackers until he depleted his ammunition.
Master Sergeant Gordon then went back to
the wreckage, recovering some of the crew's weapons and ammunition. Despite
the fact that he was critically low on ammunition, he provided some of it to
the dazed pilot and then radioed for help. Master Sergeant Gordon continued to
travel the perimeter, protecting the downed crew.
After his team member was fatally wounded
and his own rifle ammunition exhausted, Master Sergeant Gordon returned to the
wreckage, recovering a rifle with the last five rounds of ammunition and gave
it to the pilot with the words, "good luck." Then, armed only with his pistol,
Master Sergeant Gordon continued to fight until he was fatally wounded.
His actions saved the pilot's life. Master
Sergeant Gordon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping
with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon
him, his unit and the United States Army.
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army. Place and date: 3
October 1993, Mogadishu, Somalia. Entered service at: ----- Born: Newville,
Pennsylvania. Citation: Sergeant First Class Shughart, United States Army,
distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3
October 1993, while serving as a Sniper Team Member, United States Army
Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Sergeant First Class
Shughart provided precision sniper fires from the lead helicopter during an
assault on a building and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to
intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. While providing
critical suppressive fires at the second crash site, Sergeant First Class
Shughart and his team leader learned that ground forces were not immediately
available to secure the site.
Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team
leader unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four
critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number
of enemy personnel closing in on the site. After their third request to be
inserted, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader received
permission to perform this volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground
fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Sergeant First Class
Shughart and his team leader were inserted one hundred meters south of the
crash site.
Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a
pistol, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader, while under intense
small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of
shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Sergeant
First Class Shughart pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the
aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in
the most vulnerable position. Sergeant First Class Shughart used his long
range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers while
traveling the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. Sergeant First Class
Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and
was fatally wounded. His actions saved the pilot's life.
Sergeant First Class Shughart's
extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest
standards of military service and reflect great nd the United States Army.
