Medal of Honor: Clinton L. Romesha, Afghanistan War, October 3, 2009

Name: Clinton L. Romesha
Rank: Staff Sergeant
War: Afghanistan War
Date of Action: October 3, 2009
Unit: B Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
Born: August 17, 1981, Lake City, California
Entered Service At: California

Summary of Action
At dawn on October 3, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating came under ferocious assault from 300 Taliban fighters who held the surrounding high ground. Amidst mortars, recoilless rifles, and relentless small-arms fire, Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha ran exposed across the battlefield to rally men, secure reinforcements, and destroy enemy positions. Wounded by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade, he refused evacuation and pressed forward, assembling a small team to retake ground. He eliminated multiple enemy positions, including three insurgents who had breached the wire, and directed airstrikes that wiped out more than thirty attackers. Coordinating defense while fighting on the front line, Romesha covered the movement of wounded soldiers, then led his men 100 meters under fire to recover the bodies of fallen comrades before they could be taken by the enemy. His courage, leadership, and sheer determination inspired his troop to hold out against overwhelming force and secure the outpost.

Medal of Honor Citation
ROMESHA, CLINTON L.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, B Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date: Outpost Keating, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, 3 October 2009. Born: 17 August 1981, Lake City, California. Entered service at: California. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Section Leader with Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Outpost Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on 3 October 2009. On that morning, Staff Sergeant Romesha and his comrades awakened to an attack by an estimated 300 enemy fighters occupying the high ground on all four sides of the complex, employing concentrated fire from recoilless rifles, rocket propelled grenades, anti-aircraft machine guns, mortars and small arms fire. Staff Sergeant Romesha moved uncovered under intense enemy fire to conduct a reconnaissance of the battlefield and seek reinforcements from the barracks before returning to action with the support of an assistant gunner. Staff Sergeant Romesha took out an enemy machine gun team and, while engaging a second, the generator he was using for cover was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, inflicting him with shrapnel wounds. Undeterred by his injuries, Staff Sergeant Romesha continued to fight and upon the arrival of another soldier to aid him and the assistant gunner, he again rushed through the exposed avenue to assemble additional soldiers. Staff Sergeant Romesha then mobilized a five-man team and returned to the fight equipped with a sniper rifle. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Romesha continually exposed himself to heavy enemy fire, as he moved confidently about the battlefield engaging and destroying multiple enemy targets, including three Taliban fighters who had breached the combat outpost’s perimeter. While orchestrating a successful plan to secure and reinforce key points of the battlefield, Staff Sergeant Romesha maintained radio communication with the tactical operations center. As the enemy forces attacked with even greater ferocity, unleashing a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades and recoilless rifle rounds, Staff Sergeant Romesha identified the point of attack and directed air support to destroy over 30 enemy fighters. After receiving reports that seriously injured soldiers were at a distant battle position, Staff Sergeant Romesha and his team provided covering fire to allow the injured soldiers to safely reach the aid station. Upon receipt of orders to proceed to the next objective, his team pushed forward 100 meters under overwhelming enemy fire to recover and prevent the enemy fighters from taking the bodies of the fallen comrades. Staff Sergeant Romesha’s heroic actions throughout the day-long battle were critical in suppressing an enemy that had far greater numbers. His extraordinary efforts gave Bravo Troop the opportunity to regroup, reorganize and prepare for the counterattack that allowed the Troop to account for its personnel and secure Combat Post Keating. Staff Sergeant Romesha’s discipline and extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty reflect great credit upon himself, Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the United States Army.