Medal of Honor: Nicholas Dockery – War on Terrorism – October 2, 2012

Name: Nicholas Dockery

Also Known As: Kareem Nicholas Dockery

Rank at Time of Action: Second Lieutenant

Highest Rank: Major

Branch: United States Army

War: War on Terrorism

Unit: 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Light), 4th Infantry Division

Date of Action: October 2, 2012

Location: Kapisa Province, Afghanistan

Summary of Action

The mountains and valleys of Afghanistan presented some of the most challenging terrain American soldiers have faced in modern warfare. Enemy forces frequently utilized the landscape to launch coordinated ambushes before disappearing into villages and compounds that became deadly close-quarter battlefields.

On October 2, 2012, Second Lieutenant Nicholas Dockery's platoon, operating alongside Afghan partner forces, came under attack by an estimated 150 Taliban fighters.

The enemy had chosen their ground well and possessed overwhelming numerical superiority.

Rather than being overwhelmed by the sudden attack, Lieutenant Dockery immediately began organizing a counterassault.

Ordered to eliminate the enemy threat, he personally planned and led the attack.

Moving under enemy fire, Lieutenant Dockery traversed approximately one hundred yards of open terrain to reach American soldiers who were engaged and required assistance. Upon learning that one of his soldiers had been wounded, he immediately pushed forward toward the source of the enemy fire.

The wounded Americans had taken refuge inside a multi-level building that was also occupied by Taliban fighters.

The situation was extremely dangerous. Enemy fighters occupied the same structure as friendly forces, making close-quarter combat unavoidable.

Without hesitation, Lieutenant Dockery organized and led an assault team into the building.

Moving room by room, he led the clearance of six separate rooms within the compound, personally killing one enemy fighter and capturing two others. The close-range engagement eliminated an immediate threat to the wounded Americans inside.

Then came another deadly moment.

During the fighting, an enemy grenade landed near one of his soldiers. Lieutenant Dockery instantly shoved his teammate behind cover, absorbing the danger himself and preventing the soldier from being killed or wounded in the ensuing explosion.

The battle, however, was far from over.

Seeking to maintain momentum, Lieutenant Dockery led a four-man team into the compound's courtyard. Before they could fully secure the area, the enemy fired a rocket-propelled grenade into their position. The explosion incapacitated two American soldiers and wounded Lieutenant Dockery himself.

Dazed and wounded, he once again chose to move toward danger rather than away from it.

Ignoring his own injuries, Lieutenant Dockery rushed to aid the wounded soldiers who remained fully exposed to enemy fire. After helping one soldier to his feet, he spotted two enemy fighters attempting to advance upon another wounded American.

Lieutenant Dockery immediately engaged and killed both enemy fighters before they could reach his wounded comrade.

He then administered first aid while physically shielding the injured soldier with his own body.

In the chaos of the battle, another critical problem developed. Air support assets overhead could not distinguish between friendly and enemy positions on the ground. Without positive identification, close air support could not be effectively employed.

Recognizing the danger to the entire force, Lieutenant Dockery climbed onto the roof of the building and repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to clearly mark his position for supporting aircraft and friendly forces.

From this exposed location, he continued providing covering fire while wounded soldiers were evacuated from the battlefield.

Only after every wounded soldier had been safely removed did Lieutenant Dockery finally leave the battlefield himself.

It is often said that officers eat last. On October 2, 2012, Second Lieutenant Nicholas Dockery lived that principle in its purest form. He was the first to move toward danger and the last to leave it.

Medal of Honor Citation

NICHOLAS DOCKERY

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, United States Army.

Unit: 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Light), 4th Infantry Division.

Place and date: Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, October 2, 2012.

Citation:

Second Lieutenant Nicholas Dockery distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on October 2, 2012, while serving as a Platoon Leader, 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan.

On this day, Second Lieutenant Nicholas Dockery's platoon and associated Afghan forces were ambushed by an estimated 150 Taliban fighters. Ordered to eliminate the threat, Lieutenant Dockery planned and led an assault on the enemy forces.

Lieutenant Dockery traversed 100 yards of open terrain under enemy fire to reach U.S. forces in need of assistance.

Hearing a U.S. soldier had been wounded, Lieutenant Dockery fought his way to soldiers who were taking cover in a building that was occupied by enemy fighters. Realizing the immediate danger, he organized and led the forces in clearing six rooms of the multi-level compound, killing one enemy fighter and detaining two others.

When an enemy grenade landed nearby, he shoved a team member behind cover preventing him from being killed or wounded by the resulting blast.

Attempting to regain momentum after the blast, Lieutenant Dockery led a four-man team to clear the compound's courtyard before the enemy used a rocket-propelled grenade, resulting in an explosion that incapacitated two soldiers.

Although dazed and wounded himself, Lieutenant Dockery went to the aid of the wounded soldiers who were fully exposed to enemy fire. After helping one soldier to his feet, he engaged and killed two enemy fighters who were attempting to approach the other injured soldier.

Lieutenant Dockery provided first aid and used his own body to shield the soldier from further injury, saving his life.

Air support assets could not differentiate between friendly and enemy positions, so Lieutenant Dockery marked his position on the building's roof, exposing himself to enemy fire on multiple occasions while providing covering fire to friendly forces evacuating the wounded.

He was the last individual to leave the battlefield.

Second Lieutenant Dockery's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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