Brendan O'Connor (U.S. Army)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MSG Brendan W. O’Connor

MSG O'Connor awarded DSC
Allegiance Flag of the United States United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Master Sergeant
Battles/wars Operation Enduring Freedom
Awards Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star

Master Sergeant Brendan W. O’Connor (born c. 1960) is a Special Forces medical sergeant in the United States Army. On April 30, 2008 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic action in Afghanistan.[1] The DSC is the nation's second highest award for valor (after the Medal of Honor) and this was only the second time since the Vietnam War that the medal was awarded.

[edit] Early life

O’Connor was born at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, the fifth of six children, to LTC Mortimer O'Connor and Elizabeth O'Connor. After his father died in combat in Vietnam, the family settled in Moorestown Township, New Jersey. O’Connor enlisted in the United States Army Reserves (USAR) and enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at Valley Forge Military Junior College at Wayne, Pennsylvania in 1978. He was commissioned in 1980 and served as the Executive Officer of a Special Forces Team, later as a Rifle Platoon Leader and Rifle Company Commander, and then as a Team commander.[2]

In 1994 he resigned his commission in the Reserves and enlisted in the Active Army to become a Special Forces medical sergeant.[1] In 2005 he deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom as a medical sergeant and a team's Operations Sergeant.[2]

[edit] Heroic action

On June 22, 2006 O'Connor and his team were ambushed by over 250 Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan. During the ensuing 17½ hours of intense combat, two soldiers were seriously wounded. A third soldier radioed for permission to kill the two wounded soldiers and himself to prevent the Taliban from capturing, then torturing, mutilating, and executing them.[3]

O'Connor started to crawl out to assist the two wounded soldiers but couldn't get low enough to avoid detection. He then removed his body armor and slowly crawled toward the two soldiers, taking a full 90 minutes to crawl 200 yards, while machine gun bullets passed close enough to cut down the grass around him. Eventually reaching the wounded, O'Connor gave them first aid, then moved them to a more secure position.[4]

Covered by a United States Air Force plane, the team was able to withdraw. They suffered two dead and one seriously wounded but had killed over 120 Taliban fighters.[5]

In a ceremony at Fort Bragg O'Connor was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while two other soldiers were awarded Silver Stars (one posthumously).[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Henry Cunningham (May 1, 2008). Medic gets Distinguished Service Cross. The Fayetteville Observer.
  2. ^ a b BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. U. S. Army (April 20, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
  3. ^ MSG Brendan O'Connor - Someone You Should Know. Military.com (May 2, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
  4. ^ Kevin Maurer (May 3, 2008). Green Beret gets DSC for crawl to save soldiers. The Associated Press. Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
  5. ^ Green Berets Recount Deadly Taliban Ambush. CBS News 60 Minutes (April 20, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-03.
  6. ^ Special Forces Soldier is awarded the second highest medal for combat. U. S. Army (May 1, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-03.