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[56], On 6 October, the body of LaDavid Johnson was found by children tending cattle. More than halfway back to base, the team received time sensitive intelligence that placed the commander northwest of Tiloa at the Mali border. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, and Staff Sgt. Army Commendation Medal The country is also host to a small U.S. drone base that operates surveillance and intelligence drones. Approximately 85 meters (93yd) southwest of the SUV, Jeremiah Johnson was hit by enemy fire and collapsed; Wright stopped running and returned to Jeremiah Johnson's position. 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When you go through training at Fort Benning as an infantryman you think you'll never be left alone we always say, "leave no man behind," and that video is American troops left behind, left to die. Army Service Ribbon ", "There were a series of contributing factors to what occurred in Tongo Tongo," he said in reference to the command failures, "but not one of those contributing factors are the direct cause of the enemy attack in Tongo Tongo.The direct cause of the enemy attack in Tongo Tongo is that the enemy achieved tactical surprise there and our forces were outnumbered approximately three to one.". . The investigators learned that Wright jumped back into the vehicle and slowly began driving south while Staff Sgts. After passing the colored smoke, Black ran and took cover behind a nearby tree while Jeremiah Johnson fired over the hood of the vehicle towards the tree line. It's outrageous, and it's the epitome of how little, at times, our political leadership cares about the troops. The deaths of four U.S. soldiers, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. La David Johnson and Staff Sgt. But the militarys accusation that the team went off-script on the mission still bothers her. Username. At 11:40 a.m., as the patrol was about the length of a football field outside Tongo Tongo, they began taking small-arms fire from a treeline to their east. [128] The US Department of Defense released military records on 26 October that showed that the killed US soldiers had little to no experience in combat. [138], On 4 October 2019, the United States offered a $5 million bounty on Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi under the Rewards for Justice program. Dustin Wright died Wednesday. [126], On 19 October, NBC News reported that AFRICOM sent a team to Niger to conduct a "review of the facts". The first call for air support came 53 minutes after they started taking fire. [62] Black graduated from Puyallup High School in 2000. The investigation also found that "two junior officers had 'mischaracterized' the mission" in planning documents. Black, Wright and Jeremiah Johnson "were never captured alive by the enemy," the summary said. [69] When Johnson was a Walmart employee in Miami, people in his community knew him as a local stunt rider and was called the "Wheelie King". [84] On 30 November, the government of Niger gave the US permission to fly armed drones out of Niamey. On the anniversary of the Oct. 4, 2017, ambush that killed four American soldiers near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, . All deaths were considered either instantly fatal or rapidly fatal. He served as a Special Forces engineer sergeant, or an 18C. A much shorter, edited version was disseminated by the Islamic State group a year after the ambush outside the village of Tongo Tongo, near the Niger-Mali border. Members of team Quallem killed several enemies during this movement out of the ambush site. La David Johnson received the Silver Star after firing his weapon until it ran out of ammunition, switching to another gun and making a last stand alone under a tree against an enemy truck and its heavy machine gun. Jeremiah Johnson, and Staff Sgt. Johnson was married to Crystal and had two daughters, Addie and Elisa. From the truck bed of his vehicle, Sgt. They threw smoke grenades to cover the move, but two Nigerien vehicles and one U.S. vehicle from which Staff Sgts. About two hours after the initial attack, they were preparing to make a "last stand" when French Mirage fighters arrived overhead and made several "tree-top level" passes. Staff Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah . [76], Goub Mahamadou Issaka was a NCO-cadet of the Gendarmerie.[77]. Dustin Wright were killed as they returned from a low-risk patrol in Tongo Tongo with 30 Nigerian and up . Meritorious Service Medal [109], On 18 October, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, who was also present during the conference call, confirmed Wilson's account saying "Yes, [Wilson's] statement is true", and "I was in the car and I heard the full conversation". [99] After a meeting with Mattis, Graham told reporters that the rules of engagement would be changing and warned that the US should anticipate more military operations in Africa as the war on terrorism continues to morph. Two . Johnson, 39, served as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist, also known as a 74D. The first call for additional support was relayed by the US forces nearly an hour after they first came under fire. Here are the other U.S. soldiers killed in Niger", "City to host memorial service for Green Beret killed in Niger", "DoD releases names of 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers killed in Niger", "Fayetteville funeral held for Green Beret killed in Niger", "Pentagon identifies fourth soldier killed in Niger attack", "More than 1,000 mourn Sgt. Afghanistan: July 2015 - September 2015, Awards: The former was aboard Air Force One, having left Las Vegas after visiting victims and first responders affected by a recent mass shooting. The parents of U.S. Army Sgt. Silver Star medal Niger ambush Tongo Tongo ambush Army medals to Niger ambush soldiers killed in Niger U.S. Africa Command October 2017 Niger Sgt. Simultaneously, Black was slightly ahead of the SUV and was hit by small arms fire, killing him instantly. [134], Six medals were awarded to Nigerien soldiers. [103], On 9 May 2019, US Representative Ruben Gallego urged senators to oppose Patrick M. Shanahan's nomination as Secretary of Defense, alleging that he "mishandled" the investigation into the Tongo Tongo ambush. Bryan . "The enemy did not capture Sgt. There was originally a rotary wing element which was supposed to join them during their visit to Tongo Tongo, however the rotary wing element had to stand down due to bad weather. Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black and Sgt. They were on a dirt track headed south about 120 miles to Camp Ouallam at the end of a joint patrol that began on Oct. 3. America's shadow wars in Africa, explained", "US military completes initial Niger ambush investigation", "Mali conflict: US deploys 100 troops to neighbour Niger", "U.S. to base surveillance drones in Niger, ambassador says", "Niger: The death of US soldiers reveals their presence in the Sahel", "Is Niger Trump's Benghazi? [101] After the briefing, Senator Ted Cruz said that "on the initial assessment there were not significant steps that could have been taken to prevent this assault". Soon after leaving Tongo Tongo, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger's capital, they were ambushed by Islamic State-linked militants carrying small arms and machine guns. [100], On 26 October, Robert Karem, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, and Air Force Major General Albert Elton briefed the Senate Armed Services Committee in a closed session. Bryan Black, 35, and an Army support enabler, Staff Sgt. [17][26][28] The expectations were that construction of the base would be completed in 2018, which would allow the US to conduct surveillance operations with the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper to monitor ISIL insurgents flowing south and other extremists flowing north from the Sahel region. Simultaneously, Black was slightly ahead of the SUV and was hit by small arms fire, killing him instantly. WASHINGTON The Pentagon on Friday released the names of the three soldiers killed this week in Niger while conducting a joint patrol with Nigerien forces. A helicopter support team pulled out due to weather conditions, leaving the team exposed in Tongo Tongo, near the border with Mali. The team radioed in that they were being overrun, then destroyed their radios to avoid them getting in the hands of the enemy. If we have drones and satellite eyes in space, how do we let American troops get abandoned? Yacouba Issoufou was a soldat de 2nde classe (private) of the BSR. While there, the Team OUALLAM commander conducted an . [64][74] His funeral was held at Toombs County High School on 15 October 2017. Dates of Service: July 2007 - October 2017. [67], His funeral was held at a church in Cooper City, Florida, on 21 October 2017. [72] with about 1,200 people in attendance, including Representative Wilson. Gen. Raymond Thomas III, who helmed SOCOM at the time, then downgraded the award again to a Silver Star in December 2018, the records showed. When he ran out of ammunition for the M240, he fought on with an M2010 sniper rifle, the summary and video said. Staff Sgt. The new footage provided a more comprehensive understanding of Johnsons actions during the ambush, and directly led to the decision for the upgraded award, Army spokesman Matt Leonard confirmed. La David Johnson sprayed the treeline with fire from an M240 machine gun. [87] On the day of the ambush, Trump was briefed by telephone by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. [94], In a United Nations Security Council meeting on 30 October, US ambassador Nikki Haley pledged $60 million towards a new counterterrorism force in West Africa. The Tongo Tongo ambush was a 4 October 2017 attack on Nigerien and American soldiers in Tongo Tongo, Niger, by armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). Purple Heart Air Assault Badge The 2017 ambush pitted the outmanned and outgunned 11 U.S. troops and their 30 Nigerien partners against scores of enemy fighters armed with mortars, truck-mounted heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The team leader and the four Nigerien soldiers continued their flanking movement until they were stopped by a body of water, at which point they identified and engaged the enemy across the water, killing approximately four combatants. At this point two additional team members would head back toward the initial ambush site to help locate the missing teammates. Niger: August 2017 October 2017 He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class and received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor. [20], The ambush remains the largest loss of American lives in combat in Africa since the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. The French jets did not drop any bombs for fear of hitting friendly forces, but the low passes were effective in scattering the enemy. Djibouti: April 2016 September 2016 Army Commendation Medal (two awards) The plan the team submitted did not accurately describe the mission's intention, describing it as civil/military reconnaissance instead of the actual purpose which was to locate and capture or if necessary kill the ISGS sub-commander. Stumps Up $60 Million for Africa Counterterrorism Force", "McCain: Niger attack information 'may require a subpoena', "Mattis, McCain meet a day after subpoena threat", "The Latest: Graham Says Senators to Be Briefed on Niger", "US Defense Officials Brief Lawmakers on Niger Attack", "Senators diverge on Niger ambush after classified briefing", "John McCain blames Niger killings on budget cuts: 'We should be embarrassed', "Rep. Gallego: Shanahan's involvement in a 'cover-up' of the Niger attack is disqualifying", "Mattis says Niger ambush was 'considered unlikely,' pledges probe", "Everything we know about the Niger attack that left 4 U.S. soldiers dead", "U.S. Gen. 1st Class Jeremiah W. Johnson have both received the Bronze Star with "V" device. [98] On the same day, Senator Lindsey Graham said that the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee will be briefed next week. Niger - 4 October 2017- Bryan Black- Jeremiah Johnson- La David Johnson Sgt. He previously deployed to Jordan in 2012. [29] According to the United States Department of Defense, ISIL leaders in Syria had acknowledged Sahrawi's allegiance through their Amaq News Agency but ISGS "has not been formally recognized as an official branch of ISIL". Wright immediately backed up the SUV to bring him into cover. [27] US Army Special Forces personnel (commonly referred to as Green Berets) have deployed on numerous occasions to train personnel of the Niger Armed Forces (FAN) to assist in the fight against terrorists from neighboring countries. [63] US Representative Dennis Heck and Washington State Senator Hans Zeiger spoke at his memorial service. The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, when armed militants from the Islamic State in the . The clash . Joint Service Achievement Medal "What it shows, Meek said, is Jeremiah . and Operation New Dawn. Jeremiah Johnson. [60][63][64] He spoke English, French, Arabic, and Hausa, the last of which is spoken in Niger. . First Class Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. . Army Commendation Medal w/ C Device He enlisted in the Army October 2007. [17], In 2015, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara was established by Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, who was a spokesperson and senior leader of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), a splinter group of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. They would establish a perimeter and began treating the wounded. [41] The meeting lasted 30 minutes longer than the team leader expected. According to the summary, the video, and statements by Waldhauser and Cloutier at the Pentagon briefing Thursday, the members of Team Ouallam were not wearing body armor when they left Tongo Tongo. Staff Sgt. Name. Wright and Jeremiah Johnson went to Black's side, firing back at the enemy, but began to pull back as the enemy closed in. Star Medal Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, leaving the team leader expected troops abandoned. County High School in 2000 M2010 sniper rifle, the team leader expected armed out! 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