Marine Sgt. Sky Mote; a green-on-blue Navy Cross

The Sacramento Bee reports on the posthumous award of a Navy Cross to Marine Sergeant Sky Mote for his actions in Afghanistan on August 10, 2012 when a rogue Afghan policeman opened fire on Mote’s fellow Marines;

Mote and his colleagues were conducting village stability operations in Helmand province when they came under automatic small-arms fire from a rogue Afghan uniformed policeman who attacked from inside the center’s perimeter, according to the citation issued by the secretary of the Navy. Working in an adjoining room, Mote had not been seen by the attacker and could have left the building and escaped to safety.

“He instead grabbed his M4 rifle and entered the operations room, courageously exposing himself to a hail of gunfire in order to protect his fellow Marines,” reads the citation. “In his final act of bravery, he boldly engaged the gunman, now less than five meters in front of him, until falling mortally wounded.”

Mote’s actions assisted in halting the assault and forcing the attacker to withdraw, according to the citation, and enabled other Marines to make it to cover and survive.

Category: Marine Corps