Sergeant LaDavid Johnson fought until the end
When the 12-man Special Forces team and their 30 Nigerian allies were ambushed on the Mali frontier a few months back, it was thought that Sergeant LaDavid Johnson had been captured, dragged away from the ambush site and executed, but Army investigators have concluded that initial scenario was false.
According to investigators, Johnson and two Nigerians tried to escape the ambush and get back to their vehicles but they were struck by gunfire. Sergeant Johnson was struck by at least 18 bullets while he returned fire on the ISIS-connected insurgents. According to the Associated Press;
The bodies of three U.S. Green Berets were located on the day of the attack, but not Johnson’s remains. The gap in time led to questions about whether Johnson was killed in the assault and not found, or if he was taken away by the enemy.
According to the officials, a medical examination concluded that Johnson was hit by fire from M-4 rifles — probably stolen by the insurgents — and Soviet-made heavy machine guns. It is believed he died in the attack.
The officials said Johnson was found under thick scrub brush where he tried to take cover. There were no indications he was shot at close range, or had been bound or taken prisoner, as several media reports have suggested.
Category: Real Soldiers
That’s one determined paratrooper. RIP Sergeant Johnson.
Went down fighting to the end. Damn! We need more like him and his brothers-in-arms, many more.
Rest in peace, SGT Johnson.
Rest in Peace Brother.
Would have expected no less from this young man. Actually, without significant evidence to the contrary, that was my assumption all along.
(Now, is the inestimable member of Congress who has been stalking his survivors ready yet to admit that terrorists are racicsses?? Pointing fingers in that direction seems to be all the felonious sequined queen of graft cares about.)
Prayers continue for the family of Sgt Johnson. While others use them for personal gain, the rest of us wish them the least painful transition to life going forward without him. They need to know that we are all with them on their journey of recovery.
“Would have expected no less from this young man. Actually, without significant evidence to the contrary, that was my assumption all along.”
My thoughts exactly. BZ Sergeant, and rest easy.
The prayer about dying in a pile of brass was answered for Sgt. Johnson.
May we be worthy of the sacrifice of men such as he.
Amen.
It gave me a sort of grim satisfaction …
See you in a while, Brother.
Indeed.
No sane man or woman wishes to experience a violent death. However, if that’s what fate has in store . . . it certainly seems best to go down fighting.
I hope he sent a number of his attackers to the realm of Iblis before he passed. I understand that Iblis is always looking for new bacha bazi.
Lord, make me fast and accurate.
Let my aim be true and my hand faster
than those who wish to harm me and mine.
Let not my last thought be “If only I had my gun”.
and Lord, if today is truly the day you are to call me home,
Let me die in a pile of brass.
http://www.armedlutheran.us/features/prayers/
May God Bless Sgt. Johnson and his family during this terrible time. BZ Sgt. Johnson, rest in peace warrior, rest in peace.
No doubt about it, today’s Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen and Marines are ten times the Soldier I ever was.
Rest easy Sgt. Mission accomplished.
Thank you for your sacrifice, Sir.
Rest easy, Sergeant.
And Congresswoman Wilson? EAFBOD.
Just a curious item from the investigative report:
“The team had been asked to go to a location where the insurgent had last been seen, and collect intelligence. After completing that mission, the troops stopped in a village for a short time to get food and water, then left. The U.S. military believes someone in the village may have tipped off attackers to the presence of U.S. commandos and Nigerian forces in the area, setting in motion the ambush.”
A U.S. Special Forces Team had to stop at a Nigerian village to get food and water?
What kind of food and water would they get at a rathole Nigerian village?
Wouldn’t a U.S. Special Forces Team have their own food and water to complete their mission…and to make sure their Nigerian counterparts had the same?
Seems if they hadn’t stopped in a village there would have been less of an opportunity for someone to report their presence.
Maybe it was a hearts and minds stop. Meet the locals and win them over?
It seems this article was written by someone who knows two things about military operations; those two things being (1) Jack and (2) shit. Seems more like a Meet the Village Elders type of stop.
That is what I would expect. Meet the Village Elders, share a drink and food in accordance with cultural norms, and move on.
Unfortunately, someone seems to have sent a runner with a message. Who in the village is wearing new shoes?
Not uncommon at all. Very typical on FID missions to live where your host nation counterparts live and eat what they eat. Having been the guest at more goat grabs than I care to remember followed by a dose of cipro. ODA’s don’t typically provide local counterparts with food and water. Most of the deployments I went on local merchants were contracted for food and water.
Rest in peace young Soldier.
Bravo Zulu, Sergeant LaDavid Johnson.
Rest in peace.
Nope!
Not gonna cry.
Damn it, sure got dusty in here.
This fact won’t bring him back to his loved ones, or to us, but its a comfort that he spent his last moments fighting and not waiting to be executed.
Were those M4s—or whatever 5.56 rifle—really stolen, or were they part of that illicit commerce the previous admin’s State Department was dabbling in in Libya prior to that unfortunate incident in Benghazi?
^^^WORD^^^
Job well done – RIP Sergeant Johnson.
We are better nation for having
had your service.