I Thought This Senile POS was Dead!

But apparently old leftist die slowly because Andy’s out there again demonstrating what a colossal dumbass he truly is.

The good folks at Thunder Run sent this to me in an email.

Andy Rooney writing about Captain Chesley Sullenberger says:

We don’t have many heroes these days because there isn’t much opportunity to be a hero, and most people aren’t usually heroic anyway. Being heroic means doing something that risks your life while saving someone else’s.

Thunder Run looks at Mr. Rooney’s recent comments and graciously and thoroughly refutes them. That’s a very respectful lot over at Thunder Run.

I do not suffer from that particular impediment however. This is particularly true when refuting the insane commentary of a babbling old communist idiot.

While I applaud CPT Sullenberger’s action that truly saved dozens of lives; I would remind Mr. Rooney that at the time of the incident no one was trying to shoot CPT Sully in the frigging head!

So, Mr. Rooney before declaring that heroism is dead in America I would like to introduce you to Sergeant First Class Abram Hernandez from Hidalgo, Texas.

Read More (You will be a better American for doing so)

Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Abram Hernandez, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as the Engineer Sergeant for Operational Detachment Alpha 765 (ODA-765), Company A, 2d Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), during combat operations in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, on 24 June 2006, at Pashmul, Kandahar, Afghanistan. Sergeant Hernandez’ heroic actions and dedication to duty defeated an enemy attack, saved the lives of his comrades, and prevented the destruction of his team. His actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, the Combined Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.

NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD
Sergeant First Class Abram Hernandez, United States Army, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry in action as the Engineer Sergeant for Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 765, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. On 24 June 2006, while conducting Operation KAIKA, a cordon and search mission to capture or kill Taliban leadership in Panjawi District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, Sergeant Hernandez was assigned to lead the assault element as part of an effort to seize a compound located on key terrain adjacent to the detachment’s perimeter. As his element prepared for the assault, he came under heavy fire from several directions. Sergeant Hernandez and his small assault force entered and quickly cleared the compound. Under the direction of his Team Sergeant, he assisted in organizing a defensive perimeter. An unexpectedly large Taliban Force immediately counterattacked, surrounded the compound, and established positions as near as 15 meters from the outside walls. The estimated 50 Taliban fighters began pounding the compound from all directions with a relentless barrage of small arms, machinegun and rocket-propelled grenade fires.

Sergeant Hernandez scaled a six-meter unstable homemade ladder to the top of a wall in order to engage enemy targets outside the compound. From this precarious position he was able to provide accurate suppressive fires on Taliban elements attempting to close on an isolated support by fire position as well as his own. To engage the enemy, Sergeant Hernandez had to expose his upper body above the top of the wall, causing the Taliban to concentrate their fires on Sergeant Hernandez. From this exposed position, he repeatedly fired on the enemy and evaded incoming machinegun fire and rocket-propelled grenade explosions. A two-story building adjacent to the compound provided the enemy a vantage point to fire directly into the compound at the rear of Sergeant Hernandez’ perch.

While enemy bullets tore at the front of the wall around him, and began striking against the inside of the wall around his completely exposed back, Sergeant Hernandez refused to reposition himself. While vulnerable to enemy fires, he shifted fires to support the arrival of a quick reaction force, attempted to suppress the enemy closing on the isolated support by fire position, and engaged the enemy directly attacking the compound. When the quick reaction force departed the compound to recover the two wounded Soldiers at the support by fire position, Sergeant Hernandez concentrated his fires to support their movement from the compound, ignoring enemy fighters nearby who were firing directly at him. The accurate enemy fires from behind him began to dismantle the unstable ladder. A machinegun burst shredded one of the legs and the top part of the ladder, causing Sergeant Hernandez to lose his balance as it collapsed to one side. He was able to maintain his position by balancing himself with one leg propped against an adjacent wall at a corner. He still refused to seek cover, and continued providing accurate, sustained, suppressive fires atop his now disintegrating ladder. The Team Sergeant then instructed Sergeant Hernandez to leave the compound to link-up with the quick reaction force and assist them in recovering the wounded. Sergeant Hernandez slipped out of the compound, maneuvered 200 meters through Taliban fighting positions while receiving heavy fire, and located the isolated quick reaction force. While attempting to organize the element, he learned that his Team Sergeant had been seriously injured at the compound. He immediately returned to the compound, crossing the same 200 meters he had just covered, again while under heavy direct fire from Taliban fighters. He bounded from one covered position to the next before sprinting the last portion through a hail of machinegun fire to reach his wounded comrade. He attempted life-saving measures on his Team Sergeant then reorganized the faltering defense. He ran through the compound, positioning weapons systems, directing fires, and motivating the remaining Afghan Soldiers. His leadership and fearless personal example inspired the defenders to regain the initiative and continue to repel the Taliban assaults. After the Reaction Force arrived with the wounded, Sergeant Hernandez then assisted with the direction of fires from supporting AC-130 gunships, the medical evacuation of the wounded, and reception of an ammunition re-supply. After dark, Sergeant Hernandez and his entire element left the compound and moved undetected through enemy positions to rejoin the detachment at the patrol base. Sergeant Hernandez’ courageous actions and determined spirit not only prevented his small element from being overrun, captured, or destroyed, but decisively engaged and eliminated enemy forces who would have otherwise captured his two wounded comrades. His gallantry, dedication to duty, and selfless sacrifice exemplified the warrior ethos and directly contributed to the detachment seizing the initiative, denying the enemy the use of key terrain, and forcing the Taliban retreat. The heroic accomplishments of Sergeant Hernandez reflect great credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command-Central, and the United States Army.
Home Town: Hidalgo, Texas
Personal Awards: Silver Star (War on Terrorism), Purple Heart

Category: Politics