Arlington, VA. (November 14, 2022): In this photo by Monica King, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha poses for an official portrait as a Medal of Honor recipient at the Army Portrait Studio at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. SSgt. Romesha was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions while serving as a section leader with Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Post Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.
Arlington, VA. (November 14, 2022): Isn’t it surprising that heroic deeds are often done by ordinary people, regular Americans who suddenly find themselves in life threatening situations. It would seem a natural thing to panic, run away, or take cover to protect yourself. Some folks simply do the opposite, as if by instinct, calmly, and with iron determination. They seem to totally disregard their own safety while committing incredible acts of gallantry. Extraordinary.
SSgt. Clinton Romesha (pronounced Row-ma-shay) was one such individual. Born in Lake City, California, he joined the Army as an M1 Abrams Armor Crewman and trained at the “Home of Armor”, Fort Knox, Kentucky. Upon graduation, he rose quickly through the ranks to become a Section Leader while serving stints in Korea and two deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
On the day in question, Combat Outpost Keating came under attack by enemy forces estimated at 300 Taliban fighters occupying the high ground above his position on all sides. The enemy attacked with concentrated rounds from B10 recoilless rifles, rocket propelled grenades, heavy machine guns, and mortar fire.
According to those who were there, SSgt. Romesha maintained a calm demeanor, moving from place to place to ensure each trooper was in position and firing correctly. He suffered shrapnel wounds but ignored them as he directed fire against the enemy. Having lost his own rifle during an explosion, SSgt. Romesha ended up with an Afghan Army sniper rifle, a weapon he had only basic knowledge of. SSgt. Romesha engaged multiple gunmen, killing three Taliban who had penetrated their lines, and he went on to establish and defend an ammunition point that proved critical to America victory. Along the way, he even found time to rescue or recover fallen comrades.
Stories like these make one proud to be an American. What you soon realize is that these are not super humans but rather ordinary Americans who did extraordinary things when their country needed them. These are our neighbors, friends, brothers, and sisters who answered the call to serve above and beyond what anyone would expect. They are the reason Support Our Troops works tirelessly to provide comfort items for our troops and recreational opportunities for our overseas deployed servicemembers.
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