La David Johnson and Staff Sgt. Army Commendation Medal [19] The team believed the local leader was complicit in an impending attack. Wright got in the SUV and began to slowly drive south while Black and Jeremiah Johnson ran alongside, continuing suppressive fire at the enemy while under heavy fire. [126], On 19 October, NBC News reported that AFRICOM sent a team to Niger to conduct a "review of the facts". Army Commendation Medal w/ C Device Black, Wright and Jeremiah Johnson were fighting could not disengage. Staff Sgt. Both were killed on Oct. 4, 2017 in Niger. Niger Cross of Valor with Star U.S. forces are in Niger helping train and advise Nigerien security forces; they are not serving in a combat role, according to officials at U.S. Africa Command. [69], Dustin Michael Wright (19882017) of Lyons, Georgia, was born in Toombs County, Georgia, to Arnold Wright and Terri Criscio. The team reported enemy contact and immediately returned fire using vehicle mounted M240 machine guns while the rest of the team dismounted from their vehicles, donned protective equipment, and began to exchange small arms fire. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class and received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor. [52][50][53][13] Even though there was now air support, the French pilots could not engage because they could not readily identify enemy forces in the firefight. Meritorious Service Medal La David Johnson, made the fight the deadliest on the African continent for . He enlisted in the Army July 2012. [20] Some within the US military were critical of the report because they viewed it as underplaying blame for senior officers who had approved of the mission. LaDavid Johnson was unable to enter his vehicle due to concentrated enemy fire and was forced to escape and evade on foot with the two Nigeriens. Meritorious Service Medal Dustin Wright died Wednesday. [61] At the age of 20, Black earned a business degree at Central Washington University. [36], In a video recorded before the ambush, young men can be seen on motorbikes armed with rifles and machine guns, repeating Islamist slogans, and discussing what they would do in the event they captured soldiers, with one of them saying that they would decapitate them. It's outrageous, and it's the epitome of how little, at times, our political leadership cares about the troops. 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. . To avoid confusion, throughout this report SFC Johnson is referred to as Staff Sergeant (SSG) Johnson, as that was his rank at the time . Dustin Wright, Staff Sgt. The 45-minute video, filmed by one of those 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers, sheds new light on the final actions . Eventually, as enemy combatants pushed forward, they hastily abandoned their position. Niger Cross of Valor with Star He was awarded three medals during his service: the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He previously deployed to Jordan in 2012. [130], On 2 November, four senior Nigerien officials told ABC News that the operation was always a kill or capture mission, contradicting the statement made by Dunford on 23 October. Combat Infantryman Badge, Rank: Sergeant (E-5), effective April 2017, MOS/Branch: Wheeled vehicle repairer (91B), Dates of Service: January 2014 October 2017, Deployments: Jeremiah Johnson, and continued to engage the enemy until each was shot and killed . [102] McCain said the ambush was "a direct result" of budget sequestration. [29][31] In May 2015, Sahrawi spoke on the behalf of al-Mourabitoun and had pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. We can't have a debate on US intervention overseas if we don't even know where are our forces are, let alone to what end". Afghanistan: July 2015 - September 2015, Awards: [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. The footage shows Johnson and Staff Sgt. Last Assignment: Deceased. A helicopter support team pulled out due to weather conditions, leaving the team exposed in Tongo Tongo, near the border with Mali. During this sustained attack the ODA leader was thrown from the bed of the team's pickup. Jeremiah Johnson, and Sgt. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army, or IPPS-A, is now live across the entire service, according to a spokesperson. [83], On 1 November, Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said that Niger was open to allowing US drone strikes against terror groups. They were buried in the Muslim Cemetery of Niamey on 7 October. 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. Jeremiah Johnson. ", "Trump says he did not 'specifically' authorize Niger mission that killed four U.S. soldiers", "After Niger Attack, U.S. [55] Within three to four hours after the soldiers called in for support, a French special operations team arrived at the scene. Find 91 people named Jeremiah Johnson along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok search on PeekYou - true people search. [134], Six medals were awarded to Nigerien soldiers. Niger Cross of Valor with Star 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. [4][29][30] In August 2013, MUJAO merged with al-Mourabitoun, which swore allegiance to al-Qaeda emir Ayman al-Zawahiri. [72] with about 1,200 people in attendance, including Representative Wilson. Both Nigerien soldiers were killed by enemy fire as LaDavid continued sprinting through the open desert. [33], On 2 October 2017, a US special forces (SOF) team from 3rd Special Forces Group based in Quallam received intelligence that placed a high value ISGS sub-commander in their area of responsibility. As the main Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) element attempted to evade enemy forces, they came under heavy fire which resulted in one Nigerien soldier killed while the team leader and team sergeant would suffer multiple gunshot wounds. so the convoy stopped near the village of Tongo Tongo to resupply. Certificate of Achievement (two awards) Army Commendation Medal w/C Device The ambush left five Nigeriens, [11] four Americans, [7] and 21 militants dead. The T-6B Texan II is a two-seat turboprop used to train Navy and Marine Corps pilots in flight school. Soldiers in Niger Sparks FBI Probe, Criticism", "Military records reveal U.S. soldiers killed in Niger had limited combat experience", "AfriCom Two-Star Named to Lead Niger Ambush Investigation", "Niger ambush investigation expected to be complete in January, Pentagon says", "Inside The Botched Raid That Left Four US Soldiers Dead In Niger", "AFRICOM is investigating ISIS claims that it has video of the 4 US soldiers killed in Niger", "Survivors and fallen soldiers of Niger ambush awarded valor medals, but questions linger", "Army general awards medals to Nigeriens who fought, died alongside US soldiers", "Rare awards show Nigerien valor in 2017 ambush of Army Green Berets", "Militia 'has US vehicle from Niger raid', "Pistol belonging to soldier in Niger recovered in French operation", "US offers reward for Islamic State leader linked to Niger ambush", "New camera footage from Niger ambush bolsters case for medal upgrades, moms of fallen soldiers say", General Dunford Briefs the Press on the Niger Ambush and Investigation, Niger: Frequently Asked Questions About the October 2017 Attack on U.S. Niger Cross of Valor with Star [1], Nine valor medals, including four Silver Stars, were awarded to members of ODA 3212 for their actions during the ambush. The parents of U.S. Army Sgt. Johnson], killing him with small-arms fire.". Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the money would "bolster our regional partners" in fighting against militant groups. [89], On 16 October, Trump called the widow of La David Johnson. 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? He enlisted in the Army October 2007. 1st Class Jeremiah Johnsons mother, Debra Gannon, said helmet camera footage that militants took from the Americans kit helped trigger an upgrade for her sons award, which was previously a Bronze Star with Valor. Members of team Quallem killed several enemies during this movement out of the ambush site. On October 4, 2017, four U.S. soldiers from the Africa Command were ambushed and killed during a mission near Tongo Tongo, Niger. [125], Multiple US officials told CNN that the French military was leading an investigation to gather intelligence about the perpetrators of the ambush. Army Commendation Medal Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; Sgt. He was from Springboro, Ohio. Djibouti: April 2016 September 2016 1st Class Jeremiah Johnson, was one of four U.S. special operations soldiers killed in Niger on October 4, 2017, when Islamist fighters ambushed their team. Amid the fallout from the ambush, scrutiny placed on U.S. Africa Command highlighted more problems across missions in the region, including poor medical evacuation capabilities and a lack of air support. The clash . [65] A memorial service was also held for Black on 19 November in Puyallup. [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. At this point two additional team members would head back toward the initial ambush site to help locate the missing teammates. Sgt. Chilling helmet-cam video, stolen from dead US soldier, shows ambush by Islamic State in Niger I still would like to have somebody get up and apologize and tell everybody that [the team] didnt go rogue and they damn well performed above and beyond what they had to do, Gannon told Army Times. Army Commendation Medal w/C Device Somehow, it was left behind. Bryan Black, Sgt. The investigators learned that Wright jumped back into the vehicle and slowly began driving south while Staff Sgts. He was awarded a Bronze Star . Jeremiah Wayne Johnson. [118] Laura Seay, an assistant professor of government at Colby College, shared French's view in an article on Slate. Deployments: All three were assigned to the Army's 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North . [60] Black moved to Mammoth Lakes, California, where he taught skiing, worked construction jobs in the off season, and met his wife, Michelle. I did watch the head cam. [33] OCHA also said that seven districts in the two regions had been under a state of emergency since March 2017, and the government renewed the measure for an additional three months on 18 September. Army Service Ribbon ", Staff Sgts. Service verification is as following: Rank: Staff sergeant (E-6), effective June 2015posthumously promoted to sergeant first class (E-7), effective Oct. 4, 2017, MOS/Branch: Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist (74D), Dates of Service: July 2007 October 2017, Deployments: The Tongo Tongo village elder first notified and then led Nigerien forces to the location of SGT L. Johnson's remains. La David Johnson and 3 fellow soldiers killed in Niger", "Miami stunt rider known as the 'Wheelie King', "For soldier killed in Niger, making life better every day in the world was his mission", "U.S. Army Sgt. [67], His funeral was held at a church in Cooper City, Florida, on 21 October 2017. He was eventually assigned to the Second Battalion, Third Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. [22] The ambush also prompted congressional inquiries, and an investigation by the US Department of Defense (DoD). Trump responded by saying that he wrote letters to the families of the victims, and accused his predecessors, specifically President Obama, of not or rarely calling the families of deceased soldiers. Sgt. Bryan Black and Sgt. 3.2k. 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. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. and Operation New Dawn. Overseas Service Ribbon The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, when armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) attacked Nigerien and US soldiers outside the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, while they were returning to base after a stop in the village. Initial reports indicated that LaDavid Johnson may have been captured and executed, but he was found laying on his back with his arms by his sides and had wounds consistent with sporadic fire while he actively engaged the enemy. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Enemies during this sustained attack the ODA leader was thrown from the bed of the was... 134 ], Six medals were awarded to Nigerien soldiers Oct. 4, 2017 Niger! ] McCain said the ambush site to help locate the missing teammates, sheds light! 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