Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Shelman Spencer | The Purple Heart is presented to Sgt. 1st Class Peter I. Roth, an instructor at Camp...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – On Nov. 10, 2012, a team from 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) stopped at checkpoint Bahardu in Afghanistan. The Soldiers spent three hours with their counterparts in the Afghan Local Police. As they headed out, they were greeted by a hail of gunfire fired by anti-coalition forces. During the firefight, Sgt. 1st Class Peter I. Roth sustained injuries to his back and right shoulder.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the men and women of 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (A), awarded Roth, an instructor at Camp Mackall with 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (A), United States Army John F. Kennedy and School, a Purple Heart for distinguished actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Roth, who was presented the award by Lt. Col. Stuart L. Farris, command, 1st Battalion, recalled that the enemy that attacked his team was well-armed. The enemy fighters opened fire on the patrol using under barrel grenade launchers, PKM machine guns and AK-47 rifles. Roth was wounded in the onslaught, but that did not prevent him from engaging the enemy and helping his team get out of danger.
Despite his wounds, Roth continued to lay down cover fire, called for fire from their organic mortars, requested a medevac, set up the helicopter landing zone and controlled the Apache escorts in close-combat attack.
For Farris, presenting the award was an honor.
“I want to say thank you for your service, for all that you do, for all you’ve done in combat and equally as important, what you do here in 1st Battalion,” said Farris. “Your professionalism, your competence, your absolute dedication to training, mentoring and grooming future Special Forces Soldiers — the future Soldiers of our regiment — is exemplary. The passion that you have is without question, I see it, and so does everyone at Robin Sage.”
Farris said that Roth embodies one of the Army Special Operations Forces attributes: Perseverance. Perseverance is doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
“Don’t quit. Just because you’re wounded doesn’t mean you quit, I didn’t get medevaced right away, I kept driving forward,” said Roth.
Established by Gen. George Washington at Newburg, New York, on Aug. 7, 1782, the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to service members who have been wounded during combat.
| Date Taken: | 09.23.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2015 13:36 |
| Story ID: | 156780 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 397 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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