American 'heroes' receive German Gold Cross

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

05.12.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

By Lt. jg. Nick Kalman and Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Stevenson

KABUL, Afghanistan - Fourteen American soldiers made history, March 12, by becoming the first foreigners to receive Germany's Gold Cross medal, one of its highest awards for valor, in a ceremony in Kunduz.

The U.S. medical evacuation crewmen were honored for risking their lives to come to the rescue of German soldiers who were ambushed by more than 200 Taliban fighters during a patrol north of Kunduz, April 2.

Eleven German soldiers were critically wounded in the fighting, and the battle was still raging when the U.S. Black Hawk evacuation helicopters arrived on the scene.

"We came under very heavy fire," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason LaCrosse. "We couldn't land at first, but we came back in a second time and loaded two casualties, brought them back to the hospital, then we went back to get more."

Three of the soldiers injured in the battle died from their wounds.

"We've had a strong partnership with the German soldiers. These guys are like family to us, so we took it personally when they got injured and just went out there and did what we had to do," said Sgt. Antonio Gattis.

The Americans are all members of the U.S. Army's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. They are Capt. Robert McDonough, Chief Warrant Officers 3 Jason LaCrosse, Steven Husted and Nelson Visaya, Chief Warrant Officers 2 Jason Brown, Sean Johnson and Eric Wells, Staff Sgt. Travis Brown, Sergeants William Ebel, Antonio Gattis and Steven Shumaker, and Specialists Matthew Baker, Todd Marchese and Gregory Martinez.

Germany announced the decision to award the medals last month in Berlin.

• Date Taken: 05.12.2010
• Date Posted: 05.13.2010 10:11
• Story ID: 49588
• Location: KABUL, AF