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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Clinton Romesha gets Medal of Honor for Afghan fight | Clinton Romesha gets Medal of Honor for Afghan fight |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has presented the Medal of Honor to a former soldier for his heroism during a huge firefight in Afghanistan. | US President Barack Obama has presented the Medal of Honor to a former soldier for his heroism during a huge firefight in Afghanistan. |
| Former Staff Sgt Clinton Romesha, 31, led a battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters four years ago. | Former Staff Sgt Clinton Romesha, 31, led a battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters four years ago. |
| About 50 US soldiers were at Combat Outpost Keating near Pakistan when it was almost overrun by insurgents. | About 50 US soldiers were at Combat Outpost Keating near Pakistan when it was almost overrun by insurgents. |
| He is the fourth living veteran of Afghanistan or Iraq to receive America's highest military award. | He is the fourth living veteran of Afghanistan or Iraq to receive America's highest military award. |
| The father-of-three lives with his family in Minot, North Dakota, and works in oil-field safety. | The father-of-three lives with his family in Minot, North Dakota, and works in oil-field safety. |
| According to the Army's official narrative, at about 06:00 on 3 October 2009, some 400 Taliban fighters targeted Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, while many key US officers were off base. | According to the Army's official narrative, at about 06:00 on 3 October 2009, some 400 Taliban fighters targeted Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, while many key US officers were off base. |
| Peppered with shrapnel | Peppered with shrapnel |
| The outpost was surrounded on four sides by insurgents who had occupied the high ground and began to attack with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), mortars, heavy machine-gun fire and small-arms fire. | The outpost was surrounded on four sides by insurgents who had occupied the high ground and began to attack with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), mortars, heavy machine-gun fire and small-arms fire. |
| Sgt Romesha is said to have frequently exposed himself to withering enemy fire as he led the fightback. | Sgt Romesha is said to have frequently exposed himself to withering enemy fire as he led the fightback. |
| He killed a team of machine-gun fighters, and was peppered with shrapnel when an RPG landed close to his position. | He killed a team of machine-gun fighters, and was peppered with shrapnel when an RPG landed close to his position. |
| Ignoring his wounds, Sgt Romesha then killed more enemy fighters, including a nest of machine-gunners and a sniper. | Ignoring his wounds, Sgt Romesha then killed more enemy fighters, including a nest of machine-gunners and a sniper. |
| He then killed three Taliban fighters as they were breaching the outpost's perimeter. | He then killed three Taliban fighters as they were breaching the outpost's perimeter. |
| Sgt Romesha also led a team to secure an ammunition supply point and then turned his attention to defending a vulnerable entry point. | Sgt Romesha also led a team to secure an ammunition supply point and then turned his attention to defending a vulnerable entry point. |
| From there, he was able to pinpoint the origin of enemy fire at a nearby village, Urmul, and at an Afghan National Police checkpoint that had been seized by the insurgents. | From there, he was able to pinpoint the origin of enemy fire at a nearby village, Urmul, and at an Afghan National Police checkpoint that had been seized by the insurgents. |
| According to the official narrative, he helped to direct air support and 120mm mortars to target the enemy positions. | According to the official narrative, he helped to direct air support and 120mm mortars to target the enemy positions. |
| Finally, Sgt Romesha helped wounded troops to withdraw to a safe location and recovered the bodies of two soldiers who died in the attack. | Finally, Sgt Romesha helped wounded troops to withdraw to a safe location and recovered the bodies of two soldiers who died in the attack. |
| Eight US soldiers were killed and another 22 were wounded, including Sgt Romesha. | |
| The official citation says that Sgt Romesha personally killed 10 Taliban fighters and was instrumental in the deaths of another 35. | The official citation says that Sgt Romesha personally killed 10 Taliban fighters and was instrumental in the deaths of another 35. |
| Last month, after learning he would get the award, he told a news conference: "You're not going to back down in the face of adversity like that. We were just going to win, plain and simple." | Last month, after learning he would get the award, he told a news conference: "You're not going to back down in the face of adversity like that. We were just going to win, plain and simple." |