Posted on 11/17/2012 6:27:55 AM PST by LSUfan
The enemy had the hostages. Taliban forces had overtaken observation post Bari Ali and captured coalition troops. Then-Army Staff Sgt. Cody J. Carroll was part of an elite group of special operations forces called in to execute the rescue.
Carroll was a sniper by trade, so when he and his observer were dropped in, they immediately went to work. Within an hour of establishing a position, Carroll located the insurgent leader responsible for the attack on Bari Ali. He peered through his scope at the figure more than 750 yards away, and pulled the trigger.
The bullet travelled the length of more than seven football fields before passing through a small opening in a house and finding the chest of its intended target.
(Excerpt) Read more at marforres.marines.mil ...
And the moral of the story is,no safe place to hide when an American markman is in the area.
SOCOM Ping
“Interesting” doesn’t seem to cover his career path - I’d go with “convoluted” but no matter how he did it, I’m glad he’s there for all of us.
Semper Fi Marine; well done! You make us all proud to be Marines.
Thank You Sir ....
It’s true; it’s true. Sgts. Major outrank EVERYBODY.
The photo cation reads 1st. Lt. Cody J. Carroll salutes Sgt. Major Dennis J. Schager.
Add to the ping please.
RLTW
Great story and a true hero
but some kudos must go to the Army as well
This is an extraordinary guy.
Hello,
I was just notified that this went hot last night. I have since contacted the MARFOR RES PAO and others and the article has been pulled from the site. There was no vetting process for this article and most of it is just flat out wrong. First off I’m no hero. 2nd, there are several inaccuracies in this publication that were inflated by the writer. I never asked for this press release, and I feel it is my obligation to set the record straight. I was just an attachment at the time to a team and I was tasked to provide sniper support. Here are the facts. I did enlist and serve as a UH-1N Crew Chief, I failed the Force Recon indoc in 1998, NOT BRC. I never even made it that far. I was commissioned in 2004, via the MECEP program and served as an infantry officer for 2 Iraq deployments. I resigned in 2007 (effective in 08), and then enlisted in the RI National Guard with A 2/19. I completed SFAS and this deployment with them where I was tasked with sniper support, and other duties like making coffee and taking out the trash. I never went to the Q course and I hold no special operations qualifications. I completed my enlistment and applied for reappointment into the USMCR with 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company and have since completed BRC. A very nonstandard career path.
Some of the details that the reporter listed are true, but I feel that most are inflated. The “over 100 Marines” that gathered for the award was just my company and the 2 soldiers that came to present the award. I never made “solo trips behind enemy lines” I did make several trips forward of the defense, sometimes by myself to gain a better position, but most of the time there was someone with me. I had nothing to do with the hostages being released at all. I just provided the support for the men who did. I didn’t call in any airstrikes, I just relayed the information to the guy was qualified to do so. I the “sniper” did have a sniper rifle, but as for him being an actual school trained sniper, i couldn’t say. He moved tactically and thats about all I can say. Further more, I just found out that the award still needs to be vetted by the USMC for to be even authorized. It was presented, but that was for actions in another service.
I feel that this article was a tremendous disservice to the accomplishments that the team had on that mission, and to the soldiers that payed the ultimate price in the events that led to the response.
Thats the CO, not the SgtMaj. Again, poor journalism.
My son, Sgt James Pirtle was one of the 2 Americans killed at OP Bari Ali. My thanks go out to this Hero for a job well done.
So sorry for your loss. Must be very difficult.
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