Iowa Marine may be candidate for Medal of Honor (latest on First Sergeant Brad Kasal)

Gazette online dot com ^ | 2-26-05 | AP

[doug from upland]

Iowa Marine may be candidate for Medal of Honor

Associated Press

Saturday, February 26, 2005, 2:59:02 PM

DES MOINES -- An Iowa Marine is receiving widespread praise for his bravery after leading a daring rescue mission in Iraq last fall. Sgt. Brad Kasal, of Afton, said he learned three fellow Marines were wounded inside an enemy-controlled house during house-to-house battles with insurgents in Fallujah on Nov. 13.

"The insurgents would kill them, or worse -- torture them and then kill them, so time was essential," Kasal said. "So I gathered up a bunch of young Marines and tried to enter the building to rescue them."

Kasal, 38, was shot seven times after leading his men into the house, and he suffered more than 40 shrapnel wounds after he bear-hugged a wounded Marine inside to protect him from a grenade explosion. He killed one enemy fighter in an exchange of rifle fire at point-blank range.

One Marine died in the rescue mission, but the other Americans came out alive.

More than three months later, a photo of the bloodied Kasal, still clutching his 9 mm handgun as he is helped by two fellow Marines from the Fallujah house, is displayed on dozens of Web sites.

An online newsletter published by the nonprofit Soldiers for the Truth reports it has learned that Kasal and another Marine could become the first Marine Corps recipients of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest decoration for heroism in combat, and it requires the approval of Congress after extensive scrutiny by military officials.

Kasal's family and friends in Iowa said they are aware of talk that the Iowan may receive the Medal of Honor, and they are elated he may be under consideration.

"I'm damn proud, that's how I feel," said Gerald Kasal, 67, the serviceman's father. Kasal was raised on a family farm near Afton in southern Iowa.

A spokesman for the Marine Corps declined comment.

Kasal, who graduated from East Union High School in 1984, always wanted to join the Marines, friends say. He has spent the past 20 years in the Marines, including two tours in Iraq, stints in Somalia and Afghanistan, and many other overseas operations.

After Kasal was severely wounded in Iraq in November, he was transported to military hospitals in Germany and Maryland, where doctors worked to repair his shattered right leg and to remove shrapnel from his body.

Kasal lost about 4 inches of leg bone after being struck repeatedly by bullets from an AK-47 assault rifle, and he still faces a bone-grafting operation in about a month. He is recuperating at his home in Oceanside, Calif., near the Camp Pendleton Marine base.

He hopes to be mostly healed in about three to four months, but for now he must use a wheelchair and crutches.

"The support has been astounding from the Marine Corps and friends," said Kasal, who was a senior leader for about 170 Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. "I get a lot of letters and cards of well wishes."

The incident occurred on the fifth day of the assault on Fallujah, known as Operation Phantom Fury. There had been heavy street fighting the previous day, and the Marines were entering the most dangerous part of Fallujah.

Kasal led his men as they moved down the street, clearing one house after another. A wounded Marine told Kasal that he and three comrades had gone into a building full of enemy fighters and all of the Americans were wounded, but he was the only one who made it out.

Kasal rounded up a half-dozen other men to storm the two-story brick and stucco house. The men barged into the house and found several dead insurgents on the floor, along with a wounded Marine.

Kasal and another Marine, Pfc. Alexander Nicoll, then went to clear a room that hadn't been checked yet, and Kasal began peering around the doorway to avoid exposing himself.

He found himself almost face-to-face with an enemy fighter who yelled something in Arabic and fired a burst from his rifle. The bullets missed Kasal, and he was able to get his M-16 rifle over the top of the enemy fighter's weapon.

"I shoved it into his chest and just started pulling the trigger. I kept pulling the trigger, about seven or eight times until he finally went down. Then I put two more rounds into his forehead just to make sure he was dead," Kasal said.

Somewhere behind him an insurgent opened fire with an automatic weapon. A hail of bullets struck Kasal in his lower right leg, and he heard Nicoll scream from being hit by gunfire. Kasal, who was crawling to safety, went back to grab Nicoll and was shot again, this time in the buttocks.

Kasal began treating Nicoll's wounds. As he wrestled with Nicoll's protective vest, he saw a hand grenade about 4 feet away with the pin pulled. Kasal rolled on top of Nicoll and pushed him down, absorbing most of the grenade blast.

After about 30 minutes, other Marines made their way into the house from a different direction. Eventually, the Marines reached Kasal and Nicoll, carrying both to safety, although Nicoll later had his lower right leg amputated.

Killed in the assault was Marine Sgt. Byron Norwood, 25, of Pflugerville, Texas, whose parents were recognized by Bush in his State of the Union address.

[Iowa Granny]

Thanks for posting this Doug.

Iowa proud, here.

[HRoarke]

It is criminal that men like this are not given as much exposure as the anti-American cowards shown on MSM TV everyday.

Fallujah will go down in history alongside the great battles that the Marines have won for our country. MSM said we couldn't do it and that it would be a bloodbath. They were right about one thing, it was a bloodbath, but once again we've learned NEVER to doubt the abilitiy of the USMC.

[bubman]

Anyone have a picture of this Marine?

I want to show my nephiew the definition of honor and bravery.

thxs

[skimask]

All I can say is God bless The United States Marine Corps...Semper Fi

[combat_boots]

See this link:

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2005/02/brad_kasal_a_us.html

[doug from upland]

Here is the original thread with the story, picture, and a song written for Brad. The song has been recorded by our own uncleshag, and I hope it will be heard on the radio.

[skimask]

I have some pictures of my son, a 1st Lt. in the Corps...He was in Fallaujah, no pictures from there were allowed....but I dont know how to post a picture here...can anyone help me?

[doug from upland]

MIDI - FAITHFULLY

From a town...small town in Iowa
Came a hero whom you ought to know
Brad Kasal would protect his men
To the end he was prepared to go

Fallujah had been a living hell as they fought for their lives
Then, oh my God, he saw that grenade
He used his own body to protect his wounded comrade
He wouldn't let him die
Sacred words for you, Brad...Semper Fi

We are blessed to have such fine young men
Men who sacrifice so willingly
They stand up proud...it's their duty, they say
Heroes for all our kids to see

He now lives in constant pain but says there's no regrets
He says that he would do it all again
This is the measure of a real Marine
He wouldn't let him die
Sacred words for you, Brad...Semper Fi

Sacred words for you, sacred words for you, sacred words for you
Sacred words...Semper Fi

Sacred words for you, sacred words for you, sacred words for you
Sacred words...Semper Fi

Sacred words for you, sacred words for you, sacred words for you
Sacred words...Semper Fi

(fade out)

[skimask]

[doug from upland]

To post the picture, it has to be hosted on a site so you can link the URL.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Grasnny: This brave Marine deserves a commendation from the Legislature. God bless him.

[ken5050]

I believe, sadly, that in today's environment, the CMH will only be won posthumously.. There is absolutely no correlation between the events/actions, the decorations. Over the last 12 months I've carefully read the citations and incident reports of four Marines who were awarded the Navy Cross..the threads were posted here, and from what I can determine, the ONLY reason they were NOT recommended for the CMH is that happily they survived.

[in the Arena]

Kasal and another Marine could become the first Marine Corps recipients of the Medal of Honor

Possibly this hero ?

SACRIFICE Troop cradled grenade to save others

[rbg81]

"I shoved it into his chest and just started pulling the trigger. I kept pulling the trigger, about seven or eight times until he finally went down. Then I put two more rounds into his forehead just to make sure he was dead," Kasal said.

He's obviously seen SCREAM.

[Iris7]

Marines are close to my heart.

The "Marines' Marine", Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller said that "There is nothing finer than a good Marine". The General was a genius at understatement.

Puller is interesting. He left the Virginia Military Institute in 1917 and enlisted in the Corps so as to not miss WWI. He recieved a direct, battlefield commission in Nicaragua, I believe, and his medals include five Navy Crosses, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, two Legions of Merit with "V" device, the Bronze Star with "V" device, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. All real, not an ounce of Kerry in that man.

Some quotes:

"Paper-work will ruin any military force"

---

When an Army captain asked him for the direction of the line of retreat, Col Puller called his Tank Commander, gave them the Army position, and ordered: "If they start to pull back from that line, even one foot, I want you to open fire on them."

Turning to the captain, he replied "Does that answer your question? We're here to fight." (At Koto-ri in Korea)

---

At the Frozen Chosin Marines were cut off behind enemy lines and the Army had written the entire 1st Marine Division off as being lost because they were surrounded by 22 enemy divisions. The Marines prevailed inflicting the highest casualty ratio on an enemy in history and destroying 7 entire enemy divisions in the process. An enemy division is 16500+ men while a Marine division is 12500 men.

Puller was in charge of those Marines. Quotes from that time:

"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time!" At this point in time the Marines were outnumbered thirty to one.

"They are a damn site better than the U.S. Army, at least we know that they will be there in the morning."
- Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller when a journalist asked him about being surrounded by 22 enemy divisions.

---

Sargent Brad Kasal is nothing more, and nothing less, than a Good Marine. There is nothing finer.

[Maigrey]

Just a reminder for the others reading this thread.

The one marine who perished during this particular attack is also up for the CMH.

His story is here:

Sgt. Rafael Peralta, American Hero

[Maigrey]

OK. So I might be wrong.....

[alfa6]

Thanks for the ping Iris7

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[The Great RJ]

I hope this young Marine gets the recognition for his heroism that he so richly deserves. However when he is presented his award I sure hope Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin is no where near the event. That pacifist loony would just use the occasion to further his own anti-war causes.