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| Hearing a mayday call from ambushed U.S. and Iraqi troops, the four soldiers went to their aid despite being low on fuel and taking small-arms fire from the ground. |
| By U.S. Army Sgt. Michael J. Carden 82nd Airborne Division |
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FORT BRAGG, N.C., Nov. 10, 2005 — The Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded to four U.S. Army paratroopers from the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, for valorous conduct in Operation Iraqi Freedom during a ceremony Nov. 8 at the 82nd Aviation Brigade headquarters.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael Hultquist and Chief Warrant Officers James Cornell, James Williamson and Charles Folk, all pilots from Troop D, were recognized as just a few who have received this award. Only 22 servicemembers before them have been awarded the medal for actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The call came from a group of U.S. and Iraqi troops who were ambushed during their patrol. Though the pilots only had about 10 minutes of fuel left in their Kiowa helicopters and they were too far out of range to maintain radio contact with their headquarters, they decided to fly to the aid of the ambushed troops, Hultquist said. |
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Once they reached the area, they could see the troops were outnumbered and overwhelmed by enemy small-arms fire, Hultquist continued. The Kiowas began to take small-arms fire as well, but the pilots quickly responded with fire power of their own - just enough for the ambushed troops to load up in their vehicles and drive to safety, Hultquist explained. "We followed the true cavalry spirit," Hultquist said. "We knew we were low on fuel, and that we only had enough time to get there, shoot and go home." Every U.S. and Iraqi troop survived the ambush and returned to safety. The aviators agreed that the troops may not have made it out alive, and that they, too, are fortunate to have lived through the event, Hultquist said. "These four aviators are an amazing breed of Army aviators," said U.S. Army Col. Kelly Thomas, commander, 82nd Aviation Brigade. "They turned their aircraft towards the sounds of the enemy's guns, and without hesitation, they engaged the enemy with a close-contact attack, saving the lives of their brothers in arms." More than 1.5 million Army aviation flight hours have been flown in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and only 22 Distinguished Flying Crosses had been previously awarded, Kelly said. "You witnessed it today; 23, 24, 25 and number 26." "To even be put in for this award is a tremendous honor," Hultquist said, "but the biggest thing for us that day was the soldiers we were fighting for made it home alive." |
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