The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Nicholas S. Gross, United States Army, for gallantry in action against enemy forces from 7 August 2005 to 9 August 2005, while assigned as the Communications Sergeant for Operational Detachment Alpha 316 (ODA-316), 1st Battalion, 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne), Combined Joint Task Force 76, during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Gross demonstrated superb tactical proficiency and leadership in providing machine gun fire from the turret of his vehicle during multiple engagements over a times span of fifty-six hours. He continued to engage enemy positions, even when his vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Staff Sergeant Gross’ outstanding performance in a combat zone is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Task Force 76, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Staff Sergeant Nicholas S. Gross distinguished himself by exemplifying spirited bravery as a Communications Sergeant for Operational Detachment Alpha 316 (ODA-316), 1st Battalion, 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne), Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from 7 August to 9 August 2005. Staff Sergeant Gross distinguished himself in seven fierce enemy engagements with a well trained, tactically emplaced, and aggressive enemy firing a time span of fifty-six hours while operating as the 50 cal. Machine gunner on the second vehicle of his element, while conducting operations in the Zabol Province of Afghanistan while deployed to A-Camp Lane. Staff Sergeant Gross’ calmness under fire and tactical competence were imperative to the detachment’s survival. During the unit’s first engagement in the Buka Ghar Valley, Staff Sergeant Gross was instrumental in helping fix and engage enemy positions that had the entire element pinned down. His continuous engagement without concern for his own well being allowed the heavily suppressed elements to get to positions of better cover and his relentless punishment to the enemy while fully exposed later caused them to retreat. During the second contact in Buka Ghar Valley, Staff Sergeant Gross once again was instrumental in accurately putting down heavy volumes of fire on well emplaced machine gun positions so other members of the unit could move up to pinned down Afghanistan National Army (ANA) elements that were part of the patrol and help consolidate, assess, and gain control of their situation. The ODA continued to receive heavy volumes of machine gun fire and RPGs from numerous positions. He played a crucial role in the final elimination and forced withdrawal of the enemy by providing cover for the ODA’s mortar team while they engaged the extremely fortified machine gun positions. If it wasn’t for the cover fire and marking of these positions by Staff Sergeant Gross, the element would have been seriously devastated by the well-emplaced, heavily armed and numerically superior forces. The element continued to pursue the enemy during their retreat when they sent ahead for reinforcements to set up what was to be the third ambush. Upon the third Anti Coalition Member (ACM) ambush, Staff Sergeant Gross immediately located and fired upon the well emplaced and trained enemy force without care for his own life while being engaged himself by a flanking element. His bravery allowed the ANA element to maneuver on the larger ACM element, later causing the enemy to maneuver to a location they thought would give them a tactical advantage. This only led them to a better vantage point for Staff Sergeant Gross, who was able to eliminate them during their maneuver to what would have been a position devastating to the ANA element. The remaining ACM elements broke contact again, only to reform and gather more experience and trained fighters further down the route. The fourth ACM contact opened up on the lead element with concentrated fire, but Staff Sergeant Gross quickly and effectively responded as he had done in the previous contacts, knowing that he would draw fire upon himself. Immediately to the flank of his vehicle, the major portion of the ambush opened up with an extraordinary amount of heavy machine gun fire. Staff Sergeant Gross, while fully exposed, quickly and effectively spun his turret and machine gun in the direction of fire and began to engage. The whole time rounds were impacting all around his vehicle and him. He continued to engage without care for his own welfare or safety, his only care being that of his fellow team members. He continued to suppress the well-concealed enemy until aircraft came on station. Staff Sergeant Gross was able to spot and lay down effective fire so the aircraft knew where to fire to completely eliminate the enemy threat. The ODA intercepted ACM communications that again said they were reorganizing at a location that they had success within the past. Staff Sergeant Gross demanded that the ODA continue on and finish the enemy. As the ODA entered the Cakyan Ghar Valley, the ACM element opened up on the lead element as before with extraordinary volumes of machine gun, RPG, and AK-47 fire. Staff Sergeant Gross immediately pinpointed and engaged this highly trained, numerically superior, and well-equipped ACM force that the ODA had been dealing with and pursuing for the past thirty hours. Staff Sergeant Gross continued to engage without care for his own life. His only concerns were for the care of his fellow team mates and trying to eliminate, or draw some of the fire from those machine gun positions that had the lead element pinned down. No sooner had Staff Sergeant Gross begun to engage the well-emplaced enemy positions, when the rest of the ACM ambush opened up with an enormous amount of fire on the entire element. Within minutes Staff Sergeant Gross was the only machine gunner still in operation and engaging in the fierce enemy with pinpoint accuracy by himself. Staff Sergeant Gross played an instrumental role in the ability of other members of the team to move Staff Sergeant Falkel’s body down from his turret by placing high volumes of fire on the enemy forces with hopes to draw fire away from Staff Sergeant Falkel’s vehicle and onto his own position. He continued to engage without care for his own welfare or safety, his only care being that of his fellow team members. Staff Sergeant Gross single handedly continued to lay down heavy volumes of fire on the well-emplaced positions while receiving heavy volumes of fire on his positions until the whole element was able to move to a place of protection from the enemy fire. The following morning, the element began its final pursuit of the ACM forces in the Marah Valley. The element didn’t get thirty minutes down the route when the ODA made its sixth contact with the highly trained enemy force. Once again, Staff Sergeant Gross quickly fixed the enemy positions and engaged them with pinpoint accuracy allowing the trail vehicle to pick up an engage in the same fashion. This was instrumental in the element being able to clear the pass and make link up with the ground quick reaction force (QRF). Within minutes of link up and movement with the QRF element, the seventh contact began with what would turn out to be the largest, most violent ACM force of all the contacts that the ODA had faced in the prior fifty-six hours. Staff Sergeant Gross quickly fixed and began to lay down heavy volumes of fire on the ACM element that opened up on the lead element with extraordinary volumes of machine gun, RPG, and AK-47 fire. Staff Sergeant Gross’ vehicle was quickly struck by ordinance that knocked him back of his machine gun, within seconds he quickly gained control of his machine gun and once again began to fiercely lay down fire so the rest of his element could clear the choke point at which the enemy had directed tremendous amounts of fire. His continuous engagement without concern for his own well being allowed the heavily suppressed elements to get to positions of better cover and his relentless punishment to the enemy while fully exposed later caused them to retreat. Staff Sergeant Gross willfully and voluntarily chose to serve in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM supporting his fellow soldiers, the legitimate Government of Afghanistan, and the United States of America in the global war on terror. The distinctive accomplishments of Staff Sergeant Gross reflect great credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Forces Operations Task Force-Afghanistan and the United States Army.