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 Dylan J. Maynard, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 16 November 2010 during combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States as a Ranger Fire Team Leader and Ranger Squad Leader for Joint Task Force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Sergeant Maynard confronted and destroyed several Taliban fighters at close range as they attempted to maneuver against friendly forces. When his squad leader became mortally wounded, Sergeant Maynard moved into the field of fire of an enemy machine gun to pull his wounded comrade to safety. Later while fighting to secure a medical evacuation helicopter landing zone. Sergeant Maynard moved through intense effective enemy fire to recover another fellow Ranger who had been shot and rolled down a slope towards the enemy’s position. Sergeant Maynard’s distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, this command and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
On November 16, 2010, while conducting combat operations in Konar Province, Afghanistan, Sergeant Maynard’s squad was the leading interdiction team in an effort to capture several individuals who had fled ahead of the clearing element. The squad met with fierce enemy fire from a section-sized enemy force as the closed with the individuals who had moved from a series of buildings. The interdiction team first made contact with one enemy combatant. Staff Sergeant Kevin Pape killed the combatant after he fired one shot at the squad, then moved immediately to kill a second fighter who emerged from his position. During this initial engagement, Sergeant Maynard was positioned on nearby high ground that allowed him to cover Staff Sergeant Pape while he moved. When two more Taliban fighters approached the area of Staff Sergeant Pape’s initial engagement, Sergeant Maynard killed them both before they could become more of a threat. While clearing through the enemy dead, Staff Sergeant Pape had unknowingly exposed himself to a cave which housed 15 to enemy personnel, what the unit would later learn was the command and control node for the enemy in this area. Staff Sergeant Pape was mortally wounded with machine gun fire from this cave. Upon seeing Staff Sergeant Pape fall to the ground, Sergeant Maynard jumped down off of a six-foot rock ledge and low crawled to Staff Sergeant Pape’s position and attempted to pull him back. When he could not pull him back behind cover, Sergeant Maynard moved to cover and over-watch the cave until the rest of his element made it down the ridge line. When his Platoon Sergeant and Medic arrived, Sergeant Maynard immediately moved with two other Rangers to retrieve Staff Sergeant Pape from in front of the cave. As they came into the field of view of the cave, an enemy machine gun opened upon them. With Staff Sergeant Mark suppressing, Sergeant Maynard consciously stayed exposed to the fire coming from the cave in order to move Staff Sergeant Pape out of harm’s way and initiated medical care. While still exposed to the cave’s aperture, Sergeant Maynard worked tirelessly with the platoon medic for an hour to treat Staff Sergeant Pape, but he was gravely wounded and died. Sergeant Maynard then assumed responsibility as Squad Leader, and maneuvered their casualty to the MEDEVAC HLZ. While fighting to secure the HLZ against effective and precise small-arms fire from all sides, Sergeant Maynard killed one Taliban fighter who was shooting at his squad from inside the wooded slope to the west. During this fight, a Ranger sustained a gunshot wound to his neck and jaw, and fell approximately ten feet off of a path leading into the HLZ, rolling downhill to the west, towards the enemy. After locating the wounded Ranger, Sergeant Maynard identified him in the wooded slope approximately 40 meters away, laying wounded and exposed between the enemy and his fellow Rangers at the HLZ. Sergeant Maynard and two other Rangers off of the terrace wall and sprinted to the wounded Ranger, all the while under intense small-arms fire from multiple enemy personnel. While still under fire, Sergeant Maynard and his recover team secured the wounded Ranger and fought their way back to the HLZ. Once at the HLZ, Sergeant Maynard assisted in destroying the enemy to the west by observing and correcting several fire missions into the wooded slope, as well as leading his squad in suppressing the enemy with direct-fire. Sergeant Maynard continued to fight and give directions to his men until the medical evacuation helicopter arrived to evacuate the platoon’s casualties. Sergeant Maynard displayed immeasurable courage during an intense firefight with a determined and capable enemy. He fought bravely and provided the leadership that his squad needed in a difficult time. As per the Ranger Creed, he knowingly exposed himself multiple times to a high volume of enemy fire in order to retrieve a fallen comrade and save his life.