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 Chad A. Malmberg, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Convoy Escort Team Commander, assigned to Company A, 2d Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment (AASLT), assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, near Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq on 27 January 2007 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 06-08. Staff Sergeant Malmberg’s personal bravery and selfless actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 34th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Staff Sergeant Chad A. Malmberg distinguished himself by his gallantry in action against an armed enemy of the United States as a Convoy Escort Team Commander, while assigned to Company A, 2d Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment (AASLT), assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, near Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq on 27 January 2007 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 06-08. Staff Sergeant Malmberg was the Commander of a Convoy Escort Team that departed Baghdad International Airport on 27 January 2007, with five gun trucks and 20 logistical vehicles. At 2232 hours, as Staff Sergeant Malmberg’s convoy was traveling south on MSR Tampa near Checkpoint 30A, a convoy driving in front of them was struck by an improvised explosive device, requiring him to stop his convoy. A cordon of the area was established by the local route security team and Staff Sergeant Malmberg moved his convoy into a defensive posture to await clear passage of the route. Unbeknownst to Staff Sergeant Malmberg, an Anti-Iraqi Force of 30-40 fighters had established an ambush to the southwest of the IED cordon site. The area selected by the insurgents consisted of a well defined kill zone with berms running parallel to MSR Tampa at 100-200 meter intervals and canals running perpendicular to the MSR to allow for covered movement up to the MSR. Additionally median rails prevented any vehicles from crossing the MSR and exiting the kill zone. The enemy had established support by fire positions and were well drilled in fire and maneuver tactics. The warm dry night aided the enemy in concealing their ambush. The enemy initiated their ambush by firing RPGs and small arms at the Route Security Team’s cordon directly to the front of Staff Sergeant Malmberg. Staff Sergeant Malmberg immediately directed his truck forward to support the route security element, engaging four to five enemy support by fire positions. Staff Sergeant Malmberg, while under enemy small arms fire, dismounted his truck to attempt to clear the road and allow his convoy to exit the kill zone. When unsuccessful in clearing the road, Staff Sergeant Malmberg coordinated fires, situational reports, and communications between the three units on the ground, air support, and sheriff net. Shortly after the execution of the ambush, Staff Sergeant Malmberg learned that the enemy had begun to mass fires at the rear of his convoy. He immediately directed his truck and an additional gun truck to the rear to support and safeguard his element. After several minutes exchanging gunfire, and unable to gain fire superiority, Staff Sergeant Malmberg identified the largest concentration of enemy fire and while under direct enemy fire, he dismounted his vehicle and engaged that position with an AT-4, eliminating any additional enemy fire from that location. Staff Sergeant Malmberg coordinated AH-64 Apache air support, directing his elements to mark enemy positions with infra-red lasers; however when they arrived on scene the enemy fire was so heavy that they were unable to remain on station. Over the next 35 minutes, Staff Sergeant Malmberg directed the actions of his five gun trucks and continually moved his truck to the area of heaviest fighting. On three separate occasions he dismounted his vehicle, under heavy and direct enemy small arms and RPG fire, in an attempt to coordinate passage of his convoy through the cordon element. Almost 40 minutes into the fierce battle and with his trucks low on ammunition, the enemy had closed to within 20 meters of the rear gun truck. The gunner was unable to depress his crew served weapon to engage at the close range. Staff Sergeant Malmberg immediately responded to the call for help and again, under direct and heavy enemy fire, selflessly exposed himself to deploy a hand grenade, engaging six enemy fighters positioned in a ditch and preparing to assault the convoy. His actions killed estimated 7-9 Anti-Iraqi Forces fighters and eliminated the threat of his convoy being overrun. Staff Sergeant Malmberg’s gallant actions and determined leadership allowed his convoy, trapped in an enemy ambush for nearly 50 minutes, to dominate a numerically superior enemy fighting from prepared positions, without a single member of the convoy being wounded or killed in action, or loss of a single vehicle. His actions undoubtedly saved lives, at great risk to his own.