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 a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Master Sergeant Paul D. Fiesel, United States Army, for gallantry in action as Team Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3434 (ODA-3434), 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne), Special Operations Task Force-South, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Master Sergeant Fiesel distinguished himself by attacking a numerically superior enemy force which held a vast tactical advantage, with no thought of his own personal safety. He exposed himself to accurate and intense small arms fire and rocket propelled grenade fire over 500 meters of uphill terrain, with little cover, in order to rescue a pinned down four-man element, saving their lives. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of the military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, the Combined Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Master Sergeant Paul D. Fiesel heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States as Team Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha 3434, Special Operations Task Force-South, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. On 27 September 2011, while conducting a joint reconnaissance patrol in northwest Khakrez District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, a four-man overwatch element from Sergeant Fiesel’s patrol became decisively engaged and pinned down by two numerically superior enemy elements with heavy weapons and rocket propelled grenades. With no thought to his own personal safety, Sergeant Fiesel made the self-sacrificing decision to expose himself to intense, accurate enemy fire to draw the focus of the enemy from the pinned down element. Sergeant Fiesel led his own 4-man element in an assault on an 8-man enemy element, assaulting over 3 kilometers, the last 500 meters containing minimal cover, allowing the enemy to capitalize on the effectiveness of their weapons systems. Sergeant Fiesel attacked with such ferocity, utilizing his element’s personal weapons systems and hand grenades, that he forced the enemy to break contact. He then continued the pursuit of the enemy over 10 kilometers. Sergeant Fiesel’s heroism against a numerically superior force, who held a great tactical advantage, allowed the pinned down element to maneuver. Without his courageous, self-sacrificing dedication to duty and his intense loyalty to his men, the members of the pinned down element would have undoubtedly been killed. This action resulted in several enemy neutralized and the collection of a large amount of intelligence. It also resulted in demoralizing the enemy to the extent that no enemy action or presence was reported in that area for more than three months. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, and the United States Army.
Sponsored by:
Awards Received
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Silver Star
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Silver Star
Service:
United States ArmyRank:
Master SergeantRegiment:
3d Special Forces Group (Airborne)Division:
Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – AfghanistanAction Date:
November 2, 2007
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 Master Sergeant Paul D. Fiesel, United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as a Team Sergeant with Operational Detachment Alpha 3214 (ODA-3214), 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne), Special Operations Task Force – 33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 2 November 2007, in Southern Afghanistan. Sergeant Fiesel’s personal courage and commitment to mission accomplishment in a combat zone, under the most extreme of circumstances, greatly contributed to the success of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Special Operations Task Force – 32, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Sergeant First Class Paul D. Fiesel, United States Army, heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States (US) as the Operations Sergeant, Operational Detachment Alpha (SFODA) 3214, Special Operations Task Force – 32, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 2 November 2007. During this time, executing Operation FIRST LOOK in the vicinity of the village of Sarsina, Afghanistan, Sergeant Fiesel’s SFODA responded to an urgent request for reinforcements from a sister SFODA in contact with the enemy. The sister SFODA along with their Afghan National Army (ANA) Soldiers were pinned down by an estimated 300 to 400 fighters and required immediate assistance to evacuate their dead and wounded. At the time of the call for reinforcements, Sergeant Fiesel was manning a dismounted Observation Post (OP) over watching the village. Sergeant Fiesel immediately moved on foot from his OP to link up with the rest of his detachment and moved to assist the sister SFODA. As he and his ANA Soldiers were maneuvering, they came under intense and heavy enemy fire from a tree-line and series of irrigation ditches to their north. Sergeant Fiesel immediately emplaced his ANA Soldiers in a support by fire position to begin suppressing the intense volume of enemy fire coming from numerous prepared enemy fighting positions. Once the support by fire position was emplaced, Sergeant Fiesel and his ANA Soldiers boldly maneuvered to flank the enemy and clear the dug-in fighting positions. As the sister SFODA’s situation in the village became increasingly dire, Sergeant Fiesel was ordered to halt his counter attack in order to reinforce the sister SFODA so they could withdraw and evacuate their dead and wounded. Sergeant Fiesel linked up with his detachment and Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV) crew behind a small wall approximately 400 meters from the pinned down SFODA and quickly task organized an extraction force. Sergeant Fiesel and his ANA Soldiers dashed across 400 meters of open ground, through an intense and withering barrage of enemy fire, simultaneously engaging enemy fighters with their M4 carbines. Upon reaching the building, he linked up with the US and ANA Soldiers taking cover in irrigation ditch to the rear of the building. After ensuring 100 percent accountability of all personnel, Sergeant Fiesel led the US and ANA Soldiers back through the intense hail of enemy gunfire that he had just crossed moments before to a semi-covered position near the GMVs. He quickly cross loaded the wounded personnel and prepared to move to a more secure location. Throughout this period he remained exposed and outside the protection of the GMVs in order to provide effective covering fires as the rest of the element mounted the vehicles. With elements of both SFODAs mounted on the trucks, there was no open seat for Sergeant Fiesel. Without hesitation and despite receiving accurate mortar fire, he immediately ordered the vehicles to begin moving out of the enemy engagement area. Using the GMVs for cover and engaging enemy personnel with his M4 carbine as he ran, they reached a covered and concealed position and prepared to establish a Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) to evacuate the dead and wounded. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Special Operations Task Force – 32, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan, Special Operations Central Command, and the United States Army.