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 Captain (Infantry) Sean P. McQuade, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Combat Company, 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, during combat operations in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, on 22 April 2007, near Shudergay Village, Afghanistan. Captain McQuade’s outstanding leadership, personal bravery and selfless actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 10th Mountain Division, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Captain Sean P. McQuade distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Combat Company, 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, on 22 April 2007, near Shudergay Village, Afghanistan. On the morning of 22 April 2007, 2d Platoon, Combat Company was conducting a cordon and search of Shudergay village when the platoon became engaged by 30-40 enemy personnel. The enemy used 15 – 20 fighting positions and engaged the element for over 17 hours using AK-47s, PKMs, sniper rifles, RPKs and RPGs. The platoon initially took fire from an enemy OP approximately 200 meters west of the village. Captain McQuade ordered Sergeant Mayes to engage the enemy position with his 60-mm. mortars and personally moved forward under small arms fire to assess the situation. While moving forward a Soldier had a weapons malfunction; Captain McQuade moved next to the Soldier and provided covering fire so the Soldier could correct his malfunction. After the enemy OP was destroyed Captain McQuade ordered the Platoon to secure the village. While moving towards the first house the Platoon was again engaged by the enemy. Under enemy fire Captain McQuade moved forward for a quick assessment, radioed it to his Commander and requested CAS and moved his Platoon forward and cleared the village, occupying a house to use as a CP. Captain McQuade requested the scheduled resupply and as the helicopter was making its approach, the enemy opened fire on the helicopter and the patrol base, resulting in one helicopter crew member and ANA Soldier receiving gunshot wounds. Captain McQuade ordered his medic to attend to the wounded Soldier and left the house to get a better assessment as enemy rounds impacted in and around the CP. Captain McQuade realized that every one of his positions was receiving heavy enemy small arms fire. The enemy held the high ground and his entire element was pinned down, to include his CASEVAC element. Captain McQuade’s CP then began to receive heavy accurate small arms fire preventing his headquarters element from moving to a different location. Despite the enemy engaging his CP with accurate small arms and sniper fire that was piercing through the windows and ricocheting throughout the room, with complete disregard for his personal safety Captain McQuade positioned himself to gain better observation on the battlefield and called for fire from the 81-mm. and 120-mm. mortars and 155 artillery. Once the AH-64’s arrived he immediately began vectoring them in onto the enemy positions and destroying them. Due to Captain McQuade’s accurate calls for fire, the Apaches had to rearm six separate times to support his element. As the A-10’s arrived on station he directed the CAS onto the ridgeline where there were multiple bunkers, caves and fighting positions. Once again, despite heavy enemy fire, Captain McQuade quickly verified the location of all of his troops, and ordered the A-10 to drop ordnance on the enemy fighting positions. The fighting continued throughout the day. Around dusk the sniper, along with a heavy volume of small arms fire, began to accurately reengage the platoon. Captain McQuade then vectored a B-1 onto the new enemy targets. After dark an AC-l30 arrived, Captain McQuade identified enemy locations for the AC-l30 and with his Commander’s approval engaged the enemy positions and personnel that were attempting to exfil. Captain McQuade’s element soon gained fire superiority over the fleeting enemy forces. His ability to remain calm under fire and direct the CAS onto targets eliminated over 80 percent of the contact the platoon was taking during the 17-hour fight. Captain McQuade’s total disregard for his own personal safety, in order to suppress enemy fighting positions with the use of multiple CAS platforms, exemplifies what it means to be a combat leader. His valorous actions under intense enemy fire display his personal courage, his dedication to duty and his men. Captain McQuade’s actions were directly responsible for killing a key ACM Sub commander Habib Jan, whom Coalition Forces had been targeting for three years and had been responsible for multiple Coalition Force casualties. His actions also led to the destruction of Habib Jan’s ACM cell killing over 20 ACM fighters.