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 Michael E. Young, United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment on 27 April 2017 during combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States as Ranger Weapons Squad Leader for a Joint Task Force in support of Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL. Staff Sergeant Young and the rest of his Strike Force received intense and precise enemy fire simultaneously from multiple covered positions in all directions immediately upon a helicopter insertion to conduct a raid. Realizing the significant threat the enemy posed to his element, he aggressively exposed himself to direct fires to eliminate the enemy and protect the force. Staff Sergeant Young’s heroic actions while under effective enemy fire directly saved the lives of 22 Rangers and were instrumental in destroying multiple fortified enemy positions. Staff Sergeant Young’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 a mission to capture or kill a high value target, Staff Sergeant Young’s intrepid actions while under effective enemy fire directly saved the lives of 22 Rangers and were instrumental in destroying multiple fortified enemy positions and the deaths of multiple enemy combatants. Without regard for his own personal safety, Staff Sergeant Young placed himself in the middle of lethal enemy fire to direct a hasty defensive positions for a casualty collection point. Without direction or guidance, Staff Sergeant Young positioned himself on the highest and most deadly piece of terrain to obtain clear situational awareness, marked his position for the rest of the Strike Force, passed his friendly position and aggressively reported enemy locations to the Ground Force Commander (GFC) to facilitate fire missions in support of his defense while simultaneously controlling direct fire engagements against multiple enemy threats. Due to the significant enemy fire Staff Sergeant Young’s element was cut off from the rest of the Strike Force preventing his element from receiving assistance until the enemy was adequately suppressed with indirect fire. Staff Sergeant Young with complete disregard to his own safety continued to expose himself to lethal enemy fire to direct simultaneous danger close engagements with aerial delivered munitions that effectively suppressed multiple enemy fighting positions and set the conditions for MEDEVAC aircraft to safely insert and retrieve the two urgent surgical patients. Staff Sergeant Young’s extraordinary ability to maintain composure in a terrifyingly chaotic situation not only allowed himself to effectively control organic fires against the enemy, but also protected his force and set the conditions to secure a MEDEVAC HLZ for two urgent surgical casualties.