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 Sergeant First Class Keith A. Morges, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous achievement on 26 October 2010 as a platoon sergeant for a joint task force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. During this period, Sergeant First Class Morges maneuvered on a determined enemy force through heavy enemy fire to reinforce the Western blocking position. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Sergeant First Class Morges exposed himself to machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire in order to suppress an overwhelming enemy force. Sergeant First Class Morges was the last individual to leave the blocking position and continually provided suppressive fire on the enemy until the platoon had maneuvered to cover. Through his distinctive accomplishments, Sergeant First Class Morges reflected great credit upon himself, this command and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Sergeant First Class Keith A. Morges distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous achievement on October 26, 2010 while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, while serving as a Ranger Platoon Sergeant. On October 26, 2010, the task force received intelligence indicating that a high value individual was located in a small village. Information throughout the day indicated that armed Taliban fighters were moving in and around the target compound with aircraft flying in the area were routinely engaged with small arms and rocket propelled grenades. The Ranger platoon began receiving effective fire from an enemy machine gun position to the East of the HLZ. The platoon inserted and moved to contain and isolate the target compound to the North and South. Enemy personnel were reported moving towards their location and the Platoon started taking harassing fire from multiple directions. Once the platoon entered and cleared the target compound, they began receiving effective machine gun and small arms fire from the West and Southwest. Sergeant First Class Morges immediately left the target compound and maneuvered to the West side of the target to reinforce the blocking position one. Under effective enemy machine gun and small arms fire, Sergeant First Class Morges bounded forward approximately 25 meters with little cover while simultaneously suppressing the enemy positions. Once online with Staff Sergeant M’s position on the south side of the road, Sergeant First Class Morges moved out of a covered position multiple times in order to engage the enemy threats up the road to the Northwest and to targets for the other members of the blocking position. Sergeant First Class Morges identified two enemy personnel less than 75 meters up the road to the Northwest firing at the blocking position and immediately suppressed the enemy with his M-4. Moments later, Sergeant First Class Morges observed another enemy combatant with a machine gun jumped into the ditch running on the North side of the road approximately 60 meters away. Sergeant First Class Morges fired around 15 rounds at the machine gun position and immediately maneuvered Staff Sergeant V up to his position to engage the enemy position with his M-320. While receiving bursts of machine gun fire, Sergeant First Class Morges continued to suppress the position allowing Staff Sergeant V to move up and effectively eliminate the enemy machine gunner. Directly after this engagement, enemy combatants 50 meters away on the Southern side of the road began firing over the wall at the blocking position. Sergeant First Class Morges immediately began suppressing known and suspected enemy positions along the southern wall and thus mitigating the threat. After receiving continual enemy contact from the South and the West for the next 40 minutes, Sergeant First Class Morges relentlessly engaged the multiple enemy positions and coordinated for an ammo resupply for the blocking position. After a short lull in the action, the enemy fired several RPGs accurately on the blocking position and wounded two Rangers. Sergeant First Class Morges quickly orchestrated a plan to break contact under fire and move the casualties back to safety. While the blocking position broke down and moved back to safety, Sergeant First Class Morges continually suppressed the enemy positions. It was only when everyone else was safely behind cover along the Eastern wall of the target compound, did Sergeant First Class Morges finally break down and moved back to their position. Sergeant First Class Morges maneuvered the blocking position to the North and helped establish the EXFIL HLZ. Once set in pick-up zone posture, Sergeant First Class Morges continued to pull security to the Southwestern wood line less than 100 meters to the South. When the helicopters landed to pick up the platoon, they began receiving heavy enemy fire from the Southern wood line. In an effort to provide covering fire for his platoon loading the helicopters, Sergeant First Class Morges remained in the open while taking enemy fire in order to suppress the enemy positions. Throughout the mission, Sergeant First Class Morges’ courage under fire and disregard for his own safety undoubtedly saved the lives of several members of the Platoon and were instrumental to the successful execution of the mission. Through his distinctive accomplishments, Sergeant First Class Morges’ actions and leadership reflect great credit upon him, his unit, and the United States Army.