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 Trevor D. Tow, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 18 August 2010, against an armed enemy of the United States, while serving as a Ranger Squad Leader. When his squad took two casualties during and ambush by three enemy personnel from an elevated, fortified fighting position less than ten feet away, Staff Sergeant Trevor D. Tow with total disregard for his own safety stepped out into the open to suppress the enemy and allowed his squad to pull the injured squad members to safety. Staff Sergeant Tow continued to engage the enemy from an uncovered position despite taking cyclic AK-47 fire and blasts from fragmentation grenades. Staff Sergeant Trevor D. Tow eliminated two of the three enemy combatants with well placed shots. Through his distinctive accomplishments, Staff Sergeant Trevor D. Tow reflected great credit upon himself, the United States Army and the Department of Defense.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Staff Sergeant Trevor D. Tow distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous achievement as a Ranger Squad Leader on August 18, 2010, while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Staff Sergeant Tow’s valorous actions under effective fire allowed his teammates to pull a wounded squad member to safety and saved the lives of his fellow Rangers. While executing a combat operation, 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company had cleared two compounds in an enemy controlled village and was proceeding to a third enemy compound. The platoon maneuvered on to the objective, Staff. Sergeant Tow led 2nd Squad to the second floor by an exterior staircase of the building. The second floor was a partially opened balcony, while the rest of the floor was an enclosed hard structure with multiple breach points. Staff Sergeant Tow led his men to clear the first room on the northern side of the second floor. Once cleared, the squad moved back out onto the open balcony. The squad moved to clear the next room on the southern side of the floor when an enemy insurgent from the roof top dropped two fragmentary grenades and fired 20 to 30 rounds from an AK-47 at a cyclic rate down on the squad. Taking immediate action, Staff Sergeant Tow returned fire on the enemy position and directed his squad members to do the same. During the initial contact, Specialist Christopher Wright was struck by multiple AK-47 rounds. Seeing his wounded squad member unable to defend himself due to his wounds, Staff Sergeant Tow, with total disregard for his own safety moved alone, farther out into the open to suppress the enemy. The enemy personnel that Staff Sergeant Tow was engaging ceased their attack and sough temporary cover. Staff Sergeant Tow reloaded his M-4 and gave directions to his squad. He remained in the open providing security on the roof and moved back towards the north where the squad had cleared the first room. From this location, he had a vantage point of the western and northern walls of the rooftop. As he was instructing his men to move Specialist Wright back to the northern most room, another enemy appeared on the roof just above the squad and engaged them. Staff Sergeant Tow, seeing the imminent threat to his men pulling the casualty, switched on his tactical light in an effort to distract the enemy and draw attention to himself. Standing his ground in the open with only 10 feet between him and an elevated, fortified enemy, he engaged once again with his M-4. Staff Sergeant Tow began exchanging fire at a cyclic rate with the insurgent. With the attention of the enemy now focused solely on Staff Sergeant Tow, the squad began pulling Specialist Wright towards the safety of the room. At this point, the second insurgent appeared and immediately engaged Staff Sergeant Tow with an AK-47. The rounds from both insurgents flew by Staff Sergeant Tow’s head, body and feet. As rounds impacted on the ground around him, Staff Sergeant Tow continued to stand in the open by himself and exchange fire with the enemy. This gave his squad the ability to pull Specialist Wright 10 feet around the northern corner to safety. With a heavy volume of fire now directed at Staff Sergeant Tow, another Ranger moved out into the open to assist in the fight. Staff Sergeant Tow killed the first insurgent, and then both Staff Sergeant Tow and his fellow Ranger concentrated their fires on the second enemy combatant, eliminating him immediately. With the threat eliminated, the Ranger moved back across the open area to the cleared room where Specialist Wright was now located and receiving first aid. Staff Sergeant Tow remained in the open, providing security on the roof top when he spotted a third insurgent moving from the southern end of the roof towards his position. The insurgent threw three fragmentation grenades over the side of the roof down onto Staff Sergeant Tow’s position. With grenades landing as close as 10 feet away and still without cover, Staff Sergeant Tow remained in place and engaged the insurgent with his M-4. The insurgent quickly sought cover behind a five foot wall and engaged Staff Sergeant Tow with an AK-47 through a port hole. The exchange continued until the insurgent exposed the top of his head, allowing Staff Sergeant Tow to eliminate him with precise shots. Staff Sergeant Trevor D. Tow’s gallantry under fire, technical and tactical proficiency, and decisiveness were critical to saving the lives of his fellow Rangers; Staff Sergeant Trevor D. Tow’s distinctive accomplishments reflect great credit upon himself, the 75th Ranger Regiment, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.