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 Michael D. Lindsay, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy on 10 September 2007, under intense enemy fire while serving as Detachment Communications Sergeant, Operational Detachment Alpha 083 (ODA-083), 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Samarra, Iraq, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Sergeant First Class Lindsay’s heroic actions during combat operations resulted in his Detachment decisively defeating a prepared and determined enemy. His bravery in the face of the enemy, skill at arms, and aggressive assault of prepared enemy defenses saved lives and enabled the Special Forces Operational Detachment–Alpha to defeat a prepared and determined enemy. Sergeant First Class Lindsay’s performance is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Sergeant First Class Michael D. Lindsay distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against enemy forces, in Samarra, Iraq, on 10 September 2007, while serving as the Detachment Communications Sergeant for Operational Detachment – Alpha 083. While combat advising an Iraqi National Police assault element during Operation CHROMIUM, an intelligence driven, air assault raid to capture a high value Islamic State of Iraq terrorist in the Samarra area, Sergeant First Class Lindsay acted with the utmost bravery and valor to eliminate a heavily armed and entrenched insurgent stronghold. His combined assault force was inserted onto an unplanned landing zone less than 30 meters from an enemy position. The enemy, alerted by the incoming aircraft, started to maneuver by fire to defend their position against the oncoming assault. Sergeant First Class Lindsay assessed the situation and immediately realized that his Iraqi assault force was seriously disoriented as a result of brownout conditions caused by the rotor wash of the aircraft. Disregarding his own safety, Sergeant First Class Lindsay courageously exposed himself to enemy automatic weapons fire as he directed his Iraqi counterparts towards an initial structure on the objective. As the insurgents increased their volume of fire, Sergeant First Class Lindsey remained composed, continuing to combat advise the force as he received direct automatic weapons fire from the primary target building south of his position. Identifying an enemy firing from a covered and concealed position, Sergeant First Class Lindsey aggressively assaulted, neutralizing an imminent threat to the maneuvering assault force. He then instinctively acquired and effectively neutralized an enemy insurgent before the insurgent was able to bring effective fire on the U.S. Special Operators and their Iraqi partners. Sergeant First Class Lindsay remained cool under fire, advising the point man to initiate the entry into the target building with a fragmentary grenade while receiving withering small arms fire from within. Sergeant First Class Lindsay assaulted directly into the breach and entered a room full of armed enemy fighters. While acquiring targets through the dark and dust filled room, Sergeant First Class Lindsay was shot through the throat but relentlessly continued to engage the enemy in close quarters battle, killing an enemy firing at the assault force. At great risk, Sergeant First Class Lindsay continued to engage numerous insurgents within the target house, ensuring his team’s ability to clear the objective. While he was decisively engaged, an enemy grenade exploded directly in front of Sergeant First Class Lindsay, striking him in the lower abdomen with shrapnel and propelling him back through the open doorway into the line of fire of another enemy position to the east of the main building. Although seriously wounded and stunned by the concussion of the grenade blast, Sergeant First Class Lindsay continued to courageously engage the enemy until the direct fire threat was eliminated. His valor enabled a fellow detachment member to maneuver to his position and carry two other wounded teammates to the casualty collection point, saving their lives. Sergeant First Class Lindsay demonstrated unparalleled valor in the face of a determined enemy and contributed to the killing of a total of eleven enemy fighters and the subsequent capture of four suspected insurgents. His heroic actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of gallantry and intrepidity, which reflect great credit upon himself, the Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.