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 Thomas E. Case, United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States as a member of the 17th Air Support Operations Squadron, 18th Air Support Operations Group, in action near western Iraq, from 31 March 2003 to 5 April 2003. During this period, while serving as an Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller for Company B, 3d Ranger Battalion, his company began receiving heavy direct and effective small arms fire, ZPU-23s, rocket propelled grenades, mortar and artillery fire. Though the situation was bleak and the small force was in danger of being overrun, Sergeant Case reacted quickly. While engaging the enemy with his personal weapon, often within 30 meters of his position, he simultaneously directed air strikes. After three days of continuous firefight, they began receiving heavy and accurate artillery fire, over 300 rounds within eight hours. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Case exposed himself to this unrelenting attack to control close air support while fragments of concrete and shrapnel from the blasts punctured his rucksack and often knocked him to the ground. At one point he controlled fourteen aircraft simultaneously. Refusing to be relieved until the objective was secure, Sergeant Case was responsible for more than 300 enemy casualties and the destruction of 29 tanks, three heavy cargo trucks, nine S-60s, fourteen anti-aircraft pieces, nine 155-millimeter artillery, twenty-two 82-millimeter mortar, six 60-millimeter mortars, eight ammunition caches and ten enemy boats. His situational awareness, skill as a controller, and courage under fire were decisive in the battle and ensured mission success and the safety of 152 Rangers. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Case has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

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 a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star (Army Award) to Technical Sergeant Thomas E. Case, United States Air Force, for gallantry in action while serving with the 17th Air Support Operations Squadron, 18th Air Support Operations Group, from 16 July 2009 to 17 July 2009 during combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller for a Joint Task Force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. During this period, Sergeant Case’s professionalism and heroism under extreme danger enabled his Assault Force to complete its mission while under heavy fire from enemy combatants and prevented further friendly casualties. Technical Sergeant Case’s distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, this Command, the United States Air Force, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Master Sergeant Thomas Case, United States Air Force, heroically distinguished himself through gallantry as a tactical air control party in Afghanistan for a Classified Special Operations Task Force from 16 July 2009 to 17 July 2009. During one mission Sergeant Case and his platoon conducted a nighttime operation deep into the Khowst-Gardez Pass in order to capture or kill an enemy combatant and to destroy mountain camps utilized by insurgent forces in the area. Due to weight restrictions on the helicopters used to insert Sergeant Case’s platoon, his platoon was inserted approximately 30 minutes after the lead platoon’s insertion. With the helicopter landing zone at eight thousand five hundred feet mean sea level, they began an arduous five kilometer foot movement towards the target area located at eight thousand eight hundred forty two feet mean sea level. As the platoon maneuvered to the target area, Sergeant Case maintained control of the aircraft supporting this operation. He utilized an AC-130 gunship and manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to maintain senor coverage of the target area as well as the infiltration route. After moving nearly one thousand feet up mountainous terrain, Sergeant Case realized they were off their planned route and notified his ground force commander in order to get the assault force moving in the right direction. At that time the platoon came into decisive contact with an enemy machine gun position approximately fifteen meters away and perched above them in the high ground. Pinned down in the center of the platoon’s formation, Sergeant Case recognized they needed to employ close air support. With machine guns rounds impacting the ground and trees within two feet of him, Sergeant Case remained exposed to enemy fire so he could locate the enemy position. Unfortunately, the wires on his radio were seriously damaged making it nearly impossible for him to communicate with their supporting aircraft. After identifying and troubleshooting the problem, Sergeant Case was able to hold the wires together and request immediate close air support from the gunship. With the gunship in an offset orbit for noise mitigation and needing approximately two minutes to reposition in order to support, Sergeant Case requested an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance update from the aircraft supporting overhead. After he was told the enemy was approximately fifteen meters away, Sergeant Case stood up while under enemy fire in order to take charge of five support personnel attached to the platoon. With enemy gunfire continuing to impact within feet of his position and whizzing by his head, he laid down suppressive fire with his M4 rifle and expertly directed the five enablers to move behind cover. Afterwards, Sergeant Case briefed his close air support plan to the ground force commander and then employed his damaged radio to call for danger close AC-130 engagement on the enemy position. Due to the extreme close proximity of friendly forces to the enemy, and with bullets still hitting within feet of his position, he again willingly stood up while under fire in order to make sure the rounds from the AC-130 hit the correct target area. After the second danger close mission Sergeant Case saw two enemy fighters, armed with AK-47s, bounding down the hill and shooting at him and the ground force commander. As they closed within fifteen meters of their position, Sergeant Case literally placed himself between the enemy personnel and the ground force commander in order to protect him from their gunfire. Employing his M-4 rifle and directing the ground force commander to take cover, he then killed both insurgents, both of whom turned out to be highly trained foreign fighters. As the fighting continued, the enemy repositioned to even higher terrain and began to throw hand grenades down the mountain slope. One grenade exploded approximately ten meters from his position, damaging his helmet and wounding two rangers. After directing six more danger close engagements, Sergeant Case realized that he needed to link up with the lead element in order to have his eyes on the entrenched enemy position and to continue pushing the enemy back. With the dust and haze from the airstrikes bring visibility to near zero, he climbed fifty meters up a sixty degree embankment to reach the fire team leader, all while under enemy fire. Once there, he rendezvoused with the lead fire team, quickly fixed his radio, and directed four AC-130 air strikes on three enemy personnel that were approximately one hundred meter away. Shortly afterward, he and the lead element engaged two enemy personnel who flanked their position within seven meters. With the enemy located in the trees, Sergeant Case threw a grenade into their position and then followed up with his m-4 rifle to assure both insurgents were dead. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Case has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.