thedrifter
04-28-05, 04:28 AM
04-26-2005
Courage at Mazar-e-Sharif
Seventh in a series
By Matthew Dodd
As a career Marine officer, I have had many opportunities to serve with and around my Navy counterparts. However, there is a group of elite Navy warriors with whom I have had very little personal interaction and for whom I have a great deal of respect: SEALs.
Before I share with you the battlefield exploits of a recent SEAL Navy Cross hero, let me share with you some passages from an outstanding book by Jeff and Jon Cannon, Leadership Lessons of the Navy SEALs, that do a very good job of describing the SEAL reputation as I know it:
“Professionalism has been a SEAL theme since the first two SEAL teams were formed in 1962. That was when President Kennedy recognized the need for commando shock troops that could counter the growing number of insurrections, guerilla movements, and terrorist organizations in the world .… Despite their Navy lineage, SEALs are as proficient on land as they are in water and in the air, something that is frequently overlooked. They parachute and conduct ambush and sniper operations. They train as heavily in land navigation and land warfare as they do in water operations …. SEALs have a wide range of missions, but each emphasizes technical expertise, organizational integrity, strong but customized leadership, and superb physical conditioning. Loyalty is king.”
“Inherent in the SEAL mission is the capability to cause overwhelming devastation as well as the ability to move and withdraw clandestinely .… SEALs are the descendants of the underwater demolitions experts and Navy raiders who crept ashore to sever telephone cables and train lines in World War II, or swam into the shallows off Normandy and Okinawa to clear out mines and anti-landing craft traps. In Vietnam, they melted in and out of the jungle, riverbanks, and rice paddies, earning the name, ‘men with green faces’ from the Vietnamese. In Grenada and Panama and Bosnia and Somalia and Afghanistan, they were quietly among the first to arrive in the country. They are among the most highly decorated military units in existence despite their small numbers. Every day for the last few decades, in fact, they have been operating somewhere around the world, avoiding the media and accomplishing their missions.”
One result has been the frustration that came when I tried to locate information on the first two Navy Crosses awarded to “news media-clandestine” SEALs for their actions in Afghanistan. The same can be said for another Navy Cross recipient, a SEAL named Stephen Bass, for his heroism in Afghanistan in 2001. The award citation reads:
“The Navy Cross is awarded to Chief Boatswain's Mate Stephen Bass, United States Navy (SEAL), for extraordinary heroism while serving with the British Special Boat Service during combat operations in Northern Afghanistan on 25 and 26 November 2001. Chief Petty Officer [CPO] Bass deployed to the area as a member of a Joint American and British Special Forces Rescue Team to locate and recover two missing American citizens, one presumed to be seriously injured or dead, after hard-line Al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at the Quala-I-Jangi fortress in Mazar-e-Sharif overpowered them and gained access to large quantities of arms and ammunition stored at the fortress.”
Right away, this citation told me that Chief Bass’ mission was special, and could have only been considered feasible for special warriors. This kind of mission took the “you will not be left behind, and you do not leave others behind” warrior ethic and raised it to a whole new level. Being assigned to a joint team for a complex and dangerous mission means that Bass was not only a very talented individual, but he was also a proven team player who could translate his individual talents into team capabilities that would complement the other team members’ talents. The citation continues:
“Once inside [the fortress], Chief Petty Officer Bass was engaged continuously by direct small arms fire, indirect mortar fire and rocket propelled grenade fire. He was forced to walk through an active anti-personnel minefield in order to gain entry to the fortress.”
Bass had his mission, and he was determined to accomplish it. I imagine many others may have given up after being the constant target of enemy direct and indirect fires. I believe it was his own personal courage and fierce team loyalty that ultimately “forced” him to walk through that anti-personnel minefield where one careless move probably would have cost him his life. Imagine what any organization could do if it had leaders and subordinates who had the same commitment and dedication to mission accomplishment as Bass.
“After establishing the possible location of both American citizens, under heavy fire and without concern for his own personal safety, he made two attempts to rescue the uninjured citizen by crawling toward the fortress interior to reach him. Forced to withdraw due to large volumes of fire falling on his position, he was undeterred. After reporting his efforts to the remaining members of the rescue team, they left and attempted to locate the missing citizen on the outside of the fortress.”
Personal initiative under dire circumstances, selfless sacrifice for a fellow American in danger, and reporting back to the rest of his team so critical decisions could be made, Bass set a great example for all to follow.
“As darkness began to fall, no attempt was going to be made to locate the other injured American citizen. Chief Petty Officer Bass then took matters into his own hands. Without regard for his own personal safety, he moved forward another 300-400 meters into the heart of the fortress by himself under constant enemy fire in an attempt to locate the injured citizen. Running low on ammunition, he utilized weapons from deceased Afghans to continue his rescue attempt. Upon verifying the condition and location of the American citizen, he withdrew from the fortress.”
If I were lost or being held against my will, I would want someone like Chief Bass looking for me. Besides exercising his personal initiative once again, and risking his life to locate an injured comrade, Bass used his personal knowledge of enemy weapons to protect himself and continue with his mission. Of particular note was that despite the odds against him, Bass did not withdraw until he had accomplished his mission. The citation concludes:
“By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Chief Petty Officer Bass reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
If you believe that leaders lead by example, then Bass demonstrated that he is a powerful leader. This final sentence, besides summing up the qualities that made him a Navy Cross hero, contains many useful lessons for leaders and subordinates.
As with the six other Navy Cross heroes about whom I have written, CPO Bass’ actions were incredibly decisive. He did not hesitate to make life-and-death decisions under fire and he did not waver in his executing of those decisions. Even when a decision initially proved to be untenable, he made another critical decision to reverse his actions until conditions were more favorable.
Unlimited courage almost does not do justice to what Bass had during his mission. As part of a small, vastly outnumbered team, Bass was isolated and fighting against heavily armed former prisoners with nothing to lose (and probably martyr status to gain) if they died fighting against Bass and the rest of his team of “infidels.” To complete this potential nightmare scenario, the former prisoners were fighting from within a fortress on ground of their choosing. Such a perilous mission is not for the weak of heart.
As the saying goes, “If at first you do not succeed, try, try again.” Bass was devoted to his duties as part of his team, and his duties as an American fighting man. He tried and tried again until he accomplished his mission to help rescue a fellow American. At any point, he could have given up on his mission and probably nobody would have faulted him for his decision. Obstacles became opportunities for him to innovate and initiate, all in the call of duty.
After reading of Bass’ battlefield exploits, I gained a deeper appreciation for a quote from the legendary Civil War Confederate commander, General Robert E. Lee: “Duty is the most beautiful word in the English language.”
In recognizing these extraordinary actions against enemy forces, the U.S. Navy has strengthened its highest traditions by adding another name to its distinguished rolls of Navy Cross heroes, Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass.
Editor’s Note: To access earlier articles in this series by Matthew Dodd of heroism in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, see:
“The Angel of the Battlefield, (Sixth in a Series),” DefenseWatch, March 1, 2005;
“The Corpsman’s Valor (Fifth in a Series),” DefenseWatch, Sept. 2, 2004;
“The Hero of Nasiriyah (Fourth in a Series),” *DefenseWatch*, Aug. 6, 2004;
“Upholding the Highest Traditions (Third in a Series),” DefenseWatch, June 17, 2004;
“An NCO’s Exemplary Leadership (Second in a Series),” DefenseWatch, June 9, 2004;
“A Marine’s Marine, (First in a Series),” DefenseWatch, June 3, 2004.
Lt. Col. Matthew Dodd USMC is a Senior Editor of DefenseWatch. He can be reached at mattdodd1775@hotmail.com. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.
Ellie
Courage at Mazar-e-Sharif
Seventh in a series
By Matthew Dodd
As a career Marine officer, I have had many opportunities to serve with and around my Navy counterparts. However, there is a group of elite Navy warriors with whom I have had very little personal interaction and for whom I have a great deal of respect: SEALs.
Before I share with you the battlefield exploits of a recent SEAL Navy Cross hero, let me share with you some passages from an outstanding book by Jeff and Jon Cannon, Leadership Lessons of the Navy SEALs, that do a very good job of describing the SEAL reputation as I know it:
“Professionalism has been a SEAL theme since the first two SEAL teams were formed in 1962. That was when President Kennedy recognized the need for commando shock troops that could counter the growing number of insurrections, guerilla movements, and terrorist organizations in the world .… Despite their Navy lineage, SEALs are as proficient on land as they are in water and in the air, something that is frequently overlooked. They parachute and conduct ambush and sniper operations. They train as heavily in land navigation and land warfare as they do in water operations …. SEALs have a wide range of missions, but each emphasizes technical expertise, organizational integrity, strong but customized leadership, and superb physical conditioning. Loyalty is king.”
“Inherent in the SEAL mission is the capability to cause overwhelming devastation as well as the ability to move and withdraw clandestinely .… SEALs are the descendants of the underwater demolitions experts and Navy raiders who crept ashore to sever telephone cables and train lines in World War II, or swam into the shallows off Normandy and Okinawa to clear out mines and anti-landing craft traps. In Vietnam, they melted in and out of the jungle, riverbanks, and rice paddies, earning the name, ‘men with green faces’ from the Vietnamese. In Grenada and Panama and Bosnia and Somalia and Afghanistan, they were quietly among the first to arrive in the country. They are among the most highly decorated military units in existence despite their small numbers. Every day for the last few decades, in fact, they have been operating somewhere around the world, avoiding the media and accomplishing their missions.”
One result has been the frustration that came when I tried to locate information on the first two Navy Crosses awarded to “news media-clandestine” SEALs for their actions in Afghanistan. The same can be said for another Navy Cross recipient, a SEAL named Stephen Bass, for his heroism in Afghanistan in 2001. The award citation reads:
“The Navy Cross is awarded to Chief Boatswain's Mate Stephen Bass, United States Navy (SEAL), for extraordinary heroism while serving with the British Special Boat Service during combat operations in Northern Afghanistan on 25 and 26 November 2001. Chief Petty Officer [CPO] Bass deployed to the area as a member of a Joint American and British Special Forces Rescue Team to locate and recover two missing American citizens, one presumed to be seriously injured or dead, after hard-line Al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at the Quala-I-Jangi fortress in Mazar-e-Sharif overpowered them and gained access to large quantities of arms and ammunition stored at the fortress.”
Right away, this citation told me that Chief Bass’ mission was special, and could have only been considered feasible for special warriors. This kind of mission took the “you will not be left behind, and you do not leave others behind” warrior ethic and raised it to a whole new level. Being assigned to a joint team for a complex and dangerous mission means that Bass was not only a very talented individual, but he was also a proven team player who could translate his individual talents into team capabilities that would complement the other team members’ talents. The citation continues:
“Once inside [the fortress], Chief Petty Officer Bass was engaged continuously by direct small arms fire, indirect mortar fire and rocket propelled grenade fire. He was forced to walk through an active anti-personnel minefield in order to gain entry to the fortress.”
Bass had his mission, and he was determined to accomplish it. I imagine many others may have given up after being the constant target of enemy direct and indirect fires. I believe it was his own personal courage and fierce team loyalty that ultimately “forced” him to walk through that anti-personnel minefield where one careless move probably would have cost him his life. Imagine what any organization could do if it had leaders and subordinates who had the same commitment and dedication to mission accomplishment as Bass.
“After establishing the possible location of both American citizens, under heavy fire and without concern for his own personal safety, he made two attempts to rescue the uninjured citizen by crawling toward the fortress interior to reach him. Forced to withdraw due to large volumes of fire falling on his position, he was undeterred. After reporting his efforts to the remaining members of the rescue team, they left and attempted to locate the missing citizen on the outside of the fortress.”
Personal initiative under dire circumstances, selfless sacrifice for a fellow American in danger, and reporting back to the rest of his team so critical decisions could be made, Bass set a great example for all to follow.
“As darkness began to fall, no attempt was going to be made to locate the other injured American citizen. Chief Petty Officer Bass then took matters into his own hands. Without regard for his own personal safety, he moved forward another 300-400 meters into the heart of the fortress by himself under constant enemy fire in an attempt to locate the injured citizen. Running low on ammunition, he utilized weapons from deceased Afghans to continue his rescue attempt. Upon verifying the condition and location of the American citizen, he withdrew from the fortress.”
If I were lost or being held against my will, I would want someone like Chief Bass looking for me. Besides exercising his personal initiative once again, and risking his life to locate an injured comrade, Bass used his personal knowledge of enemy weapons to protect himself and continue with his mission. Of particular note was that despite the odds against him, Bass did not withdraw until he had accomplished his mission. The citation concludes:
“By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Chief Petty Officer Bass reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
If you believe that leaders lead by example, then Bass demonstrated that he is a powerful leader. This final sentence, besides summing up the qualities that made him a Navy Cross hero, contains many useful lessons for leaders and subordinates.
As with the six other Navy Cross heroes about whom I have written, CPO Bass’ actions were incredibly decisive. He did not hesitate to make life-and-death decisions under fire and he did not waver in his executing of those decisions. Even when a decision initially proved to be untenable, he made another critical decision to reverse his actions until conditions were more favorable.
Unlimited courage almost does not do justice to what Bass had during his mission. As part of a small, vastly outnumbered team, Bass was isolated and fighting against heavily armed former prisoners with nothing to lose (and probably martyr status to gain) if they died fighting against Bass and the rest of his team of “infidels.” To complete this potential nightmare scenario, the former prisoners were fighting from within a fortress on ground of their choosing. Such a perilous mission is not for the weak of heart.
As the saying goes, “If at first you do not succeed, try, try again.” Bass was devoted to his duties as part of his team, and his duties as an American fighting man. He tried and tried again until he accomplished his mission to help rescue a fellow American. At any point, he could have given up on his mission and probably nobody would have faulted him for his decision. Obstacles became opportunities for him to innovate and initiate, all in the call of duty.
After reading of Bass’ battlefield exploits, I gained a deeper appreciation for a quote from the legendary Civil War Confederate commander, General Robert E. Lee: “Duty is the most beautiful word in the English language.”
In recognizing these extraordinary actions against enemy forces, the U.S. Navy has strengthened its highest traditions by adding another name to its distinguished rolls of Navy Cross heroes, Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass.
Editor’s Note: To access earlier articles in this series by Matthew Dodd of heroism in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, see:
“The Angel of the Battlefield, (Sixth in a Series),” DefenseWatch, March 1, 2005;
“The Corpsman’s Valor (Fifth in a Series),” DefenseWatch, Sept. 2, 2004;
“The Hero of Nasiriyah (Fourth in a Series),” *DefenseWatch*, Aug. 6, 2004;
“Upholding the Highest Traditions (Third in a Series),” DefenseWatch, June 17, 2004;
“An NCO’s Exemplary Leadership (Second in a Series),” DefenseWatch, June 9, 2004;
“A Marine’s Marine, (First in a Series),” DefenseWatch, June 3, 2004.
Lt. Col. Matthew Dodd USMC is a Senior Editor of DefenseWatch. He can be reached at mattdodd1775@hotmail.com. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.
Ellie