Michael Perozeni, shouldered much of the blame for the ambush until it was revealed that he asked not to continue the mission after the helicopter assault force they were supporting unexpectedly pulled out due to weather issues, according to the redacted investigation. Niger: August 2017 October 2017 First Class Jeremiah Johnson posthumously received the Bronze Star with Valor. "During the movement, enemy small-arms fire hit Staff Sgt. The plan the team submitted did not accurately describe the mission's intention, describing it as civil/military reconnaissance instead of the actual purpose which was to locate and capture or if necessary kill the ISGS sub-commander. [91] On CNN, Wilson said, "This might wind up to be Mr. Trump's Benghazi". He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class and received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor. Black, 35, served as a Special Forces medical sergeant, also known as an 18D. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Ga. All four were killed in Niger, when a joint patrol of American and Niger forces was ambushed on Oct. 4, 2017, by militants believed linked to the Islamic State group. They were buried in the Muslim Cemetery of Niamey on 7 October. Questions persist concerning an ambush in which four U.S. Army special forces were killed Oct. 4 in the West African country of Niger. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. In the day preceding the ambush, the Nigerien and US soldiers conducted a mission attempting to locate and capture or kill Doundou Chefou, a commander in the ISGS. [70] In January 2014, Johnson enlisted in the US Army as a wheeled vehicle mechanic (91B). Staff Sgt. [53] Two French Super Puma helicopters were brought in from Mali to evacuate the injured Nigeriens and Americans, while Berry Aviation, an independent contractor, evacuated the bodies of the fallen US soldiers. But I am honored that they finally decided to upgrade him.. Through the night of the 4th, the team made their movement north and reached the objective officials referred to as "objective north" at sunrise. Wright earned the Special Forces Tab. [78], On 5 October, President Mahamadou Issoufou condemned the ambush and called for a moment of silence "to the memory of our soldiers who have fallen on the field of honour" and to the memory of "all victims of terrorism". The Tongo Tongo ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, when armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) attacked Nigerien and U.S. soldiers near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, while they were returning to base from a mission. The team circled the area and recovered the injured team leader. Soon after leaving Tongo Tongo, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Niamey, Niger's capital, they were ambushed by Islamic State-linked militants carrying small arms and machine guns. Army Good Conduct Medal (two awards) [134], Six medals were awarded to Nigerien soldiers. La . Johnson acknowledged the order and attempted to get behind the wheel, but heavy fire drove him back. Army Good Conduct Medal [69] When Johnson was a Walmart employee in Miami, people in his community knew him as a local stunt rider and was called the "Wheelie King". Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; Sgt. During this manoeuvre, Sergeant LaDavid Johnson and two Nigerien soldiers became separated from the rest of his team. ", Staff Sgts. Certificate of Achievement (two awards) Army Service Ribbon Simultaneously, Black was slightly ahead of the SUV and was hit by small arms fire, killing him instantly. The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide a lethal Joint Force to defend the security of our country and sustain American influence abroad. [52][50][53][13] Even though there was now air support, the French pilots could not engage because they could not readily identify enemy forces in the firefight. The native of Puyallup, Washington, enlisted in the Army in October 2009, according to a statement from U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Ranger Tab Combat Infantryman Badge [62], Black's funeral was held in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on 18 October 2017. [91], On 18 October, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared that Wilson had willfully mischaracterized the spirit of the conversation. Operational Detachment Alpha Team 3212, also known as "Team Ouallam" for their base in Niger, had just left the village of Tongo Tongo near the Mali border on the morning of Oct. 4 in a convoy of seven unarmored pickups. [138], On 4 October 2019, the United States offered a $5 million bounty on Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi under the Rewards for Justice program. [38], At 10:30 am (local time), 4 October, the convoy stopped at the village of Tongo Tongo so that partner Nigeriens could eat breakfast and get water. [66] After graduating high school, Johnson owned and operated a business until he enlisted in the US Army as a CBRN specialist in October 2007. "They were last seen by team members actively engaging the enemy from defensive positions near their vehicle and preparing to withdraw with the rest of the team," the summary said. [118] Laura Seay, an assistant professor of government at Colby College, shared French's view in an article on Slate. It was shot near Tongo Tongo in Niger last October and shows Isis militants in pickups en route to the attack. Niger Cross of Valor with Star Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson (mayor) (1766-1852), mayor of Brooklyn, New York. At 1522 on 6 October 2017, the Nigeriens transferred the remains of SGT L. Johnson to U.S. custody. La David Johnson's body was not recovered until 48 hours after the firefight. Debra Gannon's son, Sgt. I still would like to have somebody get up and apologize and tell everybody that [the team] didnt go rogue and they damn well performed above and beyond what they had to do, Gannon told Army Times. [119], On 20 October, Jason Ditz wrote an article for The American Conservative saying, "Niger provides a terrifying reminder of how far we are from being an informed American public that serves as a check and balance on what our military is doing in our name. Roughly two hours after the ambush began, the first sign of air support arrived. The mothers of two of the four soldiers killed in a 2017 ambush in Niger say recently discovered video from the battle is more proof that their sons' valor awards should be reevaluated. The graphic footage was recorded on the helmet cameras of Staff Sgt. The former was aboard Air Force One, having left Las Vegas after visiting victims and first responders affected by a recent mass shooting. It has a total of valor award citations. [69], Dustin Michael Wright (19882017) of Lyons, Georgia, was born in Toombs County, Georgia, to Arnold Wright and Terri Criscio. La David Johnson (left) and Sgt. The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, when armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) attacked Nigerien and US soldiers outside the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, while they were returning to base after a stop in the village. Jeremiah Johnson, and Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, Sgt. [54] Nevertheless, the presence of the fighter jets brought the engagement to an end. As the enemy pressed in, La David Johnson and the two Nigerien soldiers began pulling back on foot to the west. Combat Action Badge, Rank: Staff sergeant (E-6), effective March 2016, MOS/Branch: Special Forces medical sergeant (18D), Dates of Service: October 2009 October 2017, Deployments: Purple Heart Officials at the Pentagon refused to provide further details on the incident during a televised briefing on Thursday, citing ongoing operations and force protection issues. 1st Class Jeremiah . Both were killed on Oct. 4, 2017 in Niger. Sergeant First Class Jeremiah W. Johnson of Springboro, Ohio, was killed while conducting a reconnaissance patrol near Tongo Tongo, Niger, on 4 October 2017. Niger is a hotbed of Islamist insurgent groups to include al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, and Boko Haram. The documentary shows what happened as the unit was caught in a surprise ISIS attack in outside the Saharan village of Tongo Tongo. [57] His body was nearly 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) away from the scene of the ambush. Staff Sgt. [76], Goub Mahamadou Issaka was a NCO-cadet of the Gendarmerie.[77]. The version shown to defense reporters was 10 minutes long, compared to the 22-minute version shown to members of Congress. Jeremiah Johnson, Sgt. [107], On 10 May 2018, the US Department of Defense released an unclassified executive summary of the DoD's investigation and gave a briefing on the outcome of the department's investigation. [13] Jeremiah W. Johnson, Sgt . Niger: June 2016 October 2016, Awards: [88], On 17 October, during a press conference, Trump was asked about his silence by a reporter and commented on the incident. Jeremiah Johnson, Sergeant Wright and Sergeant Black were in the black S.U.V. The last moments of SSG Jeremiah Johnson was brutal. Believing he had successfully reentered his vehicle, the other vehicles had left the area. After the meeting, Mattis told reporters, "We can do better at communication". Adjutant Chef Bagu Soumana and Soldier 2nd Class Abdoul Rachid Yarima were posthumously awarded, while four surviving soldiers received their awards in an October 2019 ceremony in Niamey. [33] OCHA also said that seven districts in the two regions had been under a state of emergency since March 2017, and the government renewed the measure for an additional three months on 18 September. The 9 minute, 15 second video appears to be shot from multiple helmet . Two Army Green Berets, Staff Sgt. [20], On 17 May 2018, the US Department of Defense released a 23 minute video[108] showing a digital recreation of the ambush. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. [40] The US soldiers were divided in two groups: one that would stay back and guard the vehicles and another that would attend the meeting. As of October 2022, Jeremiah John was awarded the Silver Star. Helene Cooper, Thomas Gibbons-Neff & Eric Schmitt, Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Defense Department briefing with Pentagon spokesperson Dana White and Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, 12 October 2017, Statements by US Secretary of Defense James Mattis regarding the 4 Oct. incident in Niger, 19 October 2017, Defense Department briefing with Dana White and Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, 19 October 2017, Operation Enduring Freedom Trans Sahara, "An Operation in Niger Went Fatally Awry. [54], In December 2017, Major General Mark Hicks, the commander of Special Operations Command, Africa (SOCAFRICA), wrote a letter to the Special Operations Forces that read, "To reinforce and clarify guidance going forward I would like to emphasize that we must reduce our risk exposure and build trust in our ability to exercise sound judgment and disciplined planning and execution". 15 second video appears to be shot from multiple helmet cameras on the US soldiers who died on October 4 in Tongo Tongo, Niger in an ambush by 50 ISIS militants. First Class Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. [61] While in school, Black learned to play chess and, by the sixth grade, had earned a national ranking. On October 4, 2017, four U.S. soldiers from the Africa Command were ambushed and killed during a mission near Tongo Tongo, Niger. Dustin Wright, who were all killed in the fight . [63], Jeremiah Wayne "JW" Johnson (19772017) of Springboro, Ohio, was born in New Bern, North Carolina, to J.W. Find 91 people named Jeremiah Johnson along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok search on PeekYou - true people search. Bryan Black, 35, and an Army support enabler, Staff Sgt. They made several attempts to break out of the kill zone but had to retreat to a final defensive position. Tongo Tongo ambush. La David Johnson and 3 fellow soldiers killed in Niger", "Miami stunt rider known as the 'Wheelie King', "For soldier killed in Niger, making life better every day in the world was his mission", "U.S. Army Sgt. [84] On 30 November, the government of Niger gave the US permission to fly armed drones out of Niamey. The battle of Tongo Tongo was over, and the search for four fallen members of Team Ouallam would begin. Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal The country is also host to a small U.S. drone base that operates surveillance and intelligence drones. 1st Class Jeremiah W. Johnson (right) became honorary Green Berets. [67], His funeral was held at a church in Cooper City, Florida, on 21 October 2017. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, and Staff Sgt. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Johnsons mother said a new building at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is also being built for 3rd Special Forces Group the unit her son was assigned and that will be dedicated to him as Johnson Hall.
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