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View Full Version : U.S. Distinguished Service Cross Jarion Halbisengibbs



bobdina
07-18-2009, 02:54 PM
Jarion Halbisengibbs
Home of record: Peterboro, N.H.


Jarion Halbisengibbs is an avid martial artist, earning his first-degree Black Belt from the International Tae Kwon Do Federation in August of 2002.

Awards and Citations

1.
Distinguished Service Cross

Awarded for actions during the Global War on Terror

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Staff Sergeant Jarion Halbisengibbs, United States Army, extraordinary heroism in action on 10 September 2007 in combat operations in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM. As the Detachment weapon sergeant, Operational Detachment Alpha 083 (ODA-083), 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs displayed extraordinary courage under fire while combat-advising a combined assault element of the Iraqi National Police during Operation Chromium, a raid to capture Al Qaeda in Iraq's Minister of Defense for Ad Din Province in Samarra. Through his fearless actions, Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs directly saved the lives of two of his fellow Soldiers, personally killed six of the eleven enemies Killed in Action, enabled the rescue of one hostage, and ensured the elimination of a terrorist responsible for kidnappings and murders throughout the Samarra region. His unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership and personal sacrifice were directly responsible for the operations success and ensured the province of Ad Din did not fall into insurgent hands. Staff Sergeant Jarion Halbisengibbs' outstanding performance of duty is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and the United States Army. NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD: For exceptional gallantry under intense enemy fire as the Detachment Weapons Sergeant of Special Forces Operational Detachment - Alpha 083, Advanced Operating Base 080, on 10 September 2007. Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs, while combat advising a combined assault element of Iraqi National Police during Operation CHROMIUM, an intelligence driven raid to capture a High Value Islamic State of Iraq terrorist in the Samarra area, acted with the utmost bravery and valor through exemplary violence of action to eliminate a heavily armed and entrenched enemy stronghold. Upon air infiltration into an unplanned landing zone, Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs immediately redirected the disoriented Iraqi assault force towards the objective in total brownout conditions. His quick thinking and ability to refocus the confused assault element ensured that the enemy could not effectively reposition itself and engage the support element maneuvering to his flank. Upon clearing the first structure, the assault element immediately came under enemy machine gun fire causing a dangerous pause in the momentum of the Iraqi National Police. Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs instantly identified the immediate threat and killed an enemy defending from inside the doorway of the targeted building. He then proceeded to regain the momentum by personally leading the assault force into the targeted building while under constant enemy gunfire. Initiating the assault with a single fragmentary grenade, instantly killing an additional three terrorists entrenched inside the building, he instinctively cleared the entryway, entered the building and engaged and instantly killed an enemy firing at the assault element from inside the building at close range. Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs continued to clear the structure in complete darkness as his night vision goggles and personal radio were all destroyed by enemy gunfire at point blank range. Stumbling over a dead enemy, he was shot in the thumb and propelled to the ground by the blast of an enemy grenade which propelled two other Operational Detachment - Alpha (ODA) assaulters out of the building. Alone, he relentlessly continued to engage the concealed enemy and in a moment of intense close quarters battle killed one additional terrorist inside the now chaotic structure. Once the targeted building was cleared, Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs exited the building and immediately passed a verbal status report to his ODA indicating that he was injured but that he was able to continue the fight. He immediately came under automatic weapons fire at close range from a defending enemy position in an adjacent structure not yet cleared by the stalled National Police assault force. As Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs reacted to the threat, he was shot in the abdomen, but was still able to kill the enemy as he fell to the ground seriously wounded. Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs' heroic performance rekindled the fighting spirit in the stalled Iraqi force, who carried on the assault and cleared the remainder of the objective. Staff Sergeant Halbisengibbs was responsible for single - handedly killing six enemy out of a total of eleven on this objective and eliminating a High Value Terrorist who led operations throughout Salah ad Din Province. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of valorous military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.

Service: Army

Rank: Staff Sergeant