U.S. Daniel Briggs, Distinguished Service Cross .IRAQ

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Distinguished Service Cross

The DSC is our Nation's second highest award for military valor, behind only the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross was established in 1918 to honor heroism of the highest degree that did not quite merit the Medal of Honor. The Navy Cross (Navy, Marines & Coast Guard) and the Air Force Cross all join the DSC as our Nation's second highest military award


Daniel Briggs

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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 Daniel A. Briggs, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the United States Army Special Operations Command, in action on 26 April 2004, during combat operations against an armed Iraqi Insurgent force while supporting United States Marine Corps operations in Fallujah, Iraq. Staff Sergeant Briggs repeatedly subjected himself to intense and unrelenting enemy fire in order to provide critical medical attention to severely injured Marines and organized defensive operations. He set the highest example of personal bravery through his demonstrated valor and calmness under fire. Staff Sergeant Briggs' valiant actions prevented enemy insurgent forces from over-running the United States Force's position and were directly responsible for prevention of additional United States military casualties or Prisoners of War by the enemy. His actions under fire as a combat medic were performed with marked distinction and bravery. Staff Sergeant Briggs' distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, this command, and the United States Army.

Service: Army

Rank: Staff Sergeant

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Master Sgt. Don Hollenbaugh and Staff Sgt. Dan Briggs, a medic, were traveling in Fallujah in April as members of the Army's elite Delta Force, developing new weapons and tactics for troops in action.

On April 26, 2004, as Marines had ringed the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, their group was asked to bring their new munitions to the front.

Hollenbaugh, Briggs, a Delta operator named Sgt. Maj. Larry Boivin and a few others joined a Marine contingent of about 35 men who walked into the city and occupied two houses north and south of an intersection to use as observation posts.

After a few hours of sporadic sniper fire they were suddenly in the middle of a barrage.

The Iraqis "really believed this was the full-on invasion of Fallujah," Hollenbaugh says. "There were supposedly truckloads and busloads of people coming to meet us and here we're just a 35 man outfit."

Marines in the north house got hit. Briggs ran across the street under fire to treat them. He ran into a stairwell to reach more wounded. He help evacuate the injured too, all the while under enemy fire.

"Dan exposed himself I think no less than six times to enemy fire," Hollenbaugh says.

Back in the south house, Hollenbaugh, Boivin and two Marines on the rooftop fought to hold off the attackers. Both Marines were badly injured by grenades. Boivin was bleeding badly from behind the ear. Hollenbaugh evacuated the Marines, treated his buddy, and kept shooting, taking up each of his comrades' positions long enough to fire a few shots and move on. Mostly he was shooting at people he knew were there but that he couldn't see.

"I started putting rounds into the building just to the east of the north house, to the right. Skipping bullets in off the floors and the walls," Hollenbaugh says.

He shot at insurgents creeping up an alley between the houses. He ducked a grenade that landed on the roof. He threw two grenades along his building's eastern wall. And when he noticed a heavy machine gun shooting from a high window in the direction of the Marines' evacuation route, he started shooting at that too.

"I got him to shut up," he said.

After about an hour Hollenbaugh was still shooting, alone. He was down to one magazine of ammunition and a shoulder-fire missle. The heavy machine gun had started back up, firing at the retreating Marines.

Hollenbaugh was still firing when Marine Capt. D.A. Zembeic came up the stairs and said "Hey Don, it's time to go."

Hollenbaugh shot a missle at the big gun and silenced it for good.

It wasn't until they went downstairs that Hollenbaugh realized that the house "had been empty for a while," he says. All the Marines, wounded and healthy, were gone. There was nothing to stop the enemy from walking in and killing Hollenbaugh.

One Marine, Lance Corpl. Aaron Austin, 19, died while laying down covering fire for wounded Marines.

Hollenbaugh's medal citation said his actions "were directly responsible for preventing enemy insurgent forces from overrunning the United States Force ... (and) in turning the tide of the enemy's ground-force assault on a U.S. Marine Corps platoon."

Hollenbaugh and Briggs received the Distinguished Service Cross.