SSGT. Jared C.

Monti

(US Army)

 

 19 years ago,

on June 21, 2006,

Staff Sergeant Jared C.

Monti, age 30,

led a 16-man patrol

from the 3rd Squadron,

71st Cavalry Regiment,

10th Mountain Division

in Nuristan Province,

Afghanistan.

His unit occupied a high

ground observation post

known as Mountain

2610 to monitor enemy

movement along a

known infiltration route.

The terrain was rugged

and isolated.

By midday, the team

was running low on food

and water.

At approximately

13:30 hours,

a helicopter delivered

resupply bundles about

150 meters from their

position.

While retrieving the

supplies, the patrol’s

location was

compromised.

 

At about 1845 hours,

an estimated 50

insurgents launched

a coordinated attack

from two elevated

wooded ridges.

They opened fire with

small arms,

machine guns, and

rocket-propelled

grenades.

The enemy assault came

from higher ground at a

distance of roughly

50 meters.

Monti quickly organized

a hasty defense.

He ordered his men to

take cover behind

rocks and coordinated

their sectors of fire.

He called for artillery

support and close air

support to suppress the

attackers.

 

Monti returned fire with

his rifle and hurled

grenades to stop

an enemy element

attempting to flank

their position.

During the engagement,

Private First Class Brian

Bradbury was critically

wounded and left

exposed in

open terrain roughly

20 meters forward of the

patrol's defensive line.

Monti immediately

moved from cover and

attempted to reach

Bradbury under direct

enemy fire.

He was driven back by

heavy machine gun fire.

He made a second

attempt and was again

forced back by gunfire

and explosions.

Refusing to give up,

Monti made a third run

through the kill zone.

He was struck by

a rocket-propelled

grenade just meters

away from Bradbury

and killed instantly.

 

Monti’s actions enabled

his team to hold the

position until supporting

artillery and aircraft

arrived.

The enemy sustained

at least 22 killed

in action before

retreating.

Monti’s leadership and

repeated attempts to

rescue his wounded

comrade under fire

played a critical role

in his unit's survival.

He was posthumously

promoted to

Sergeant First Class

and awarded the

*Medal of Honor*

on September 17, 2009.

 

He is buried

at Massachusetts

National Cemetery

in Bourne,

Massachusetts.

 

SSGT. Jared C. 

Monti

(미 육군)

19년 전인 2006년 6월 

21일, 30세의 Jared C. 

Monti 상사는

 아프가니스탄 

누리스탄 주에서

 제10산악사단 

제71기병연대 

제3대대 소속 16명으로 

구성된 정찰대를 

이끌었습니다. 

그의 부대는

 '산 2610'이라는 고지대 

관측소에 주둔하여 

알려진 침투 경로를 따라 

적의 움직임을 감시했습니다. 

 

 

지형은 험준하고 고립되어

 있었습니다. 

정오 무렵, 정찰대는 

식량과 물이 고갈되어 

갔습니다. 

오후 1시 30분경, 

헬리콥터가 정찰대원들이

 있던 곳에서

 약 150미터 떨어진 곳에 

재보급품을 실어 날랐습니다. 

보급품을 회수하는 동안 

정찰대의 위치는 

위협받았습니다.

오후 6시 45분경, 

약 50명의 반군이 

두 개의 높은 산등성이에서

 합동 공격을 개시했습니다.

 그들은 소총, 기관총, 

로켓 추진 수류탄을 

발사했습니다.

 적의 공격은 약 50미터 

떨어진 고지대에서 

시작되었습니다. 

몬티는 재빨리 방어선을 

구축했습니다. 

그는 부하들에게 바위 뒤에

 엄폐하도록 명령하고 사격 

구역을 조율했습니다. 

그는 공격자들을 제압하기 

위해 포병 지원과 근접 항공 

지원을 요청했습니다.

몬티는 소총으로 응사하고

 수류탄을 던져 적의 

측면 공격을 저지했습니다.

 이 교전 중 브라이언

 브래드버리 일병은 중상을

 입고 정찰대 방어선에서 

약 20미터 전방의 개활지에

 노출되었습니다.

 몬티는 즉시 엄폐물에서

 벗어나 적의 직접 사격을

 받으며 브래드버리에 

접근하려 했습니다. 

그는 맹렬한 기관총 사격에 

쫓겨 후퇴했습니다. 

두 번째 시도를 했지만

 총격과 폭발로 다시 

후퇴해야 했습니다. 

포기하지 않고 몬티는 

사살 구역을 세 번째 

돌파했습니다. 

그는 브래드버리에서 

불과 몇 미터 떨어진 

곳에서 로켓 추진 수류탄에 

맞아 즉사했습니다.

몬티의 활약 덕분에 

그의 팀은 지원 포병과 

항공기가 도착할 때까지

 진지를 사수할 수 

있었습니다.

 적은 후퇴하기 전까지 

최소 22명이 전사했습니다. 

몬티의 리더십과 부상당한 

전우를 공격에서 

구출하려는 끊임없는 노력은 

그의 부대 생존에 결정적인

 역할을 했습니다. 

그는 사후 상사로 

진급되었고,

 2009년 9월 17일 

*명예 훈장*을 

수여받았습니다. 

 

그는 매사추세츠주 본에 

있는 매사추세츠 

국립묘지에 안장되었습니다.