Citation for Distinguished Service Cross awarded to SSGT. Luke Mors MORS, LUKE CHRISTOPHER 332475752 STAFF SEGEANT INFRANTRY United States Army, Second Platoon, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Award: Distinguished Service Cross Date of Action: 11 April 2003 Theater: Iraq Reason: For extraordinary heroism, far beyond that exhibited by others of similar grade and responsibility, against armed hostile forces; SSGT Mors distingushed himself by exceptionally valorous actions while serving as platoon sergeant for his platoon. Upon returning from a mission in southern Iraq on at 0200 hours, local time, on April 11th SSGT. Mors and members of his platoon observed ground weapons fire approximately 5 clicks from the flight path of their helicopters. The helicopter pilots received a faint radio signal indicating from a group of US Marines asking for assistance and giving a location matching the observed ground fire. Upon consulting with the command net, it was clear that the Marines were cut off, and their radio signal too weak to be heard by any but the passing Rangers. At this point SSGT. Mors, who had on-scene command authority for the platoon, requested that he and and a squad of his men be inserted to extract the Marines to an LZ to be secured by the rest of the platoon. Upon conferring with superiors in CENTCOM, the Ranger captain in charge of the operation authorized SSGT. Mors and his platoon to extract the Marines. SSGT. Mors then proceded to instruct the halicopter element carrying the Rangers to transport them to the hot zone, and insert two of the three Ranger squads in an area over looking the Marines which could be secured and defended. He then ordered the halicopter carrying his squad to an area near to where the Marines were pinned down. Once on station SSGT. Mors and the remaining Ranger disembarked and linked up with the Marines. After linking up, and under intense enemay fire, SSGT. Mors guided the Marines to the LZ secured by the other Rangers. As the group neared the LZ the eneamy fire became more intense, at which point SSGT. Mors instructed the Marines and all but two other members of his squad to withdraw as quickly as possible to the LZ under his cover fire; he instructed his M249 gunner, and M203-equiped riflemen to remain with him, in order to effect the safe extraction of the rest of the group. Moving backwards and firing, SSGT. Mors, SGT. Jason Enfeld, and SPC. Michael Drake heroicly risked their own well being to insure the Marines and the other members of their squad would escape. Only under increasing heavy and more accurate fire did SSGT. Mors finally order the last of his men into retreat, at which point he maintained his position long enough to lay down another volley of covering fire. However, before he too could withdraw, SSGT. Mors was struck in the head by an enemy bullet, which glanced off his Kevlar helmet. The force of the impact knocked SSGT. Mors from his feet, but he recovered, and under covering fire from SGT. Enfeld and SPC. Drake regained his footing, and retreated. Once SSGT. Mors and the other to Rangers had reached the LZ, the Ranger security element withdrew, and extracted with the Marines. Without the heroic and selfless actions of SSGT. Mors, the Marines, cut off and pinned down, would have certainly been wiped out by Iraqi forces. His conduct exemplifies the best traditions of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and the United States Army. In recognition of his extraordinary heroism, SSGT. Mors is hereby awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. -------------------------------------------------- The above was written as a writing exercise. The I had it in the back-story of the protagonist in a story I