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[56], On 6 October, the body of LaDavid Johnson was found by children tending cattle. I did watch the head cam. The investigators learned that Wright jumped back into the vehicle and slowly began driving south while Staff Sgts. [110] Jones-Johnson said, "President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband". [118] Laura Seay, an assistant professor of government at Colby College, shared French's view in an article on Slate. The new footage provided a more comprehensive understanding of Johnsons actions during the ambush, and directly led to the decision for the upgraded award, Army spokesman Matt Leonard confirmed. After completion of the second mission the team was ordered to return to base, before returning the team commander ordered an overhead ISR asset to continue monitoring the area in order to gather intelligence on possibly enemy routes leading into Mali, in turn leaving the team unwatched as they departed toward Tongo Tongo at 8:30 am (local time). Dustin Wright, 29, and Staff Sgt. He was in a prone position in the rear of the vehicle with two Nigerien soldiers when the order to withdraw came. Dustin Wright died Wednesday. He previously deployed to Jordan in 2012. [76], Goub Mahamadou Issaka was a NCO-cadet of the Gendarmerie.[77]. On Oct. 4, 2017, a unit of the U.S. Army's 3rd Special Forces Group, known as Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 3212, was ambushed by affiliates of the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) in Tongo Tongo, Niger, resulting in the deaths of four U.S. soldiers Staff Sgt. so the convoy stopped near the village of Tongo Tongo to resupply. Wright continued to engage the enemy until incapacitated by enemy fire. Army Good Conduct Medal (two awards) "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. Dustin Wright, Staff Sgt. National Defense Service Medal Twelve members of the Army's Third Special Forces Group were in three of the vehicles and about 30 Nigerien troops were in the other four. The team radioed in that they were being overrun, then destroyed their radios to avoid them getting in the hands of the enemy. [114], On 18 December, Jones-Johnson accused the Department of Defense of lying to her family about how her son was killed. Username. [57] His body was nearly 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) away from the scene of the ambush. [112], On 23 October, Myeshia Johnson said on ABC's Good Morning America that Wilson's account of the call with Trump was "100 percent correct" and that the call "made [her] cry even worse". [64][66] He would later be assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group as a support element. [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". "During the movement, enemy small-arms fire hit Staff Sgt. An account of what happened in Niger last Oct. 4 was released Thursday by the Pentagon and U.S. Africa Command. As the enemy pressed in, La David Johnson and the two Nigerien soldiers began pulling back on foot to the west. The attack built in intensity as enemy fighters on motorcycles threatened to overrun them. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. ", "APNewsBreak: US soldier fought to end after ambush in Niger", "ISIS Affiliate Claims October Attack on U.S. Combat Infantryman Badge Army Service Ribbon 1st Class Jeremiah . That was downgraded to an Army Commendation Medal by Thomas in early 2019. Jeremiah Johnson joined the active-duty Army in 2008 after a year in the Army Reserves. Dustin Wright died Wednesday. 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. All soldiers showed wounds consistent with small arms fire and had received additional bursts of fire at close range. He enlisted in the Army October 2007. The patrol's leader, an Army captain who was not identified in the summary; the Nigerien commander; and several Nigerien soldiers worked their way around from the south in an effort to outflank the attackers. [127] According to The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has since joined the investigation. Perozeni was concerned because his team had been up for 18 hours and still had to travel 25 kilometers through difficult terrain under limited visibility to conduct the raid on their own, the investigation stated. When you go through training at Fort Benning as an infantryman you think you'll never be left alone we always say, "leave no man behind," and that video is American troops left behind, left to die. 1st Class Jeremiah Johnson, was one of four U.S. special operations soldiers killed in Niger on October 4, 2017, when Islamist fighters ambushed their team. As the enemy force mounted and advanced through the tree line, the convoy halted. Sergeant First Class Jeremiah W. Johnson of Springboro, Ohio, was killed while conducting a reconnaissance patrol near Tongo Tongo, Niger, on 4 October 2017. Team members last saw Staff Sergeants Bryan Black, Jeremiah Johnson, and Dustin Wright taking cover behind the team's unarmored SUV. The deaths of four U.S. soldiers, Staff Sgt. He served as a Special Forces engineer sergeant, or an 18C. Wright also received the Silver Star after he maneuvered multiple times across open terrain through intense and accurate fire from an overwhelming hostile force to protect and recover two of his fallen comrades, his award citation stated. Username. [51][52] French Mirage jets were ordered to respond to the ambush, and they arrived roughly thirty minutes after notification. [104], In October 2017, Defense Secretary James Mattis said that the ambush was "considered unlikely". Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. [87] On the day of the ambush, Trump was briefed by telephone by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Approximately 960 meters (1,050yd) from the initial ambush site, LaDavid took cover under a dense thorny tree and engaged the encroaching enemy. It was shot near Tongo Tongo in Niger last October and shows Isis militants in pickups en route to the attack. The approved mission plan originally called for a helicopter team as the primary force with the Quallam team serving as a quick reaction force, however bad weather forced the helicopter team to cancel forcing team Quallam to continue on their own. To avoid confusion, throughout this report SFC Johnson is referred to as Staff Sergeant (SSG) Johnson, as that was his rank at the time . 2017 attack on Nigerien and US soldiers by Islamist militants in Tongo Tongo, Niger . [20] The report did not make specific recommendations on the handling of future missions. Parachutist Badge Army Good Conduct Medal Army Commendation Medal w/C Device Certificate of Achievement (two awards) [19] The team believed the local leader was complicit in an impending attack. (U.S. Army via AP). "There are three cases there that will be dealt with by [Special Operations Command]" to determine whether disciplinary action or a court-martial is merited, he said. Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson, 39; Sergeant La David Johnson, 25; and Staff . A spokesperson from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces said on 5 October that French soldiers who were participating in Operation Barkhane and based in Chad were involved in an operation in Niger. [41] The meeting lasted 30 minutes longer than the team leader expected. [64][74] His funeral was held at Toombs County High School on 15 October 2017. A helicopter support team pulled out due to weather conditions, leaving the team exposed in Tongo Tongo, near the border with Mali. Johnson acknowledged the order and attempted to get behind the wheel, but heavy fire drove him back. Jordan: May 2012, Awards: Dustin Wright defending a fatally shot Staff Sgt. Get the latest DOD News products delivered to your inbox. The . [4], According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 46 attacks occurred since early 2016 in the Tahoua and Tillabri regions of Niger. A much shorter, edited version was disseminated by the Islamic State group a year after the ambush outside the village of Tongo Tongo, near the Niger-Mali border. Search by Name . An official website of the United States government, Army Sgt. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal On 10 October, CNN reported that a US defense official had shared details of an after action report that consisted of interviews with the survivors of the ambush. La David Johnson's body was not recovered until 48 hours after the firefight. They thought they could handle it at first -- no immediate need to call for backup or air support. Jeremiah Johnson, Sergeant Wright and Sergeant Black were in the black S.U.V. The clash . [111] On the same day, Arnold Wright said that Trump was respectful when he called with his condolences, "He talked to me about the loss of my son and how he served with honor and dignity and he just wanted to give me a call to thank me". At this point two additional team members would head back toward the initial ambush site to help locate the missing teammates. The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, . Bryan C. Black and Sgt. [135], Two Nigeriens received Bronze Stars with Valor for their actions during the ambush one for a Nigerien who joined in a flanking maneuver against the ISGS militants and one for a Nigerien who exposed himself to stop friendly fire coming from a quick reaction force's heavy machine-gun.[136]. [73], In July 2012, Wright enlisted in the US Army as an engineer and ultimately became a Special Forces engineer sergeant (18C) assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group. 39, of Springboro, Ohio, died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger, as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol. At the secondary position the remaining team members and partner forces were becoming overwhelmed by enemy fire and were forced to enter their vehicles and egress out of the area at a high speed. Copyright 2023 Military.com. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Staff Sgt. [106] General Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided new information about the ambush to the public and said that the operation was initially a reconnaissance mission. The ambush left five Nigeriens, [11] four Americans, [7] and 21 militants dead. [34][8][35][36][37], In Tiloa, the team failed to locate the ISGS commander and began their return to base. ", "What Are U.S. 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. All soldiers had their serviceable equipment including their body armour and boots taken from them. [36], In a video recorded before the ambush, young men can be seen on motorbikes armed with rifles and machine guns, repeating Islamist slogans, and discussing what they would do in the event they captured soldiers, with one of them saying that they would decapitate them. They were on a dirt track headed south about 120 miles to Camp Ouallam at the end of a joint patrol that began on Oct. 3. Jeremiah Johnson. Jeremiah Johnson and Sgt. 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. However, Senator Richard Blumenthal said, "I could not look those families in the eye and say we're doing everything we need to do to provide sufficient intelligence that will enable them to be successful in their missions and avoid the kind of catastrophe that we saw here". [100], On 26 October, Robert Karem, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, and Air Force Major General Albert Elton briefed the Senate Armed Services Committee in a closed session. [17][26][28] The expectations were that construction of the base would be completed in 2018, which would allow the US to conduct surveillance operations with the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper to monitor ISIL insurgents flowing south and other extremists flowing north from the Sahel region. 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. La David Terrence Johnson (19922017) was born in Miami Gardens, Florida, to Samara Johnson and Terrance McGriff. Jeremiah Johnson, Staff . [120] On 26 October, Phillip Carter and Andrew Swick wrote on Vox, sharing a similar view that missions similar to the one in Niger "have never been specifically authorized by Congress, let alone discussed and debated by the American public". 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. Jeremiah Wayne Johnson. Jeremiah Johnson, 39, were killed fighting in one location near the . The second Nigerien soldier was shot and killed about another 110 meters further on. [113], On 25 October, Michelle Black said she was grateful that Trump called her and spoke to her children: "So, yeah he was very gracious and I appreciate anyone who calls cause, like I said, that takes quite a bit of bravery to call into that kind of situation". Soon after, a vehicle with a mounted machine gun stopped within 100 meters (110yd) of LaDavid Johnson's position and pinned him down. Niger is a hotbed of Islamist insurgent groups to include al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, and Boko Haram. It was ambushed outside the village of Tongo Tongo by a large group of Islamic State militants that had been tracking its movements for hours. [62], Black's funeral was held in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on 18 October 2017. But Maj. Gen. Marcus Hicks, who led U.S. Special Operations Command-Africa at the time, downgraded the recommended decoration to a Distinguished Service Cross in September of that year, according to award approval records previously viewed by Army Times. He was incapacitated but still breathing, as the helmet cam stopped moving and was only heaving up and down . Johnson was married to Crystal and had two daughters, Addie and Elisa. 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. [4] The ISGS's first confirmed terror attack occurred on 2 September 2016 when fighters targeted a customs post in Markoye, Burkina Faso, an attack that left a border agent and a civilian dead. Jeremiah Johnson, 39, La David . Black, killing him instantly," the summary said. Joint Service Achievement Medal The battle of Tongo Tongo was over, and the search for four fallen members of Team Ouallam would begin. Black, Wright and Jeremiah Johnson "were never captured alive by the enemy," the summary said. "Realizing that the team was significantly outnumbered by a well-trained force, the Team Ouallam commander returned to the vehicles and ordered everyone to break contact and withdraw to the south," the summary said. Soldiers in Niger Sparks FBI Probe, Criticism", "Military records reveal U.S. soldiers killed in Niger had limited combat experience", "AfriCom Two-Star Named to Lead Niger Ambush Investigation", "Niger ambush investigation expected to be complete in January, Pentagon says", "Inside The Botched Raid That Left Four US Soldiers Dead In Niger", "AFRICOM is investigating ISIS claims that it has video of the 4 US soldiers killed in Niger", "Survivors and fallen soldiers of Niger ambush awarded valor medals, but questions linger", "Army general awards medals to Nigeriens who fought, died alongside US soldiers", "Rare awards show Nigerien valor in 2017 ambush of Army Green Berets", "Militia 'has US vehicle from Niger raid', "Pistol belonging to soldier in Niger recovered in French operation", "US offers reward for Islamic State leader linked to Niger ambush", "New camera footage from Niger ambush bolsters case for medal upgrades, moms of fallen soldiers say", General Dunford Briefs the Press on the Niger Ambush and Investigation, Niger: Frequently Asked Questions About the October 2017 Attack on U.S. La David Johnson was born on January 2, 1992, in Miami, Florida.

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