Unsung Hero: Air Force Commando Awarded Secret Cross for Battle Against Russian Mercenaries

An Air Force Cross was awarded to the air force combat controller for his valorous acts in 2018 during the Battle of Khasham when he coordinated devastating air and artillery strikes on a battalion of Russian and Syrian tanks and fighters that was bent on overrunning an isolated U.S. outpost. Despite enduring relentless enemy fire, including bullets, artillery shells, and direct tank fire, the commando’s efforts ensured that around 40 U.S. special ops troops suffered no casualties while inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The Air Force confirmed this award in September 2020, although the details were only recently uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request, with the hero’s identity kept confidential.

The US successfully pushed back pro-Assad troops, among whom were the Wagner Group mercenaries associated with the Russian government, in an intense fight (hence called the Battle of Khasham) bolstered by strategic airstrikes. This assault took place near Deir-ez-Zor at an American outpost on February 7th, 2018; however it ended when they encountered strong resistance and were severely beaten in return. American and Kurdish forces, using F-22 and F-15E fighter jets, B-52 bombers, AC-130 gunships, Apache helicopters, and Reaper drones, delivered a massive response. The forces eliminated the attacking troops during a four-hour battle using those weapons. Even though the battle was intense, not one U.S. service member was harmed, which shows how well the soldiers can fight back. It is unclear exactly how many Syrians or Wagner mercenaries were killed in the fight, but there is an approximation of three hundred people.