. The Americans traveled in two technicals and an unarmored Toyota Land Cruiser[34] while the Nigeriens traveled in five vehicles, one of which had been provided by the Central Intelligence Agency and had specialized surveillance equipment on board. [110] Jones-Johnson said, "President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband". Staff Sgt. . [1], Nine valor medals, including four Silver Stars, were awarded to members of ODA 3212 for their actions during the ambush. 1st Class Jeremiah . ISIS release helmet camera footage of soldiers Byan Black, Jeremiah Johnson, Dustin Wright and La David Johnson being killed in Niger. [18] Among the US soldiers, four were killed: Staff Sergeant Bryan Black, Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson, Sergeant La David Johnson, and Staff Sergeant Dustin Wright. [73] Wright graduated from Toombs County High School in 2007. [23] The DoD inquiry, completed in 2018, found that the 11-member US special forces team was not prepared for the mission, and identified other flaws in planning. Username. Wright got in the SUV and began to slowly drive south while Black and Jeremiah Johnson ran alongside, continuing suppressive fire at the enemy while under heavy fire. [97] On 19 October, McCain said that a subpoena may be required to determine what happened in Niger. [104], In October 2017, Defense Secretary James Mattis said that the ambush was "considered unlikely". 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. Johnson enlisted in the Army in October 2007 as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist. Username. The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, . [63], Jeremiah Wayne "JW" Johnson (19772017) of Springboro, Ohio, was born in New Bern, North Carolina, to J.W. Army Service Ribbon Army Service Ribbon [64][66] He would later be assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group as a support element. The country is also host to a small U.S. drone base that operates surveillance and intelligence drones. 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. La David Johnson and Staff Sgt. He was from Springboro, Ohio. Approximately 960 meters (1,050yd) from the initial ambush site, LaDavid took cover under a dense thorny tree and engaged the encroaching enemy. It's outrageous, and it's the epitome of how little, at times, our political leadership cares about the troops. 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. . They were buried in the Muslim Cemetery of Niamey on 7 October. [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". The Hall of Valor includes citations related to actions during the Global War on Terror. For a . [21], The ambush sparked political debate over the presence of US forces in Africa and brought attention to previously under-reported US military activities in the region. Troops in Niger", "Niger Ambush Came After 'Massive Intelligence Failure,' Source Says", "Pentagon Sends Team to Niger to Find Out What Happened", "Death of U.S. They killed at least four of the attackers before they were forced back by the larger enemy unit. Both Nigerien soldiers were killed by enemy fire as LaDavid continued sprinting through the open desert. The parents of U.S. Army Sgt. We can't have a debate on US intervention overseas if we don't even know where are our forces are, let alone to what end". La David Johnson received the Silver Star after firing his weapon until it ran out of ammunition, switching to another gun and making a last stand alone under a tree against an enemy truck and its heavy machine gun. [19] After completion of the meeting, the soldiers walked back to the rest of the unit and their unarmored pickup trucks. Niger Cross of Valor with Star I still would like to have somebody get up and apologize and tell everybody that [the team] didnt go rogue and they damn well performed above and beyond what they had to do, Gannon told Army Times. [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. All three were assigned to the Army's 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North . Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, and Staff Sgt. LaDavid Johnson was unable to enter his vehicle due to concentrated enemy fire and was forced to escape and evade on foot with the two Nigeriens. [114], On 18 December, Jones-Johnson accused the Department of Defense of lying to her family about how her son was killed. From the truck bed of his vehicle, Sgt. Wright and Jeremiah Johnson were shot multiple times at close range by the militants, killing them.[50]. When found, SGT L. Johnson's hands were not bound and he was laying on his back with his arms to his sides. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, and continued to engage the enemy until each was shot and killed . This account was disputed by Trump, who said that he "had a very nice conversation with the woman, with the wife" and accused Wilson of "fabricating" her account. La . The two remained with Black's body and further assessed his wounds. Copyright 2023 Military.com. 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. Niger: June 2016 November 2016 Niger Cross of Valor with Star Wright continued to engage the enemy until incapacitated by enemy fire. 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). They made several attempts to break out of the kill zone but had to retreat to a final defensive position. [87] On the day of the ambush, Trump was briefed by telephone by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. He was awarded a Bronze Star . The four fallen troops "gave their last full measure of devotion to our country and died with honor while actively engaging the enemy," the summary said. Wright and Jeremiah Johnson went to Black's side, firing back at the enemy, but began to pull back as the enemy closed in. A helicopter support team pulled out due to weather conditions, leaving the team exposed in Tongo Tongo, near the border with Mali. Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright and Sgt. [29] According to the United States Department of Defense, ISIL leaders in Syria had acknowledged Sahrawi's allegiance through their Amaq News Agency but ISGS "has not been formally recognized as an official branch of ISIL". Meritorious Service Medal [33] The FAN had launched a military operation to reestablish security in Tillabri in June 2017. But the team leaders' concerns were overruled by a higher command. [134], Six medals were awarded to Nigerien soldiers. 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". Jeremiah Johnson, Sgt. [68], In school, Johnson met Myeshia Manual, whom he married on 22 August 2014. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. In addition to the summary, the Pentagon released an abbreviated version of an animated video prepared by AFRICOM depicting the firefight. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The plan the team submitted did not accurately describe the mission's intention, describing it as civil/military reconnaissance instead of the actual purpose which was to locate and capture or if necessary kill the ISGS sub-commander. The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, . [67][68] After his mother's death in September 1999, Johnson's care was entrusted to Richard and Cowanda Johnson. Dustin Wright, who were all killed in the fight . [105] Officials from the Department of Defense said that soldiers had carried out 29 similar operations in the past six months with no problems, and such operations were considered routine by the time of the ambush. [71] The couple had two children, Ah'Leesya and La David Jr., and one unborn child, La'Shee. [12], When the soldiers were found, one US soldier was found lying next to an enemy pickup truck while two other US soldiers were found in the bed of the pickup. Jeremiah Johnson. [39] The US and Nigerien team leaders objected to the task because they were not heavily armed or equipped for intense combat should they encounter Chefou's ISIS fighters alone. [92] On 23 October, Trump wrote on Twitter, "I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation! Army Service Ribbon On October 4, 2017, four U.S. soldiers from the Africa Command were ambushed and killed during a mission near Tongo Tongo, Niger. [55] Within three to four hours after the soldiers called in for support, a French special operations team arrived at the scene. Two . The battle of Tongo Tongo was over, and the search for four fallen members of Team Ouallam would begin. La David Johnson and Staff Sgt. Overseas Service Ribbon ", "APNewsBreak: US soldier fought to end after ambush in Niger", "ISIS Affiliate Claims October Attack on U.S. Username. Dustin Wright died Wednesday. Army Service Ribbon Army Good Conduct Medal Forces Doing in Niger Anyway? [67], His funeral was held at a church in Cooper City, Florida, on 21 October 2017. [60] They would later move to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where they raised two sons, Ezekiel and Isaac. Who Is the Army Punishing? Simultaneously, Black was slightly ahead of the SUV and was hit by small arms fire, killing him instantly. The last moments of SSG Jeremiah Johnson was brutal. Bryan Black as dozens of enemy fighters bound toward them, the mothers of Wright and Johnson told Army Times in November. The Americans and their Nigerien partners fought back fiercely, but they were outnumbered and outgunned. "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. Bryan Black, Sgt. 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. The tree where Sgt Johnson's died, seen from an islamist firing position.png 937 616; 541 KB. [118] Laura Seay, an assistant professor of government at Colby College, shared French's view in an article on Slate. You have reached a collection of archived material. [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". Two US soldiers who were wounded in the ambush were transferred to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Silver Star medal Niger ambush Tongo Tongo ambush Army medals to Niger ambush soldiers killed in Niger U.S. Africa Command October 2017 Niger Sgt. [109], On 18 October, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, who was also present during the conference call, confirmed Wilson's account saying "Yes, [Wilson's] statement is true", and "I was in the car and I heard the full conversation". ", Staff Sgts. Adjutant Chef Bagu Soumana and Soldier 2nd Class Abdoul Rachid Yarima were posthumously awarded, while four surviving soldiers received their awards in an October 2019 ceremony in Niamey. The 45-minute video, filmed by one of those 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers, sheds new light on the final actions . Staff Sgt. She said she didn't like Trump's tone and that she broke down when Trump fumbled her husband's name. [133], In November 2018, the US military sent letters of reprimand to four officers and two soldiers, most notably to Air Force Major General Marcus Hicks, who was in charge of special operations forces in Africa, and Captain Michael Perozeni. It was in this attack that Sergeant La David Johnson, 25; Staff Sergeant Bryan Black, 35; Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson, 39; and Staff Sergeant Dustin Wright were killed. Army Commendation Medal w/C Device Parachutist Badge 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. Abdoul Rachid Yerimah was a soldat de 2nde classe (private) of the BSR. Jeremiah Johnson, Black and Wright were outside the same vehicle when . Rank: Staff sergeant (E-6), effective June 2015posthumously promoted to sergeant first class (E-7), effective Oct. 4, 2017. 5 min read. All deaths were considered either instantly fatal or rapidly fatal. . [67] In 2010, Johnson graduated from Miami Carol City Senior High School. The militants, who had arrived with a dozen technicals and about 20 motorcycles and were equipped with small arms, vehicle mounted heavy machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, and mortars had allowed the convoy to move through the kill zone before attacking, trapping the rear of the convoy.[43][44][45][46]. Army Commendation Medal w/ C Device La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. [47] The team leader observed a larger enemy force moving from his east consisting of armed men on motorcycles and vehicles with mounted machine guns. Army Achievement Medal (five awards) and Operation New Dawn. Four U.S. soldiers died and it took him 12 days to respond", "Islamic State's Sahara branch claims first attack in Burkina Faso", "Sub-Saharan Africa's Tree "New" Islamic State Affiliates", "Belmokhtar's militants 'merge' with Mali's Mujao", "Confusion surrounds West African jihadists' loyalty to Islamic State", "At least 46 attacks in area of Niger where U.S. troops killed: U.N.", "Niger: Nigerien and US soldiers killed on the Mali border", "US intelligence officials examining video of Nigerien militant group", "Tongo-Tongo and the death of American soldiers", "US soldiers killed in Niger were outgunned, 'left behind' in hunt for ISIS leader", "New details on deadly ambush in Niger that left 4 soldiers dead", "American troops caught in deadly Niger ambush told to proceed despite mission concern", "Senator McCain says subpoena may be required to get answers on", "Oct 2017 Niger Ambush Summary of Investigation", "US special forces 'fought Niger ambush alone after local troops fled', "Hours before death in Niger, U.S. soldiers were targeting militants in Mali", "Troops Ambushed in Niger Waited an Hour to Call for Help, Pentagon Official Says", "Caught in a deadly ambush, US troops in Niger waited an hour for French air power to arrive", "U.S. The Americans and their Nigerien partners fought back fiercely, but they were outnumbered and outgunned Johnson told Army in. 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