SFC Jeremiah Johnson was promoted posthumously to the rank of Sergeant First Class. Dustin Wright were killed as they returned from a low-risk patrol in Tongo Tongo with 30 Nigerian and up . Dustin Wright and Sgt. La David Johnson at his burial service in the Memorial Gardens East . WASHINGTON The Pentagon on Friday released the names of the three soldiers killed this week in Niger while conducting a joint patrol with Nigerien forces. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington; Staff Sgt. [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. Both were killed on Oct. 4, 2017 in Niger. The team circled the area and recovered the injured team leader. [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. All deaths were considered either instantly fatal or rapidly fatal. ", "A Deadly Ambush's Great Mystery: What Are We Doing in Niger? The parents of U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. [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. At 1522 on 6 October 2017, the Nigeriens transferred the remains of SGT L. Johnson to U.S. custody. 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. Johnson alive," the summary said in disputing several reports that circulated immediately after the ambush. The incident is under investigation. Through the night of the 4th, the team made their movement north and reached the objective officials referred to as "objective north" at sunrise. 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. He served as a Special Forces engineer sergeant, or an 18C. 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". [73] Wright graduated from Toombs County High School in 2007. Army Commendation Medal Staff Sgt. During this, team members met with local leaders and 27 men of the village. [121] On 27 October, The New York Times editorial board wrote that "the lack of clarity about the Niger operation is one more reason for Congress to replace the 2001 law authorizing military force against Al Qaeda with legislation to address current threats like the Islamic State, limit American interventions, and ensure regular congressional oversight". Dustin Wright defending a fatally shot Staff Sgt. The 45-minute video, filmed by one of those 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers, sheds new light on the final actions . [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. 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. [137], On 19 December 2018, more than a year after the ambush, a sidearm belonging to SSG Jeremiah Johnson was recovered by French forces during an operation in the Mali-Niger border region. Afghanistan: July 2015 - September 2015, Awards: [66] After graduating high school, Johnson owned and operated a business until he enlisted in the US Army as a CBRN specialist in October 2007. The Tongo Tongo ambush was a 4 October 2017 attack on Nigerien and American soldiers in Tongo Tongo, Niger, by armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). [1], Nine valor medals, including four Silver Stars, were awarded to members of ODA 3212 for their actions during the ambush. ", The attackers brought up a truck-mounted heavy machine gun and raked the tree, the summary said. Bryan Black as dozens of enemy fighters bound toward them, the mothers of Wright and Johnson told Army Times in November. . La David Johnson and Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, and Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Sgt. [67], Johnson's family enrolled him in 5000 Role Models, a mentorship program of US Representative Frederica Wilson that prepared African American children for college, vocational school, or the military. Liver-Eating . [102] McCain said the ambush was "a direct result" of budget sequestration. . [63], Black enlisted in the US Army in October 2009 and eventually became a Special Forces medical sergeant (18D), he was subsequently assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd SFG in June 2015 and deployed to Afghanistan for two months in July. [29][4] The ISGS had since been targeting pro-government militias that support the French and United Nations forces in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Armed Forces Service Medal Clockwise from upper left (ascending order for mobile users): Staff Sergeant Bryan Black, Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson, Staff Sergeant Dustin Wright, Sergeant La David Johnson. [107], On 10 May 2018, the US Department of Defense released an unclassified executive summary of the DoD's investigation and gave a briefing on the outcome of the department's investigation. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. 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. [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]. 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. [130], On 2 November, four senior Nigerien officials told ABC News that the operation was always a kill or capture mission, contradicting the statement made by Dunford on 23 October. 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. [126], On 19 October, NBC News reported that AFRICOM sent a team to Niger to conduct a "review of the facts". Army Service Ribbon 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. Kyle Rempfer is an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; and Staff Sgt. Two US soldiers who were wounded in the ambush were transferred to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. [86], The ambush was the deadliest combat incident involving US soldiers since Donald Trump took office as president on 20 January 2017. 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[24][26] In October 2015, Niger and the US signed a military agreement committing the two countries "to work together in the fight against terrorism". The first call for additional support was relayed by the US forces nearly an hour after they first came under fire. [38], At 10:30 am (local time), 4 October, the convoy stopped at the village of Tongo Tongo so that partner Nigeriens could eat breakfast and get water. After initially escaping the ambush site, the American and Nigerien forces established a secondary position. A team member threw a smoke grenade to conceal the team's movement south to regroup with the Nigeriens. The team leader, Perozeni, was also initially recommended for a Bronze Star with Valor. Wright and Jeremiah Johnson went to Black's side, firing back at the enemy, but began to pull back as the enemy closed in. They killed at least four of the attackers before they were forced back by the larger enemy unit. [63] US Representative Dennis Heck and Washington State Senator Hans Zeiger spoke at his memorial service. [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". Waldhauser also said there will be "accountability" for command failures that were factors in the ambush. Dustin Wright . Staff Sgt. Stumps Up $60 Million for Africa Counterterrorism Force", "McCain: Niger attack information 'may require a subpoena', "Mattis, McCain meet a day after subpoena threat", "The Latest: Graham Says Senators to Be Briefed on Niger", "US Defense Officials Brief Lawmakers on Niger Attack", "Senators diverge on Niger ambush after classified briefing", "John McCain blames Niger killings on budget cuts: 'We should be embarrassed', "Rep. Gallego: Shanahan's involvement in a 'cover-up' of the Niger attack is disqualifying", "Mattis says Niger ambush was 'considered unlikely,' pledges probe", "Everything we know about the Niger attack that left 4 U.S. soldiers dead", "U.S. Gen. [110] Jones-Johnson said, "President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband". From the truck bed of his vehicle, Sgt. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. [48][49] The team leader returned to the halted convoy at 11:57a.m. and ordered the convoy to head south to prevent getting outflanked. [85], Karimou Yacouba, the local member of the National Assembly, told The Guardian, "Everything that happened could have been prevented if help had arrived sooner". . [80] On 21 October, a Niger security source told AFP that the village chief, Mounkaila Alassane,[81] was arrested for "complicity" with the militants. She said she didn't like Trump's tone and that she broke down when Trump fumbled her husband's name. ", "What Are U.S. The Americans and their Nigerien partners fought back fiercely, but they were outnumbered and outgunned. La David Johnson and 3 fellow soldiers killed in Niger", "Miami stunt rider known as the 'Wheelie King', "For soldier killed in Niger, making life better every day in the world was his mission", "U.S. Army Sgt. McCain also said that the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which he was the chairman, would like to get the information "it deserves and needs", before deciding whether a formal investigation is necessary. [20] The report did not make specific recommendations on the handling of future missions. Username. The former was aboard Air Force One, having left Las Vegas after visiting victims and first responders affected by a recent mass shooting. Forces Doing in Niger Anyway? One of the captains led the patrol and worked with the second captain to develop a concept of operations (CONOP) for a mission to go after a militant in northwestern Niger suspected in the kidnapping of an American aid worker. The ambush left five Nigeriens, [11] four Americans, [7] and 21 militants dead. He was from Springboro, Ohio. On 7 October, the deceased Nigerien soldiers were buried after their bodies were taken from the city morgue in Niamey with Defence Minister Kalla Moutari, US Ambassador Eunice Reddick, and Nigerien lawmakers watching. Johnson was awarded the Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon during his service. [1], In January 2013, a senior Nigerien official told Reuters that Bisa Williams, the then-United States Ambassador to Niger, requested permission to establish a drone base in a meeting with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou. Purple Heart q. Ranger Tab [41] A senior congressional aide told NBC News that the ambush was caused by a "massive intelligence failure" with no overhead surveillance of the mission, or a quick reaction force in place to swiftly respond in the event that the mission went wrong. [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. 1st Class Jeremiah Johnsons mother, Debra Gannon, said helmet camera footage that militants took from the Americans kit helped trigger an upgrade for her sons award, which was previously a Bronze Star with Valor. [75], A small section of Georgia Highway 1 was named in memorial of Wright in April 2019. [56], On 6 October, the body of LaDavid Johnson was found by children tending cattle. Following this intelligence, the team submitted a mission plan for the vicinity of Tiloa the next day. ", Staff Sgts. 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. [22] The ambush also prompted congressional inquiries, and an investigation by the US Department of Defense (DoD). The Hall of Valor includes citations related to actions during the Global War on Terror. La David Johnson sprayed the treeline with fire from an M240 machine gun. [90] Representative Frederica Wilson, who was present during the call, alleged that Trump told the widow that La David Johnson "knew what he signed up for" and only referred to him as "your guy". Find 91 people named Jeremiah Johnson along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok search on PeekYou - true people search. Staff Sgt. [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". [84] On 30 November, the government of Niger gave the US permission to fly armed drones out of Niamey. 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. [103], On 9 May 2019, US Representative Ruben Gallego urged senators to oppose Patrick M. Shanahan's nomination as Secretary of Defense, alleging that he "mishandled" the investigation into the Tongo Tongo ambush. 39, of Springboro, Ohio, died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger, as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol. "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. An official website of the United States government, Army Sgt. Army Commendation Medal w/ C Device [20], The ambush remains the largest loss of American lives in combat in Africa since the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. First Class Jeremiah Johnson posthumously received the Bronze Star with Valor. Both women were shown the new video by Army officials in the fall. 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. [132], After a Twitter user published a series of posts claiming to have footage from the ambush, AFRICOM said on 24 January 2018, "We are reviewing the post and determining the veracity of the tweet and the assertions that there is an associated video". Two other U.S. service members were wounded in the attack in southwest Niger. [101] After the briefing, Senator Ted Cruz said that "on the initial assessment there were not significant steps that could have been taken to prevent this assault". The award citation is not releasable due to PII and information that will compromise a specific mission or operation. The Tongo Tongo village elder first notified and then led Nigerien forces to the location of SGT L. Johnson's remains. [61] At the age of 20, Black earned a business degree at Central Washington University. [62], Black's funeral was held in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on 18 October 2017. Dustin Wright's funeral", "Leve des corps suivie de l'inhumation des lments de FDS dcds suite l'attaque du 4 Octobre Tongo-Tongo (Ouallam): Hommage aux soldats tombs sur le champ d'honneur", "Dernier hommage aux soldats tus dans l'embuscade Tongo Tongo", "Many casualties in Niger 'terrorist' attack: president", "Niger buries soldiers killed in 'terrorist' attack", "New Details Emerge About Attack That Killed US Soldiers in Niger", "Village chief arrested for "complicity" in deadly ambush in Niger", "Villagers Suspected of Luring US Soldiers into Niger Ambush", "Niger Open to Allowing U.S. Drone Strikes From the Country, Prime Minister Says", "Niger Approves Armed U.S. Drone Flights, Expanding Pentagon's Role in Africa", "A swarm of motorbikes, then heavy fire: witnesses shed new light on Niger attack", "Nation's top general says U.S. troops in Niger were ambushed on way back to base", "Three US special forces among eight dead in Niger ambush", "Twelve days of silence, then a swipe at Obama: How Trump handled four dead soldiers", "Kelly emotionally defends Trump's call to military widow", "Trump's Condolence Call to Soldier's Widow Ignites an Imbroglio", "I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation! Dustin Wright and Staff Sgt. An account of what happened in Niger last Oct. 4 was released Thursday by the Pentagon and U.S. Africa Command. But I am honored that they finally decided to upgrade him.. Wright was initially recommended for the Medal of Honor in August 2018. Staff Sgt. [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. Combat Infantryman Badge Jeremiah Wayne Johnson. As the enemy pressed in, La David Johnson and the two Nigerien soldiers began pulling back on foot to the west. Air Assault Badge Jeremiah Johnson, and continued to engage the enemy until each was shot and killed by small-arms fire. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wash.; Staff Sgt. The team leader and the four Nigerien soldiers continued their flanking movement until they were stopped by a body of water, at which point they identified and engaged the enemy across the water, killing approximately four combatants. Parachutist Badge 1st Class Jeremiah Johnson, who was killed in action in the 2017 attack and decorated with the Bronze Star Medal with "V" for Valor, praised the French but said the U . I did watch the head cam. In March 2018, more than five months after the attack, the SUV used by the Americans and the helmet cam footage was discovered by Tuareg Rebels in Mali after clashes with bandits in the border area. History of the United States Army Special Forces, Jeremiah Johnson, La . 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. [24][25] In that month, US President Barack Obama sent 150 military personnel to Niger to set up a surveillance drone operation that would aid France in its counterterrorism efforts in the Northern Mali conflict. You have reached a collection of archived material. Who Is the Army Punishing? He was in a prone position in the rear of the vehicle with two Nigerien soldiers when the order to withdraw came. [118] Laura Seay, an assistant professor of government at Colby College, shared French's view in an article on Slate. However, they submitted a CONOP that was copied from a previous routine reconnaissance patrol. 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