- SURNAME
Gant
- FORENAME
James (Jim)
- UNIT
SF (Commander Iraqi National Police Quick Reaction Force Bn Transition Team)
- RANK
Major
- NUMBER
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
Iraq 2007
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Las Cruces, New Mexico
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major James K. Gant, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Chief of the Iraqi National Police, Quick Reaction Force Battalion Transition Team, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 11 December 2006, in Iraq. As Patrol Commander during a ground movement from Balad to Baghdad, his patrol of three U.S. armored HMMW-Vs and a variety of 2.3 soft-shelled Iraqi NP vehicles, came under attack from multiple enemy machine gun positions on the west side of the road as it neared an Iraqi checkpoint. Major Gant's masterful leadership and selfless courage under fire directly resulted in saving the lives of his men, a countless number of National Police Quick Reaction Force personnel and four Iraqi civilians, as well as 12 confirmed enemy kills and a much higher number of estimated enemy killed and wounded. Major Gant's actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of heroic military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Iraqi Assistance Group, the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Major James K. Gant distinguished himself by exceptional gallantry in combat actions against a determined and aggressive enemy of the United States, on 11 December 2006, near ****, Iraq, while serving as Chief, Iraqi National Police (NP) Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Battalion Transition Team. As Patrol Commander during a ground movement from Balad to Baghdad, his patrol of three U.S. armored HMMW-Vs and a variety of 2.3 soft-shelled Iraqi NP vehicles, came under attack from multiple enemy machine gun positions on the west side of the road as it neared an Iraqi checkpoint. Major Gant immediately ordered his HMMW-V to engage the enemy, enabling the other patrol vehicles to continue pushing south towards Baghdad. After several minutes of gunfire, the enemy broke contact. While rallying his patrol to a more safe and secure area outside the kill zone, Major Gant was notified of NP casualties. Without a moment's delay, Major Gant moved to aid the wounded personnel, dismounted his vehicle, began treatment, and determined the need for immediate medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) air support. While treating an NP with a life-threatening gunshot wound to the face and awaiting the arrival of the MEDEVAC, the patrol came under significant small arms fire for a second time. With total disregard for his own safety, Major Gant continued to treat the injured NP, due to the seriousness of the wounds, while taking heavy fire. Eventually, the intensity of enemy fire increased to the point where Major Gant temporarily suspended medical treatment, provided cover for the wounded NP, and engaged the enemy with his M-4 from very close range. Following only a momentary break, enemy action escalated with gunfire from both sides of the road. The sounds of a mortar being launched ensued. Major Gant rapidly assessed the situation and realized that the enemy was going to attempt to maneuver on the MEDEVAC helicopter. With the MEDEVAC inbound, again, exposing himself to intense enemy fire, Major Gant personally supervised an effort to deflect enemy fire on the aircraft by moving on foot into the kill zone on six separate occasions, directing the NP QRF to mount their trucks and move south in order to secure a landing zone (LZ) for the MEDEVAC. Major Gant was in the kill zone for several minutes and was the last man out of the kill zone. Upon arrival of the MEDEVAC at the LZ, Major Gant again dismounted and informed the flight medic of the injuries, as well as the imminent threat of mortar fire. As the MEDEVAC departed, another heavy barrage of small arms and machine gunfire began, and a mortar landed within 50 meters of the LZ. Still dismounted, Major Gant moved off the road into a palm grove and engaged an enemy machine gun position with his M-4, confirming one enemy wounded. Major Gant then re-mounted his vehicle but became aware that two patrol members - a U.S. soldier and an Iraqi interpreter - were out in the open, whereby, again still under enemy fire, he immediately directed his vehicle to retrieve the two men and provided them with a safe return to their own vehicle. However, it was during this time, his vehicle was hit with a burst of machine gun fire, damaging the engine, forcing him to reduce his speed. As the convoy continued to push south, they encountered the first of a series of three improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Major Gant's experience with enemy tactics enabled him to recognize immediately that the use of these IEDs were intended to stop the patrol and allow the enemy to ambush the patrol in a well-designed kill zone with mortars, small arms, rocket propelled grenades, and machine guns. Knowing the tail end of his 26-vehicle patrol was still under small arms fire, and that the Iraqi vehicles and the warriors they were carrying would never survive an IED blast, Major Gant without hesitation, fearlessly ordered his vehicle to the front of the patrol, ordered his gunner below the turret, and directed his HMMW-V move at the IED in a manner that would detonate the IED closest to his side of the vehicle. The IED detonated on Major Gant's side, injuring no one and not impacting the rest of the patrol. Inspired by his heroic conduct and absolute fearlessness, the patrol followed him, never stopping in the complex kill zone designed by the enemy. A second IED was spotted by Major Gant and he again directed that the IED be detonated on his side of the vehicle. Again, the patrol was saved, although one woman in an Iraqi vehicle did sustain injuries. Immediately after the detonation of the second IED, and for the third time, he called for the bold action of using his vehicle to serve as a means of early detonation; however, this IED did not detonate and the patrol kept moving south. The enemy, hell-bent on destroying a NP QRF patrol of more than 100 Iraqi and U.S. warriors, unleashed a heavy mortar attack from both sides of the road. Recognizing the threat, Major Gant directed the positioning of vehicles to be able to combat the assault, pushing the patrol through the ambush in a vicious close-range gun battle while still continuing to move south. After repelling the enemy assault, Major Gant ordered the patrol to set up a hasty defense perimeter so he could treat the seriously wounded woman and then moved a small Iraqi girl into his vehicle for her protection. Major Gant's masterful leadership and selfless courage under fire directly resulted in saving the lives of his men, a countless number of National Police Quick Reaction Force personnel and four Iraqi civilians, as well as 12 confirmed enemy kills and a much higher number of estimated enemy killed and wounded. Major Gant's actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of heroic military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Iraqi Assistance Group, the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Major James K. Gant distinguished himself by exceptional gallantry in combat actions against a determined and aggressive enemy of the United States, on 11 December 2006, near ****, Iraq, while serving as Chief, Iraqi National Police (NP) Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Battalion Transition Team. As Patrol Commander during a ground movement from Balad to Baghdad, his patrol of three U.S. armored HMMW-Vs and a variety of 2.3 soft-shelled Iraqi NP vehicles, came under attack from multiple enemy machine gun positions on the west side of the road as it neared an Iraqi checkpoint. Major Gant immediately ordered his HMMW-V to engage the enemy, enabling the other patrol vehicles to continue pushing south towards Baghdad. After several minutes of gunfire, the enemy broke contact. While rallying his patrol to a more safe and secure area outside the kill zone, Major Gant was notified of NP casualties. Without a moment's delay, Major Gant moved to aid the wounded personnel, dismounted his vehicle, began treatment, and determined the need for immediate medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) air support. While treating an NP with a life-threatening gunshot wound to the face and awaiting the arrival of the MEDEVAC, the patrol came under significant small arms fire for a second time. With total disregard for his own safety, Major Gant continued to treat the injured NP, due to the seriousness of the wounds, while taking heavy fire. Eventually, the intensity of enemy fire increased to the point where Major Gant temporarily suspended medical treatment, provided cover for the wounded NP, and engaged the enemy with his M-4 from very close range. Following only a momentary break, enemy action escalated with gunfire from both sides of the road. The sounds of a mortar being launched ensued. Major Gant rapidly assessed the situation and realized that the enemy was going to attempt to maneuver on the MEDEVAC helicopter. With the MEDEVAC inbound, again, exposing himself to intense enemy fire, Major Gant personally supervised an effort to deflect enemy fire on the aircraft by moving on foot into the kill zone on six separate occasions, directing the NP QRF to mount their trucks and move south in order to secure a landing zone (LZ) for the MEDEVAC. Major Gant was in the kill zone for several minutes and was the last man out of the kill zone. Upon arrival of the MEDEVAC at the LZ, Major Gant again dismounted and informed the flight medic of the injuries, as well as the imminent threat of mortar fire. As the MEDEVAC departed, another heavy barrage of small arms and machine gunfire began, and a mortar landed within 50 meters of the LZ. Still dismounted, Major Gant moved off the road into a palm grove and engaged an enemy machine gun position with his M-4, confirming one enemy wounded. Major Gant then re-mounted his vehicle but became aware that two patrol members - a U.S. soldier and an Iraqi interpreter - were out in the open, whereby, again still under enemy fire, he immediately directed his vehicle to retrieve the two men and provided them with a safe return to their own vehicle. However, it was during this time, his vehicle was hit with a burst of machine gun fire, damaging the engine, forcing him to reduce his speed. As the convoy continued to push south, they encountered the first of a series of three improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Major Gant's experience with enemy tactics enabled him to recognize immediately that the use of these IEDs were intended to stop the patrol and allow the enemy to ambush the patrol in a well-designed kill zone with mortars, small arms, rocket propelled grenades, and machine guns. Knowing the tail end of his 26-vehicle patrol was still under small arms fire, and that the Iraqi vehicles and the warriors they were carrying would never survive an IED blast, Major Gant without hesitation, fearlessly ordered his vehicle to the front of the patrol, ordered his gunner below the turret, and directed his HMMW-V move at the IED in a manner that would detonate the IED closest to his side of the vehicle. The IED detonated on Major Gant's side, injuring no one and not impacting the rest of the patrol. Inspired by his heroic conduct and absolute fearlessness, the patrol followed him, never stopping in the complex kill zone designed by the enemy. A second IED was spotted by Major Gant and he again directed that the IED be detonated on his side of the vehicle. Again, the patrol was saved, although one woman in an Iraqi vehicle did sustain injuries. Immediately after the detonation of the second IED, and for the third time, he called for the bold action of using his vehicle to serve as a means of early detonation; however, this IED did not detonate and the patrol kept moving south. The enemy, hell-bent on destroying a NP QRF patrol of more than 100 Iraqi and U.S. warriors, unleashed a heavy mortar attack from both sides of the road. Recognizing the threat, Major Gant directed the positioning of vehicles to be able to combat the assault, pushing the patrol through the ambush in a vicious close-range gun battle while still continuing to move south. After repelling the enemy assault, Major Gant ordered the patrol to set up a hasty defense perimeter so he could treat the seriously wounded woman and then moved a small Iraqi girl into his vehicle for her protection. Major Gant's masterful leadership and selfless courage under fire directly resulted in saving the lives of his men, a countless number of National Police Quick Reaction Force personnel and four Iraqi civilians, as well as 12 confirmed enemy kills and a much higher number of estimated enemy killed and wounded. Major Gant's actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of heroic military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Iraqi Assistance Group, the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and the United States Army.
WEB LINKS:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/7444
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