Staff Sergeant John T Howerton
Awarded Bronze Star for Valor
Compiled
by Bryan R Howerton
Staff Sergeant
John T Howerton
In October 2004, S/Sgt John Thomas Howerton, an Airborne Ranger, was serving his third combat tour in SW Asia – this one in Afghanistan. He was leading a scout/recon team, part of the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment's scout platoon, who were the eyes and ears for another platoon of paratroopers from 1st Battalion's Bravo Company.
On his first tour he served primarily as a recon scout and sniper working with small special forces teams, engaged in the overthrow and removal of the Taliban and pacification of Afghanistan. His second tour was spent in and around Fallujah, Iraq with a recon/sniper team.
By this time he was a well experienced combat veteran and commanded a recon scout team during his third tour in an area along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border near Khyber Pass. An Army forward operating base at Asababad, Afghanistan was frequently the target of night rocket attacks by Anti-Coalition Militia forces. S/Sgt Howerton’s six man team was well trained in night operations in which they specialized and were equipped with night vision enhancement equipment.
On the night of 17 Oct 2004 he led his team out from the scout platoon, conducting a counter-rocket patrol for the purpose of intercepting enemy forces moving to execute rocket attacks on the American forward base. The hide site chosen was in an area of dense undergrowth amid large rocks. After setting up trip flares and claymore mines around their position, his team waited for the approach of the enemy. Soon one of their warning trip flares was activated and fire was received from the opposition. John’s team engaged the enemy with shoulder arms fire. The opposition closed in around the team’s position, firing several rocket propelled grenades toward the paratroopers; most of which hit protecting trees and rocks; however shrapnel and rock fragments struck team member helmets and their packs were torn and shredded from bullets and flying fragments. The team could hear the enemy within 25 meters conversing by whisper and RPG fire was accompanied by heavy AK-47 fire which the team returned in good measure, but they were beginning to run low on ammunition. At about that time, S/Sgt Howerton fired a signal flare, requesting assistance by additional forces and radioed for gunship support.
Waiting for the gunship, John called for artillery support which was provided by batteries with 105mm guns. However, the fire was not accurate, probably because of the artillery team’s precautions to avoid hitting John’s team which was in such close proximity to the enemy. When the gunship arrived overhead it was unable to distinguish John’s team from the enemy as they were bunched together. The gunship radioed S/Sgt Howerton, requesting he mark his position with a strobe light, enabling the gunship to identify the personnel to be targeted. After the strobe light was activated, the gunship advised John that he was surrounded, with the enemy too close to his team for the gunship to fire.
S/Sgt Howerton continued to direct the efforts of his team, using hand grenades and shoulder weapons, but their ammunition supply was almost exhausted. (Due to experience gained in his previous tours in SW Asia, John insisted that his team carry a considerable amount of extra ammunition and since that night there have been no complaints by the heavily laden paratroopers.) John had only a few rounds left in his pistol and as his team was reaching the point where they would be defenseless without ammunition, he decided to attempt exfiltration and evade the enemy.
He detonated the claymore mines and all members of the team were able to break out from their hide location in the confusion and dust resulting from the explosions. John was struck in his legs and buttocks by fragments; fortunately, the wounds were minor. The paratroopers could see flashlights behind them as the fighters followed. Not wanting to lead the enemy to the other paratroopers, he employed escape and evasion maneuvers for almost six hours before joining with the other American unit. Sgt. 1st Class Jose Marengo, the scout platoon sergeant, said Howerton and his team saved the platoon and the base. “Had he not stood his ground, the fighters would have been able to set up a more coordinated attack.” ''He did an outstanding job. It is an awesome achievement," Marengo said.
The firefight was the biggest engagement of the paratroopers during that tour of duty in Afghanistan. In recognition of his heroic performance and outstanding leadership in the six-hour engagement during which his team was isolated from supporting American troops S/Sgt John T Howerton was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for valor.
Following the award ceremony at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, S/Sgt Howerton, who spent eight months in Iraq fighting in Fallujah, said he was surprised to learn that he had earned a Bronze Star. ''I was just doing my job," he said. "If anybody should have gotten awards, it is my team. They did just as much work as I did." He credited his training and said all of his soldiers responded exactly as they were taught on the ranges at Fort Bragg. ''I would not have done it any differently," he said.
John made it back from Afghanistan in time to spend Thanksgiving at home in Alabama. His father, Donald R. Howerton, and his stepmother, Linda K. Howerton, currently reside in Rehobeth, AL. Donald, a proud father, is a retired Army Aviator who served over 31 years in the U S Army.
(Information in this article was obtained by interview with S/Sgt Howerton, Fort Bragg website and a more detailed account of the fire-fight of 17 Oct 2004 which appeared in the 28 Oct 2004 edition of the newspaper: “The Fayetteville Observer”, Fayetteville, NC.)
The narrative supporting the award of the Bronze Star Medal to John follows:
Bronze Star Medal (Achievement)
SSG Howerton, John T
While conducting a counter-rocket patrol east of Asadabad, Afghanista on 17 October 2004, SSG Howerton skillfully and courageously lead his six-man scout team through a direct fire engagement against a much larger enemy force. His leadership, tactical knowledge, and demonstration of true warrior ethos enabled his team to fight and win under extremely difficult conditions.
Around dusk on the night of their counter-rocket patrol, SSG Howerton and his team observed approximately 25 anti-coalition militia (ACM) moving toward their position when a trip flare, set in by SSG Howerton’s team, was set off. When the flare initiated, SSG Howerton and his team were engaged by a larger ACM force carrying AK-47s, PKMs, and RPGs at ranges as close as 25 meters from their position. SSG Howerton immediately ordered his team to return fire and called higher requesting indirect fire support. While continuing to engage the enemy, SSG Howerton called for and adjusted fire for 6-8 rounds of 105mm high explosive artillery rounds to suppress and kill the enemy. After almost an hour, SSG Howerton directed the close air support (CAS) that arrived on station in an effort to kill the remaining ACM left in the area. Due to the thick vegetation in the area, the CAS was unable to determine friendly forces from the enemy forces. SSG Howerton took immediate action to identify his location to the aircraft above to prevent any chance of fratricide. When an enemy location was identified from the air, it was within the minimum safe distance of SSG Howerton’s scout team. In an effort to drive the enemy forces out into the open for the CAS, SSG Howerton and his team engaged the ACM with direct fire, M203 grenade launchers, and hand grenades. Despite his team’s efforts, the vegetation was too thick for help from the aircraft overhead. After nearly five hours, SSG Howerton and his team were still surrounded by a larger enemy force and isolated from friendly forces to the north. In order to make their way north to the other platoon, SSG Howerton made the call to detonate the claymore mines that were protecting their positions. The detonation of the claymores allowed SSG Howerton and his team to begin their movement of nearly 1500 meters through enemy forces in order to reach friendly forces. Six hours after the engagement began, SSG Howerton lead his team back to the safety of a larger friendly platoon where they resupplied themselves with ammunition and prepared themselves for any further engagements with enemy forces.
SSG Howerton’s quick decisions and courage under heavy direct fire allowed his team and other elements to engage and destroy the enemy, as well as keep the five soldiers under him alive and unharmed after nearly six hours of combat. Despite being greatly outnumbered and surrounded, SSG Howerton demonstrated an extraordinary ability to remain calm, think clearly, and win the fight in an intense situation.
BRONZE STAR CITATION
For exceptionally meritorious actions while participating in combat operations on 17 October 2004 in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, SSG Howerton's leadership, initiative, and courage while surrounded and under direct fire were a direct factor in defeating a larger enemy force. His actions reflect great credit upon himself, Task Force One Panther, The 82nd Airborne Division and the United States Army.
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