CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE SILVER STAR

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING THE WAR ON GLOBAL TERROR

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM - SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA - AFGHANISTAN

CLINT T. CAMPBELL

Technical Sergeant Clint T. Campbell distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on 4 August 2010.

On that date, while serving as a Combat Controller attached to an Army Special Forces detachment. Sergeant Campbell, his team, and their Afghan partners conducted a ten-hour clearance operation in the village of Zharif Kheyl.

Throughout the day, they were continuously harassed by enemy fire, and Sergeant Campbell directed 22 airstrikes, including multiple 'danger close' employments, resulting in 13 enemy killed.

When the friendly force departed the village, they were ambushed by over 40 insurgents with effective machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire. With the entire force pinned down and with reports of 3 urgent casualties at the southern position, Sergeant Campbell took decisive action.

Without regard for his own safety, he ran 300 meters through a gauntlet of enemy fire. As rocket-propelled grenades exploded feet away and tracer rounds passed within inches, Sergeant Campbell engaged enemy fighters with his rifle and killed one insurgent with a hand grenade. Upon arriving at the casualty collection point, he exposed himself to enemy fire to mark insurgent positions with a 40 millimeter smoke grenade and directed an F-16 strafing run to neutralize the threat and enable evacuation of the wounded. He then decimated the enemy with ten OH-58 strikes while coordinating with other air assets to vector the friendly force out of the kill zone.

Sergeant Campbell's bravery in the face of withering enemy fire turned the tide of the battle, defeated the ambush, saved three teammates' lives and prevented certain additional casualties.

By his gallantry and devotion to duty. Sergeant Campbell has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.