Brendan O'Connor (soldier)
# Brendan O'Connor (soldier)

Sergeant Major Brendan W. O'Connor (born 1960) is a retired Special Forces medical sergeant in the United States Army. On April 30, 2008, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic action in Afghanistan. The DSC is the nation's second highest award for valor (after the Medal of Honor) and this was only the second time since the Vietnam War that the medal was awarded.

## Early life

Brendan W. O'Connor was born at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, the fifth of six children, to LTC Mortimer O'Connor and Elizabeth O'Connor. After his father died in combat in Vietnam, the family settled in Moorestown, New Jersey, where he attended Moorestown High School. Brendan enlisted in the United States Army Reserve (USAR) and enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at Valley Forge Military Junior College at Wayne, Pennsylvania, in 1978. He was commissioned in 1980 and served as the executive officer of a Special Forces team, later as a rifle platoon leader and rifle company commander, and then as a team commander.

In 1994, he resigned his commission in the Reserves and enlisted in the Active Army to become a Special Forces medical sergeant. In 2005, he deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom as a medical sergeant and a team's operations sergeant.

## Heroic action

On June 23, 2006, O'Connor and his team were ambushed by over 250 Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan. During the ensuing 17½ hours of intense combat, two soldiers were seriously wounded. The Afghan translator with the team radioed for permission to kill the two wounded soldiers and himself to prevent the Taliban from capturing, then torturing, mutilating, and executing them.

O'Connor started to crawl out to assist the two wounded soldiers but could not get low enough to avoid detection. He then removed his body armor and slowly crawled toward the two soldiers, taking a full 90 minutes to crawl 200 yards, while machine gun bullets passed close enough to cut down the grass around him. Eventually reaching the wounded, O'Connor gave them first aid, then moved them to a more secure position. Afterwards the team sergeant was killed, at which point O'Connor took command of the team.

Covered by a United States Air Force plane, the team was able to withdraw. They suffered two dead and one seriously wounded but had killed over 120 Taliban fighters.

In a ceremony at Fort Bragg, O'Connor was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while two other soldiers were awarded Silver Stars (one posthumously).

## Awards and decorations

### Distinguished Service Cross

   Brendan W. O'Connor Service: Army Organization: (ODA-765), Company A, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Division: Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan
   The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Master Sergeant Brendan W. O'Connor, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in combat as the Senior Medical Sergeant for Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 765 (ODA-765), Company A, 2d Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, in Panjawal District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. On 24 June 2006, while conducting Operation KAIKI, Sergeant O'Connor led a quick-reaction force to reinforce a surrounded patrol and rescue two wounded comrades. He maneuvered his force through Taliban positions and crawled alone and unprotected, under enemy machinegun fire to reach the wounded soldiers. He provided medical care while exposed to heavy volumes of Taliban fire, then carried one of the wounded 150 meters across open ground to an area of temporary cover. Sergeant First Class O'Connor then climbed over a wall three times, in plain view of the enemy, to assist the wounded soldiers in seeking cover while bullets pounded the structure around them. Sergeant First Class O'Connor assumed duties as the detachment operations sergeant and led the consolidation of three friendly elements, each surrounded, isolated, and receiving fire from all directions. Sergeant First Class O'Connor's distinctive accomplishments and dedication to his comrades are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.

### Commendations

| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1st row | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Cross | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star |
| 2nd row | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal | Army Achievement Medal | Army Achievement Medal | Army Achievement Medal | Army Achievement Medal |
| 3rd row | Army Good Conduct Medal with silver clasp and 2 loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with silver clasp and 2 loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with silver clasp and 2 loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with silver clasp and 2 loops | Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star |
| 4th row | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| 5th row | Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon with Award numeral 8 | Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon with Award numeral 8 | Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon with Award numeral 8 | Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon with Award numeral 8 | Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass device | Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass device | Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass device | Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass device | Non-Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon with Award numeral 4 | Non-Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon with Award numeral 4 | Non-Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon with Award numeral 4 | Non-Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon with Award numeral 4 |
| 6th row | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | NATO Medal for service with ISAF | NATO Medal for service with ISAF |
| Badges | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Air Assault Badge | Air Assault Badge | Air Assault Badge | Air Assault Badge |
| Tabs | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Special Forces tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab |

## Family

He is married to Margaret Elizabeth (née Garvey); they have three sons and two daughters.

