Staff Sgt. Patrick Maloney
2d Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Corps Raiders
August 27, 2016
Operation Inherent Resolve, Kirkuk, Iraq
Award: Bronze Star W/ Combat “V”
Staff Sergeant Maloney’s team was conducting partnered reconnaissance operations on a prominent ridge along the Kurdish Defensive Line from an observation post exposed to a 280-degree fan of enemy-held territory. As the team established security, three team members were ambushed and pinned down under heavy and accurate enemy fire from positions 500 meters to the west. Enemy machine gun rounds impacted the vehicle his teammates were using for cover. Taking decisive action, he immediately crossed open ground, retrieved ammunition, and took charge of a Peshmerga heavy machine gun in an exposed and open truck bed. Remaining deliberately exposed to withering fire, he laid deadly suppressive fire on the enemy fighting positions. The Peshmerga heavy machine gun malfunctioned twice, requiring him to perform immediate and remedial action while exposed to rounds impacting within feet of his position. His fearless actions and fierce suppression gained fire superiority and enabled his teammates to return safely to covered positions. His bold actions further contributed to the immediate withdrawal of the enemy forces. By his extraordinary courage, zealous initiative, and total dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Maloney reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
Awesome! Exposed, open bed truck, weapon malfunction 2 x’s! Hero stuff! Semper Fi!
Only a Bronze Star? I would have thought he rated a Navy Cross or at the very least a Silver Star.
I agree.
Not wanting to be a wet blanket. I was told a very long time ago, ’64 MCRD PI, that the Raiders were disbanded during WW 2. No matter, this a great Marine, and deserves a higher award.
In 2014, the Marine Special Operations Regiment, serving under the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), was renamed the Marine Raider Regiment. This change was implemented as homage to the World War II Raiders. Marine special operators of the Marine Raider Regiment are once again called “Marine Raiders”.
In the U.S. Army the Staff Sergeants recognition would have been the Silver Star at minimum, perhaps the DSC, the 3 Marines who were ambushed would have received the Army Commendation w/V or maybe BS w/V. The USMC has always been stingy with awards, especially for enlisted ranks. In 1970, I put one of my squad leaders in for the SS for recovernig 2 wounded Marines from the field of fire. When I handed the paperwork to the 1stSgt he told me. “Won’t do any good Lieutenant, we got no quota for SS this month.” I asked him what we had a quota for. He told me something like, if he got injured in anyway the skipper could recommend a Purple Heart from battalion. Seems we never has a quota for PH. I don’t know if Top was BSing me or just didn’t want to do the paperwork. but I didn’t like and told him the put it through. My Lance Cpl, that’s right LANCE CPL combat squad leader was in-country another 4 months and never did get any formal recognition. The award request wasn’t denied while I was there; it just kind of went away. Other platoon leaders had similar experiences.
look at any officer, enlisted E-7 and above, and they are the ones who get all the ribbons/medals, esp. office pougs , us E-5 and below, were lucky to get a service, camp. ribbon, and I had to buy my own ! Seems like now a days, you get a ribbon for just about anything ! I was in from 68-72, got no cold war ribbon, or any other one that should have been rated.Just venting.
Maloney should have received a Silver Star or Navy Cross. Had he been an officer, he would have. The enlisted-officer classism has always existed in situations like this. Regardless, Semper Fi Marine!!!
Only a Bonze Star? If Staff Sergeant Maloney were an officer and performed the same action I’m confident the award would have been a silver star or more likely the Navy Cross.
Prime examples are Marine Corps Commandants from WWII forward. Most are wearing a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, a Army Distinguished Service Medal, a Navy Distinguished Service Medal, a Navy Cross, and a select few the Medal of Honor. A large percentage wear one or more of the aforementioned awards.
Take General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. He earned his Silver Star for his role in the amphibious assault at Inchon. In September 1950 General Shepherd was in Command of the Fleet Marine Force. When the 1st Marine Division landed, General Shepherd [USMC] was aboard the USS Mount McKinley with General Douglas MacArthur [USA], and General Edward Almond [USA] observing the landing. After the 1st Marine Division secured Inchon and were forming up to move on to Seoul, General Shepherd went ashore with General MacArthur and General Almond. This landing was choreographed and photographed for MacArthur’s ego. While onshore MacArthur spoke with news correspondents, shook some hands, and gave out various medals. This is when and how General Shepherd received his Silver Star. Immediately following the fanfare, the élite group boarded an LST and headed back to the USS Mount McKinley. A Silver Star . . . really. Shepherd was appointed as the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps by Truman on January 1, 1952
Staff Sergeant Maloney instinctively took immediate action while under enemy fire, without regard for his own life, to save Marines that were pinned down. His action and the end result of his action far exceeded his award and/or citation. The action of Staff Sergeant Maloney got diluted in a bureaucratic officers fraternity.
There is a disproportionate number of major awards/citations to officers in comparison to enlisted personnel across the entire military. Think about it; in round numbers enlisted outnumber officers by 10 to 1 in nearly every branch. Based on the number of major citations and awards; officers must do the brunt of the fighting.
Or maybe it has to do with the award system. Official paperwork for awards and/or citations are required to be submitted by an officer accompanied by witness statements. Then a panel of officers reviews the request, denies it, approves it, downgrades it, or upgrades it. Looks like a system set up for guaranteed career advancement for officers.
Regardless, Staff Sergeant Maloney deserves to have his citation upgraded.