ISIS has released a sickening video appearing to show their fighters ambushing and killing four US soldiers in Niger. Jeremiah Johnson, and Sgt. [24] On 5 February, officials from both Niger and the United States said that the two countries signed a status of forces agreement that allowed the deployment of unarmed surveillance drones. [26] In October 2017, there were about 800 US military personnel in Niger, most of whom were working to build a second drone base for US and French aircraft in Agadez. [13] [63], Jeremiah Wayne "JW" Johnson (19772017) of Springboro, Ohio, was born in New Bern, North Carolina, to J.W. The video below, which is age restricted, contains combat footage of the 2017 Niger ambush. Army Commendation Medal Sgt. Johnson was married to Crystal and had two daughters, Addie and Elisa. [88], On 17 October, during a press conference, Trump was asked about his silence by a reporter and commented on the incident. [127] According to The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has since joined the investigation. He served as a Special Forces engineer sergeant, or an 18C. Meritorious Service Medal But the militarys accusation that the team went off-script on the mission still bothers her. [65] A memorial service was also held for Black on 19 November in Puyallup. [133], In November 2018, the US military sent letters of reprimand to four officers and two soldiers, most notably to Air Force Major General Marcus Hicks, who was in charge of special operations forces in Africa, and Captain Michael Perozeni. Ranger Tab Niger: May to October 2016, Awards: . ", "Trump says he did not 'specifically' authorize Niger mission that killed four U.S. soldiers", "After Niger Attack, U.S. The remains were retrieved from the spot near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, where Johnson and three other American soldiers were ambushed and killed on Oct. 4 by ISIS-linked militants. The mothers of two of the four soldiers killed in a 2017 ambush in Niger say recently discovered video from the battle is more proof that their sons' valor awards should be reevaluated. Air Assault Badge [71] The couple had two children, Ah'Leesya and La David Jr., and one unborn child, La'Shee. Username. SFC Jeremiah Johnson was promoted posthumously to the rank of Sergeant First Class. The 9 minute, 15 second video appears to be shot from multiple helmet . La David Johnson at his burial service in the Memorial Gardens East . [73] Wright graduated from Toombs County High School in 2007. The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide a lethal Joint Force to defend the security of our country and sustain American influence abroad. SSG Jeremiah W. Johnson 4 October 2017, Niger Special Forces. [73] He attended Georgia Southern University and Fayetteville State University. [27] US Army Special Forces personnel (commonly referred to as Green Berets) have deployed on numerous occasions to train personnel of the Niger Armed Forces (FAN) to assist in the fight against terrorists from neighboring countries. U.S. forces are in Niger helping train and advise Nigerien security forces; they are not serving in a combat role, according to officials at U.S. Africa Command. (U.S. Army via AP). When found, SGT L. Johnson's hands were not bound and he was laying on his back with his arms to his sides. Jeremiah Johnson, American soldier killed in the Tongo Tongo ambush. Army Achievement Medal The investigation also found that "two junior officers had 'mischaracterized' the mission" in planning documents. The two remained with Black's body and further assessed his wounds. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal But Maj. Gen. Marcus Hicks, who led U.S. Special Operations Command-Africa at the time, downgraded the recommended decoration to a Distinguished Service Cross in September of that year, according to award approval records previously viewed by Army Times. They were on a dirt track headed south about 120 miles to Camp Ouallam at the end of a joint patrol that began on Oct. 3. Army Commendation Medal Afghanistan: July 2015 - September 2015, Awards: Two other U.S. service members were wounded in the attack in southwest Niger. He previously deployed to Jordan in 2012. Jeremiah Johnson (blues musician) (born 1972), American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter. [61] At the age of 20, Black earned a business degree at Central Washington University. Djibouti: April 2016 September 2016 Under heavy fire, seven American and four Nigerian soldiers would run through the wooded area and break contact with the enemy. [122], On 10 November, local villagers told The Washington Post that La David Johnson's body was found with his arms tied,[57] but the Associated Press reported on 17 December that there were no indications he was shot at close range, had been bound, or taken prisoner. Dustin Wright . Service verification is as following: Rank: Staff sergeant (E-6), effective June 2015posthumously promoted to sergeant first class (E-7), effective Oct. 4, 2017, MOS/Branch: Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist (74D), Dates of Service: July 2007 October 2017, Deployments: La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. [41] A senior congressional aide told NBC News that the ambush was caused by a "massive intelligence failure" with no overhead surveillance of the mission, or a quick reaction force in place to swiftly respond in the event that the mission went wrong. Waldhauser said "there will be awards for valor" for actions during the ambush. [4][29][30] In August 2013, MUJAO merged with al-Mourabitoun, which swore allegiance to al-Qaeda emir Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Americans and their Nigerien partners fought back fiercely, but they were outnumbered and outgunned. [126], On 19 October, NBC News reported that AFRICOM sent a team to Niger to conduct a "review of the facts". Black and Jeremiah Johnson moved alongside, providing covering fire. La David Johnson were posthumously awarded the Silver Star while Staff Sgt. [16] On 20 October, McCain and Mattis met in McCain's office in the United States Capitol. La David Johnson sprayed the treeline with fire from an M240 machine gun. [138], On 4 October 2019, the United States offered a $5 million bounty on Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi under the Rewards for Justice program. While there, the Team OUALLAM commander conducted an . [86], The ambush was the deadliest combat incident involving US soldiers since Donald Trump took office as president on 20 January 2017. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington; Staff Sgt. During this manoeuvre, Sergeant LaDavid Johnson and two Nigerien soldiers became separated from the rest of his team. Soldiers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tongo_Tongo_ambush&oldid=1133945159, Green Beret senior Officers and team leaders disciplined for the outcome of the ambush, This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 06:37. The country is also host to a small U.S. drone base that operates surveillance and intelligence drones. [107], On 10 May 2018, the US Department of Defense released an unclassified executive summary of the DoD's investigation and gave a briefing on the outcome of the department's investigation. From the truck bed of his vehicle, Sgt. . They were killed on Oct. 4, 2017 near the village of Tongo Tongo. Johnson acknowledged the order and attempted to get behind the wheel, but heavy fire drove him back. [94], In a United Nations Security Council meeting on 30 October, US ambassador Nikki Haley pledged $60 million towards a new counterterrorism force in West Africa. Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon As the team searched they discovered enemy rations, uniforms and a motorcycle all of which were destroyed by partner Nigerien soldiers. Receive small business resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs. [83], On 1 November, Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said that Niger was open to allowing US drone strikes against terror groups. Upon realizing Black, Jeremiah Johnson, and Wright were missing, Two team members volunteered to head back to the ambush site in an attempt to locate vehicle three. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Combat Infantryman Badge (posthumous), MOS/Branch: Special Forces engineer sergeant (18C), Dates of Service: July 2012 October 2017, Deployments: For Wright, Niger was his first overseas deployment. Dustin Wright defending a fatally shot Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson. [60][63][64] He spoke English, French, Arabic, and Hausa, the last of which is spoken in Niger. Within minutes, an unarmed US drone captured video of the firefight. They worked around to the south, intending to outflank the enemy and sweep the treeline, but were forced to retreat. In the day preceding the ambush, the Nigerien and US soldiers conducted a mission attempting to locate and capture or kill Doundou Chefou, a commander in the ISGS. [75], A small section of Georgia Highway 1 was named in memorial of Wright in April 2019. All three were assigned to the Armys 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Sgt. [41] The group guarding the vehicles began to suspect that something was wrong when they witnessed two motorcycles race out of the village. The Tongo Tongo ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, when armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) attacked Nigerien and U.S. soldiers near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, while they were returning to base from a mission. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. History of the United States Army Special Forces, Jeremiah Johnson, La . [21], The ambush sparked political debate over the presence of US forces in Africa and brought attention to previously under-reported US military activities in the region. Families of those slain soldiers have argued for years that blame for the botched Oct. 4, 2017, mission was unfairly placed on the 11-man Army Special Forces team that fought through the unexpected attack, rather than the senior officers who greenlit the operation. Jordan: May 2012, Awards: The account was in the form of an unclassified eight-page summary of a classified 3,600-page Article 15-6 fact-finding investigation ordered by Marine Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the AFRICOM commander, and led by his chief of staff, Army Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier. [34][8][35][36][37], In Tiloa, the team failed to locate the ISGS commander and began their return to base. Jeremiah Johnson, 39, were killed fighting in one location near the . Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Combat Action Badge. Abdoul Rachid Yerimah was a soldat de 2nde classe (private) of the BSR. [27] A senior US intelligence official told ABC News that at least 21 militants were killed, all of which were buried on the Malian side of the border. His hands "were not bound and he was not executed but was killed in action while actively engaging the enemy," the summary said. ", "A Deadly Ambush's Great Mystery: What Are We Doing in Niger? The new video was quietly recovered during a French operation to kill the leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara this summer. Johnson was awarded the Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon during his service. At this point two additional team members would head back toward the initial ambush site to help locate the missing teammates. Johnson alive," the summary said in disputing several reports that circulated immediately after the ambush. At 1522 on 6 October 2017, the Nigeriens transferred the remains of SGT L. Johnson to U.S. custody. They tried a textbook maneuver to end the threat. ", The attackers brought up a truck-mounted heavy machine gun and raked the tree, the summary said. Little information has been made public about the incident, and the attack is still under investigation. [52][50][53][13] Even though there was now air support, the French pilots could not engage because they could not readily identify enemy forces in the firefight. Parachutist Badge [67] Johnson had her name tattooed on his chest. Wright and Jeremiah Johnson were shot multiple times at close range by the militants, killing them.[50]. [98] On the same day, Senator Lindsey Graham said that the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee will be briefed next week. It was ambushed outside the village of Tongo Tongo by a large group of Islamic State militants that had been tracking its movements for hours. Army Commendation Medal The Tongo Tongo ambush or the Niger ambush occurred on 4 October 2017, when armed militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) attacked Nigerien and US soldiers outside the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger while they were returning to base after a stop in the village. It has a total of valor award citations. Name. [58] On 12November, additional remains of LaDavid Johnson were found at the site where his body was recovered. "The enemy did not capture Sgt. Dustin Wright and Staff Sgt. Copyright 2023 Military.com. Bryan . Army Commendation Medal w/C Device The four team members who split from the second position would regroup with the remainder of the team and partner force. q. Waldhauser also said there will be "accountability" for command failures that were factors in the ambush. Johnson], killing him with small-arms fire.". [17][26][28] The expectations were that construction of the base would be completed in 2018, which would allow the US to conduct surveillance operations with the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper to monitor ISIL insurgents flowing south and other extremists flowing north from the Sahel region. However, they submitted a CONOP that was copied from a previous routine reconnaissance patrol. Niger: August 2017 October 2017 The native of Puyallup, Washington, enlisted in the Army in October 2009, according to a statement from U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Search by Name . Who Is the Army Punishing? First Class Jeremiah Johnson posthumously received the Bronze Star with Valor. This information can be obtained through a FOIA request. [67][68] After his mother's death in September 1999, Johnson's care was entrusted to Richard and Cowanda Johnson. LaDavid Johnson was unable to enter his vehicle due to concentrated enemy fire and was forced to escape and evade on foot with the two Nigeriens. Johnson enlisted in the Army in October 2007 as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist. The . [22] The ambush also prompted congressional inquiries, and an investigation by the US Department of Defense (DoD). The version shown to defense reporters was 10 minutes long, compared to the 22-minute version shown to members of Congress. Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Johnson, 39; Sergeant La David Johnson, 25; and Staff . Army Service Ribbon [69] When Johnson was a Walmart employee in Miami, people in his community knew him as a local stunt rider and was called the "Wheelie King". Niger: August 2017 October 2017 [97] On 19 October, McCain said that a subpoena may be required to determine what happened in Niger. La David Johnson (left) and Sgt. Dustin Wright and Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson regained his footing and ran to Black, checking for wounds. Soon after, a vehicle with a mounted machine gun stopped within 100 meters (110yd) of LaDavid Johnson's position and pinned him down.