Eric Brandenburg, Jr.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Eric Brandenburg, Jr., Technical Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 17th Air Support Operations Squadron, 18th Air Support Operations Group, in support of elements of the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, during the opening stages of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in late March and early April 2003. Sergeant Brandenburg distinguished himself during a 3-day firefight in Iraq as the terminal attack controller noncommissioned officer in charge while attached to a ranger battalion near western Iraq. With rocket-propelled grenades exploding over his head, Technical Sergeant Brandenburg fought off the enemy while requesting and controlling close air support. He moved forward through the intense firefight to get better vantage points to control the air strikes and was actually blown into the air by an exploding artillery shell.