Sgt. Zachary J. Rhyner, shown in an undated photo, will be awarded the Air Force Cross on Tuesday for his actions during an April battle in Shok Valley, Afghanistan. Rhyner is assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina and is the second Pope airmen to receive the award. AP (Air Force Special Operations Command)From NPR:
Air Force Staff Sgt. Zachary Rhyner's story is one of heroism in battle. On April 6, 2008, Rhyner and his team were participating in an assault on Shok Valley in northeastern Afghanistan.
At first light, giant helicopters swooped into the valley. The mission of the special forces teams was to capture an insurgent — what the military calls a high value target. No coalition forces had ever been to that area before. There was no place to land. There was an icy river running down the middle of the valley — a river they hadn't been told about.
Once in the valley, Rhyner's team had to climb. The village was hundreds of feet above them. They had made it about 60 feet up before things went wrong.
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