Scott C. Fales Silver Star citation
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ESTABLISHED BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS 9 JULY 1918 (AMENDED BY ACT OF 25 JULY 1963) AND AWARDED BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SILVER STAR MEDAL
PRESENTED TO
MASTER SERGEANT SCOTT C. FALES, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
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 Silver Star to Master Sergeant Scott C. Fales, United States Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Mogadishu, Somalia, from 3 October 1993 to 4 October 1993. On these dates, Sergeant Fales, a 24th Special Tactics Squadron Pararescueman, was attached to a joint service search and rescue security team tasked to respond to the crash of a United States UH-60 helicopter. While conducting an initial assessment at the crash site, Sergeant Fales was seriously wounded in an intense fire fight involving small arms and rocket propelled grenades. Disregarding the trauma of his own wound, he continued to provide medical care to his team and provide devastating covering fire against repeated enemy attacks. Sergeant Fales’ technical expertise, personal courage and total disregard for his own personal safety were paramount to the ultimate success of the search and rescue security team mission. His decisive actions in providing expert trauma care to wounded members of his team despite his own wounded condition were paramount in limiting the number of American casualties and in bringing the extraction operation to conclusion as expeditiously as possible. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Fales has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Born in Hagarstown, Md…. Enlisted in 1977 and joined Pararescue in 1980… Saw combat in Iraq, Somalia, and Panama… Was one of the Air Force Association’s Outstanding Airmen of the Year earlier in 1993… Retired as master sergeant in April, 1997… Received U.S. Special Operations Command’s highest honor, the Bull Simons Award in 2012 for lifetime achievement