SGT LaDavid T. Johnson

SGT LaDavid T. Johnson paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving the United States Army as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic with the 3d Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, NC with duty in Niger.

SGT Johnson was posthumously awarded a Silver Star for actions near Tonga Tongo, Niger in early October 2017. The joint United States - Nigerian team came under enemy fire, dismounted their vehicles in order to counter the attack, but quickly realized that they were greatly outnumbered and were forced to break contact.

During the fallback, SGT Johnson was among other soldiers to assume a second fighting position and again engage the enemy. Forced to break contact again, he and two Nigerien soldiers attempted to push back toward their vehicles but were forced to flee on foot due to the heavy enemy fire. The militants closed in and killed the two Nigerien soldiers within about 600 meters. SGT Johnson made it nearly a kilometer and took cover behind thick brush, continuing to fight under suppressive enemy fire from a vehicle-mounted heavy machine gun.

His Silver Star citation reads: "courage and dedication to his team were unmatched, engaging a numerically superior hostile force, disrupting the enemy's freedom of movement, and killing several enemy fighters before succumbing to his wounds.”

SGT Johnson’s awards include the Silver Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

SGT Johnson passed away on October 4, 2017. His courage and sacrifice to his country will be forever remembered.