Posted: 5/26/2009 1:32:13 PM EDT
1LT Brostrom, 173rd Abn Infantry I met this young soldier at my son’s Ranger graduation. I think I only talked to him for a minute or so. But I could tell he was special by the way my son addressed him. There was a mutual admiration that only comes from sharing hard times and hard won respect. He died last July when his Platoon was over run by several hundred Taliban. His platoon along with some Afghan National Army troops held a small position in southern Afghanistan along the Pakistan border. 1LT Brostrom had a squad out in an OP when the attack began. The attack began on the OP with mass fires of RPG’s used in indirect fire mode and it appeared early on that they might be overwhelmed. So the 1LT and a couple of his men moved out to the OP to shore up its defense. Once he arrived the battle in the OP broke down to a hand-to-hand fight. The Taliban was never able to take that OP but only one soldier survived. The LT was killed as he drove off the last wave. That 1LT going to the OP under fire is what leadership and responsibility are all about. I doubt he was thinking about being a hero, probably more worried about his men. He knew his place was with his men at the point of decision. Being a hero was just the act of him trying to keep them alive. This kid should be shown in our field manuals as an example of leadership and responsibility under fire. Other leaders may has stayed with the rest of the platoon in the Fire Base and no one would have thought ill of them, but this LT knew where he was needed and had the courage to go there. LT, I know that in the minds and hearts of your friends and comrades you will never die. You are a hero among men. Rest in Peace LT. |
I think I read about this kid. Is this the battle where they didn't get the gunships they called for? 
Isn't his dad a retired Colonel? That's too bad. I can only my hope my son would have been as brave. Wasn't it Patton who wondered "From where do we get such men?" |