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CMO recipient Edward C. Byers Jr of DEVGRU

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On 5 December 2012, American physician Dr. Dilip Joseph, who had been working with an aid organization, was captured by the Taliban along with two Afghans while returning to their base in Kabul.The U.S. military gathered intelligence on where Dr. Joseph was being held. The commanders were concerned that the hostages might be moved to a new hideout or killed as early as 9 December 2012.

On the night of 8 December 2012, Byers and his unit were inserted by helicopter in Qarghah'i District of Laghman Province, eastern Afghanistan. They hiked more than four hours over difficult terrain to reach the compound where the Taliban were holding the hostages. Despite the darkness, an armed guard spotted the SEALs within roughly 75 feet (23 m) of the compound and raised an alarm. Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas D. Checque sprinted forward, killed the guard and entered the compound, with Byers just steps behind.

Once inside the compound, Checque was shot by a Taliban fighter from within the single room where the hostages were held. Undeterred, Byers burst into the room, shooting dead an armed Taliban fighter. Byers tackled and straddled another insurgent who was scrambling to the corner of the room to get a rifle. Byers adjusted his night vision goggles to see whether he was the American hostage. When Joseph called out to Byers, Byers killed the insurgent he was straddling and then hurled himself on top of Joseph to protect him from harm. At the same time, Byers pinned another militant to the wall with a hand to the throat until another SEAL shot him.

Byers, the unit's medic, attempted to resuscitate Checque on the ground and during a 40-minute flight to Bagram Airfield without success. Checque was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions.
 
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