The Story:
The wild lands between Afghanistan and Pakistan have never been for the faint of heart. That’s even more true for those stationed at Shkin Fire Base in Afghanistan – a fortified mud base, at 7,800 feet of elevation, a mere four miles from the border. It is a “choking point” for insurgents in the surrounding mountains, and as such often experiences direct contact with enemy forces – as it did in spectacular fashion on Sept. 29, 2003.
Then-Capt. Worthan was on his second deployment with the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan at that time. As the sun rose, it seemed like it would be an ordinary day of patrols and maybe occasional contact with the enemy. But then, shortly before 6 a.m., a platoon on patrol received a barrage of fire from AK-47s, RPGs, machine guns, and mortars. This was not an isolated rocket attack or sporadic gunfire – this was a well-orchestrated offensive, the beginning of a pitched battle that would rage for 12 hours.
Capt. Worthan quickly provided fire support from the base, but when the platoon took casualties, Worthan exited relative safety and made his way to the front line of the battle. Assessing the battlefield, he directed the evacuation of casualties and marked enemy positions and directed fire toward them. He led one platoon through a 150-meter deep, 500-meter wide wadi even as he continued coordinating attacks on the enemy forces. From the other side of the wadi, his men fought from ridge to ridge as enemy fire continued to come from different directions. All the while, Worthan continued marking enemies and calling in their positions to air elements. As evening fell, Worthan finished clearing his areas before coordinating the return to Shkin Fire Base.
Throughout the battle, Worthan provided firm leadership under intense fire – saving countless lives and eliminating numerous enemies. For his actions and leadership, Worthan was awarded the Silver Star on June 15, 2004. In October 2006, Worthan was again recognized for the 2003 battle and awarded the Alexander E. Nininger Award for Valor at Arms by the U.S. Military Academy’s association of graduates.