January 28, An Najaf, Iraq

The 1st Cavalry Division PAO, made this presentation that it inserts in it's Cav Country presentations. To see Cav Country go HERE.

A little background on this story, CW4 Judd's team responded to a troops in contact in An Najaf. After arriving on scene and while attempting to engage enemy forces that were in contact with coalition forces on the ground Mr. Judd's wingman was hit with multiple weapons systems causing the aircraft to crash. CW4 Judd's aircraft remained on station after being hit multiple times, losing aircraft operating systems, still engaging the enemy until he was relieved by a follow on attack weapons team. The nearest friendly forces other than the special operations team that was in enemy contact was around 60 miles away.

Multiple attack weapons teams and USAF aircraft engaged the enemy elements in the area around the crash site. At the end of the fight more than 600 enemy KIA were found on the battlefield. Many more were taken prisioner.

Teams of 2 AH-64D helicopters, USAF aircraft and a small band of SF troopers and their IA cohorts took on a BN sized enemy element and decimated them. Unfortunately we lost two CAV troopers that day, CW3 Cornell Chao and CPT Mark Resh. Nothing anyone did that day will ever replace the loss of those soldiers. But our enemy paid that day and they paid dearly.

It should also be noted that Mr. Judd's crew was submitted for a Distinguished Flying Cross and 1st Cavalry Division downgraded the award to an Air Medal with "V" for valor.

Aside from the announcement of the deaths of CW3 Chao and CPT Resh, I'm quite sure none of this ever made the news...so now you know the rest of the story...as some guy on the radio once said.