Two Air Force heroes get Silver Stars

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003 | 11:18 a.m.

As the United States stands on the verge of another war with Iraq, Nellis Air Force Base paused to honor two of its pilots whose courage saved some of their comrades' lives in last year's war in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Burt Bartley and 1st Lt. Thomas Cahill Jr. were each given a Silver Star for saving 34 lives in separate missions last March. The Silver Star is the Air Force's fifth-highest award behind the Medal of Honor, the Air Force Cross, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Medal. Bartley, an F-16 pilot, and Cahill, a rescue helicopter pilot, said they were just doing their jobs as part of Operation Anaconda on March 4 near Marzak.

"There were a lot of 19- and 20-year-olds down there doing their jobs. I was just doing my part of the mission," 41-year-old Bartley said.

Bartley's job included the firing of 500 rounds from his 20 mm cannons at al-Qaida and Taliban fighters as they advanced on 39 trapped U.S. troops near a downed MH-47 helicopter during the Battle of Roberts Ridge. Bartley also dropped 500-pound bombs on the enemy.

He was credited with saving the lives of 31 men, including 10 who had been wounded. Eight lives were lost in that skirmish, including Pfc. Matthew Commons, 21, of Boulder City. They were the first U.S. casualties of the campaign.

"(Commons) was one of my brothers in arms," Bartley said, acknowledging that he did not know the local soldier but indicating he felt the loss.

Bartley's citation reads in part that he showed "undaunted courage" and "made two strafing runs ... helping to neutralize the enemy positions and allowing survivors to find cover and care for the wounded. ... For 2 1/2 hours, Col. Bartley, at constant risk to his aircraft and his own life, protected the survivors .... until reinforcements could arrive."

On March 3, just hours before Bartley's mission, Cahill piloted his HH-60G helicopter in darkness and saved three lives, including that of a critically wounded man a few miles from the Roberts Ridge battle site.

"It's search and rescue, this is what we do," Cahill, a 33-year-old father of three children, ages 4 to 14, said matter-of-factly. He credited his success under fire in dangerous terrain to skill developed through extensive training and luck.

Cahill said that while enemy rounds shot past his helicopter he kept his mind on his work because part of his training was to define his priorities and not to panic.

"You keep on concentrating because the rock in front of you at that time may be more of a danger than enemy fire," Cahill said.

Cahill's citation reads in part that he showed "gallantry and devotion to duty" and he "expertly navigated the flight through enemy-controlled mountainous terrain. ... He was targeted by mortar fire (and) his aircraft's motor speed began to decay due to the high gross weight and density altitude. ... If not for his uncanny skills, (it) would have continued to decay, resulting in a crash."

Asked about having to do it again in Iraq, he said, "I always keep my bag packed and ready to go, but I have no feelings either way" about the speculation of war.

His wife, Roxane, said, "I'm not happy about it (potential war), but this is his job."

Cahill, who has 3,300 flying hours and currently is assigned as an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis, said that one advantage to doing rescue work in Iraq would be that there is less elevation than in Afghanistan. Bartley, who has more than 4,000 hours of flying time and now is assigned as deputy commandant for the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis, is not currently designated for combat. But he said he is "ready to go on any assignment if they want me to." Both men said if it weren't for the jobs of support units, they wouldn't be alive today.

Maj. Gen. Stephen Wood, the base commander who pinned the medals on his men's uniforms, said he is not surprised that such heroes would not blow their own horns, but instead credit others.

"They don't talk much about it because they are humble, quiet professionals," he said during the brief base ceremony attended by about 300, including both men's parents. "But when you are called for duty you do it with pride and distinction."

Bartley, who also is married, told the families who have loved ones deployed in harm's way that they can take comfort in knowing that there are men whose job it is to rescue them if they find themselves in desperate situations.