Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe, Staff Sgt. James Moriarty. (U.S. Army) via Army Times
Wed Jan 28 Fallen Green Beret James F. Moriarty will be posthumously awarded the Silver Star today, on his birthday, for his gallantry on 4 Nov. 2016, in Jordan. “Staff Sgt. Moriarty’s selflessness, personal courage, and tactical expertise were directly responsible for the survival of another Green Beret. His courage under fire reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Special Forces Group – Airborne, and the United States Army.” His family will accept the medal. U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
Initially Jordan classified the killings as a mistake as the shooter believed he was following the rules of engagement after one of the US soldiers accidentally fired his weapon in the vehicle as they approached the Base.
By CHAD GARLAND | STARS AND STRIPES Published: January 29, 2021 Under fire from a charging gunman, Staff Sgt. Jimmy Moriarty stood and fired his handgun at the M16-wielding assailant who minutes earlier had killed two unarmed Special Forces soldiers. His actions during the brazen attack on a convoy of U.S. soldiers at the security gate at Jordan’s King Faisal Air Base allowed another Green Beret to slip around a barrier to flank and disable the attacker. Moriarty was shot twice, including once in the heart, and died on a medical evacuation aircraft over an hour later. On Wednesday, more than four years after the deadly incident and on the day he would have celebrated his 32nd birthday, Moriarty’s family accepted a Silver Star Medal awarded for his courageous last stand.
Green Beret Slain Fighting Attacker in Jordan Receives Posthumous Silver Star
Maj. Gen. Miguel Correa presents Staff Sgt. Jimmy Moriarty’s Silver Star to the slain Green Beret’s mother, Cindy, (left) and older sister Becky Moriarty Davis. Moriarty was honored in a ceremony for his courage in a Nov. 4, 2016 attack in Jordan. (Courtesy of Moriarty Family)
28 Jan 2021
Crouched behind a concrete barrier, Staff Sgt. Jimmy Moriarty waited for his assailant. Just minutes before, a Jordanian soldier, armed with an M16 rifle, had gunned down Moriarty s two fellow Green Berets at a security gate at King Faisal Air Base in Jordan.