Page 3 - ATD24OCT2015

U.S. NEWS A3
Saturday 24 October 2015

Carter: Soldier heroically entered Kurdish-IS firefight

war against the Islamic said: “This is combat. It’s tions are that it was his ac-
State was launched in Au- complex.” tions and that of one of his
gust 2014, and Wheeler Carter portrayed Wheel- teammates that protected
was the firstU.S. combat er as a hero and said he those who were involved in
death. would be present when breaching the compound
Carter said he expects U.S. Wheeler’s body is returned and made the mission a
forces to be involved in to the U.S. on Saturday. success.”
more such raids against “As the compound was be- “That is an inherent risk that
Islamic State targets, de- ing stormed, the plan was we ask people to assume,”
scribing it as part and par- not for the U.S. ... forces to Carter added. “Again, it
cel of what the Pentagon enter the compound or be wasn’t part of the plan,
calls a “train, advise and involved in the firefight,” but it was something that
assist” mission in support of Carter said. he did, and I’m immensely
Iraqi forces. At one point he “However, when a firefight proud that he did that.”
said, “It doesn’t represent ensued, this American did U.S. combat troops have
assuming a combat role” what I’m very proud that rarely, if ever, participated
— but later, in noting that Americans do in that situ- directly in combat against
it is difficult to see the full ation, and he ran to the IS fighters on the ground
picture of what happened sound of the guns and he since the U.S. mission be-
during the Hawija raid, he stood up. All the indica- gan in 2014. q

This photo provided by the U.S. Army shows Master Sgt. Joshua
Wheeler. A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq has iden-
tified the commando killed in a raid against the Islamic State
group in northern Iraq as Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler.

(US Army via AP)

ROBERT BURNS Carter told a Pentagon
VIVIAN SALAMA news conference.
Associated Press Carter applauded Army
WASHINGTON (AP) — Master Sgt. Joshua L.
The U.S. soldier fatally Wheeler, 39, of Roland,
wounded in a hostage Oklahoma, who died of his
rescue mission in Iraq hero- wounds Thursday.
ically inserted himself into a The defense chief gave
firefight to defend Kurdish the most extensive pub-
soldiers, even though the lic description yet of what
plan called for the Kurds transpired during the pre-
to do the fighting, Defense dawn raid on an Islamic
Secretary Ash Carter said State prison compound
Friday. near the town of Hawija.
“This is someone who saw About 70 people, includ-
the team that he was ad- ing at least 20 members
vising and assisting com- of the Iraqi security forces,
ing under attack, and he were freed.
rushed to help them and It was the first time U.S.
made it possible for them troops had become in-
to be effective, and in do- volved in direct ground
ing that lost his own life,” combat in Iraq since the