Timothy A. Wilkinson
United States Air Force | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | December 12, 1957 (age 66) |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1981-2001 |
| Rank |  Master Sergeant |
| Unit | 24th Special Tactics Squadron Pope AFB, North Carolina 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida |
| Commands held | Air Force Special Operations Command |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Mogadishu |
| Awards | Air Force Cross Purple Heart Defense Meritorious Service Medal Aerial Achievement Medal (3) Air Force Commendation Medal (3) Joint Services Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal (2) |
Master Sergeant Timothy A. Wilkinson is a USAF retired Pararescueman who was awarded the Air Force Cross for the Battle of Mogadishu. At the time of the battle, Technical Sergeant Wilkinson was part of a 15-man combat search and rescue team sent to rescue the two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crews after they were shot down. His mission was supporting Task Force Ranger during the longest sustained firefight by U.S. forces since the Vietnam War. For his heroic actions in Somalia, he was awarded the Air Force Cross, and became the first enlisted person to recieve the medal since 1975.[1] MSgt Wilkinson was portrayed by Ty Burrell in Black Hawk Down.[2] He was incorrectly referred to as a Sergeant First Class in the book.
Citations for bravery edit
Air Force Cross Citation edit
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Technical Sergeant Timothy A. Wilkinson, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a 24th Special Tactics Squadron Pararescueman in the vicinity of the Olympic Hotel, Mogadishu, Somalia, during Operation RESTORE HOPE from 3 October 1993 to 4 October 1993. During that period, in response to an incident in which a United States helicopter had been shot down by a rocket propelled grenade, Sergeant Wilkinson conducted a fast rope insertion into the crash site and came under extremely heavy enemy fire from three directions. In the initial rescue effort, he repeatedly exposed himself to intense small arms fire and grenades to clear debris, provide emergency medical treatment to the survivors, and extract dead and wounded members of the crew from the wreckage. On his own initiative, Sergeant Wilkinson broke cover on three separate occasions to locate and provide emergency medical treatment to three Ranger casualties. In doing so, he ignored all concern for his personal safety to cross a 45 meter-wide open area blanketed with intense fire from small arms, and rocket propelled grenades. Sergeant Wilkinson's medical skills and uncommon valor saved the lives of multiple gravely wounded American soldiers in the longest sustained fire fight involving United States combat forces in over 20 years. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Sergeant Wilkinson reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force[3]