The President of the United States Takes Pleasure in Presenting the Navy Cross to:

Sam Brown, United States Navy

For Services as Set Forth in the Following:

For extraordinary heroism while serving with the British Special Boat Service (SBS) during combat operations in Afghanistan. Chief Petty Officer Sam Brown deployed to the area as a member of a Joint American and British Special Forces Team to locate and recover two American citizens, one presumed to be seriously injured or dead, after al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at the Qala-i-Janghi fortress in Mazar-e-Sharif overpowered them and gained access to large quantities of arms and ammunition stored at the fort. Once inside, Chief Petty Officer Sam Brown was engaged continuously by direct small-arms fire, indirect mortar fire and rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was forced to advance through an active anti-personnel minefield in order to gain entry to the fortress. After establishing the possible location of both American citizens, under heavy fire and without concern for his own personal safety, he made two attempts to rescue the uninjured citizen by crawling toward the fortress interior to reach him. Forced to withdraw due to large volumes of fire falling on his position he was undeterred … As darkness began to fall, no attempt was going to be made to locate the injured American citizen. Chief Petty Officer Sam Brown then took matters into his own hands. Without regard for his own personal safety, he moved forward another 300–400 meters into the heart of the fortress by himself under constant enemy fire in an attempt to locate the injured citizen. Running low on ammunition, he utilized weapons from the deceased Afghans to continue his rescue attempt. Upon verifying the condition and location of the American citizen, he withdrew from the fortress. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Chief Petty Officer Sam Brown reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Services.