Combat Controllers (CCT) are elite special operations forces who specialize in all aspects of air-ground communication, air traffic control, and terminal fire support in the most hostile environments on Earth. They are among the most dangerous operators you have never heard of, and this site is dedicated to their legacy.
LEGACY OF VALOR
TSgt Thomas J. Monley
Combat Control Team • Khe Sanh Combat Support BaseDuring the Vietnam War, Tech Sergeant Thomas J. Monley displayed remarkable gallantry at Khe Sanh Combat Support Base. Despite facing mortar and artillery fire, he bravely secured two burning pallets of mortars on an aircraft ramp, averting a potential disaster and saving the lives of aircrew and support personnel. His selfless actions in the face of imminent danger led to him receiving the Silver Star.
SSgt Edwin Rhodes
Combat Control Team • Khe Sanh Combat Support BaseIn a display of extraordinary courage during the Vietnam War, Staff Sergeant Edwin Rhodes risked his life to safeguard others at Khe Sanh Combat Support Base. Despite facing mortar and artillery fire, he repeatedly exposed himself to secure two burning pallets of mortars on an aircraft ramp, preventing a potential explosion that could have endangered the lives of aircrew and support personnel. His selfless actions led him to being awarded the Silver Star.
Sgt David McCracken
Combat Control Team • Khe Sanh Combat Support BaseIn a moment of utmost bravery during the Vietnam War on February 25, 1968, Sergeant David McCracken risked his life to save others at Khe Sanh Combat Support Base. Despite facing mortar and artillery fire, he courageously secured burning pallets of mortars on an aircraft ramp, preventing a potential disaster and safeguarding the lives of aircrew and support personnel. For his extraordinary valor in the face of imminent danger, Sgt McCracken was awarded the Silver Star.
A1C Walter Smith
Combat Control Team • Khe Sanh Combat Support BaseAirman First Class Walter Smith showed exceptional bravery during military operations at Khe Sanh Combat Support Base, Vietnam on February 25, 1968. Despite the imminent threat of intense mortar and artillery attacks, he courageously exposed himself to secure burning pallets on the aircraft ramp, ensuring the safety of the aircrew and support personnel and preventing a catastrophic disaster.
Capt Hayden Sears
Combat Control Team Leader • Khe Sanh Combat Support BaseCaptain Hayden Sears was awarded the Silver Star for his exceptional bravery during military operations in Khe Sanh, Vietnam on February 23, 1968. Despite heavy enemy mortar and artillery fire, he courageously led a team onto the active runway to remove a supply bundle that was blocking the path. His quick and decisive actions allowed a critical aircraft to take off safely, preventing disaster and saving the lives of the aircrew and support personnel onboard.
TSgt Jeffrey Bray
24th STS • Battle of MogadishuA Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Bray was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the "Black Hawk Down" incident (1993). He developed an ingenious perimeter marking system and coordinated gunship fire from a rooftop, saving numerous lives.
SSgt Dan Schilling
24th STS • Battle of MogadishuA Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron during the Battle of Mogadishu, SSgt Schilling served as a ground-air communicator and key figure in the rescue convoy. He is the co-author of "The Battle of Mogadishu" and was "Last Out" during the withdrawal.
SrA Zachary Rhyner
21st STS • Battle of Shok ValleyA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SrA Rhyner became the first living CCT to receive the Air Force Cross. During the Battle of Shok Valley (2008), he controlled 8 fighters and 4 helicopters while wounded on a cliffside to save his team.
SSgt Robert Gutierrez
21st STS • Battle of HeratA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Gutierrez was awarded the Air Force Cross for heroism at the Battle of Herat (2009). Despite a collapsed lung from a gunshot wound, he continued to direct "danger close" airstrikes after a field medical procedure.
SSgt Ralph Guthrie
23rd STS • Operation MedusaA Combat Controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Guthrie was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his actions during Operation Medusa (2006). Attached to a Special Forces ODA, he orchestrated a relentless volume of precision airstrikes, neutralizing critical enemy positions under intense fire.
TSgt Ismael Villegas
21st STS • Operation Enduring FreedomA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Villegas is a two-time recipient of the Silver Star. His actions in Afghanistan (2009 and 2011) involved protecting his team during ambushes and controlling massive amounts of airpower to neutralize threats.
SSgt Dale Young
Attached to Army Special Forces • Global War on TerrorA Combat Controller attached to Army Special Forces, SSgt Young distinguished himself in Afghanistan (2009). He remained under continuous enemy fire for 94 hours, ensuring effective air support on enemy positions to protect his team.
SrA Dustin Temple
21st STS • Helmand ProvinceA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SrA Temple was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in Helmand Province (2014). He dragged a wounded teammate from a rooftop and directed danger-close strikes while repelling an overwhelming enemy force.
TSgt Clint Campbell
23rd STS • KandaharA Combat Controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Campbell received the Silver Star for actions in Kandahar (2010). He ran 300 meters through enemy fire to mark a target and directed 22 airstrikes, neutralizing a massive insurgent force.
SSgt Evan Jones
22nd STS • Global War on TerrorA Combat Controller with the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Jones was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in Afghanistan (2008). Despite being wounded by shrapnel, he refused medical evacuation to continue coordinating close air support for his team.
Capt Barry Crawford Jr.
21st STS • Laghman ProvinceA Special Tactics Officer with the 21st STS, Capt Crawford was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in Laghman Province (2010). He ran into the open under fire to coordinate the evacuation of wounded Afghan soldiers and controlled 33 aircraft during a 10-hour battle.
SSgt Christopher Baradat
21st STS • Global War on TerrorAwarded the Air Force Cross. Directed airstrikes from the open turret of a vehicle for 3 hours while under intense fire to save 150 coalition members.
SSgt Alaxey Germanovich
26th STS • Nangarhar ProvinceAwarded the Air Force Cross. During a brutal close-quarters battle, he repeatedly exposed himself to sniper and machine-gun fire to direct airstrikes and protect wounded teammates.
SSgt Richard Hunter
23rd STS • Kunduz ProvinceAwarded the Air Force Cross. In Kunduz Province, he repelled a massive ambush, controlling 31 danger-close strikes while physically shielding wounded teammates.
SSgt Daniel Keller
123rd STS (KY ANG) • Nangarhar ProvinceAwarded the Air Force Cross. After surviving an IED blast that threw him against a wall, he returned fire and controlled strikes against 350 enemy fighters to save his team.
TSgt Delorean Sheridan
21st STS • Global War on TerrorAwarded the Silver Star. He reacted instantly to an insider attack, neutralizing the shooter who had just killed two teammates, and then coordinated the medical evacuation under chaos.
TSgt Andrew Martin
Combat Control Team • Operation AnacondaAwarded the Silver Star. During Operation Anaconda, he infiltrated the treacherous Shahi Kot valley with a sniper team, scaling an 11,000-foot peak to neutralize a hidden Al Qaeda network. Over several days of intense combat, he survived multiple mortar attacks, led armed assaults, and coordinated devastating AC-130 gunship fire to eliminate dozens of insurgents and save his friendly forces.
SSgt Gabriel Brown
Combat Control Team • Operation AnacondaAwarded the Silver Star. Assigned to a Quick Reaction Force during the Battle of Robert's Ridge, he was pinned down in the snow just 20 meters from an enemy bunker. Despite plummeting temperatures and a blizzard of incoming fire, he established satellite communications and orchestrated an unprecedented barrage of danger-close air support, saving the lives of 26 teammates and preventing his element from being overrun.
MSgt David Beals
320th STS • AfghanistanAwarded the Bronze Star with Valor. During a complex ambush in Afghanistan in 2006, an IED trapped his convoy in a kill zone. MSgt Beals immediately repositioned his vehicle to provide a base of fire, suppressing the enemy with an M240 machine gun before delivering precise 40mm grenade fire to break the ambush, saving the lives of his entire team.
SSgt Keaton D. Thiem
22nd Expeditionary STS • Afghanistan (2016)Awarded the Silver Star. During a grueling 14-hour battle in Afghanistan in 2016, SSgt Thiem and his Special Forces team faced six complex ambushes. Pinned down just 35 meters from the enemy, he exposed himself to withering fire to coordinate danger-close air strikes, enabling his team to break contact. Later, he sprinted 100 meters through open gunfire to organize a recovery effort for wounded Commandos, ultimately orchestrating 22 aircraft and saving the lives of his 100-man element.
MSgt John A. Chapman
24th STS (KIA 2002) • Battle of Takur GharA Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, MSgt Chapman was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Takur Ghar. He charged an enemy bunker alone to save his team and engaged the enemy until the end.
SSgt Andrew Harvell
24th STS (KIA 2011) • Extortion 17"Big Andy," a Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, was killed in the Extortion 17 Chinook crash. He was a recipient of two Bronze Stars with Valor and two Purple Hearts, known for his leadership and bravery.
Capt Matthew Roland
23rd STS (KIA 2015) • Operation Enduring FreedomA Special Tactics Officer with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Capt Roland was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. He sacrificed himself to alert his convoy of an insider attack at a vehicle checkpoint in Afghanistan, saving his team.
SSgt Forrest Sibley
21st STS (KIA 2015) • Special TacticsA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Sibley was killed in action alongside Capt Roland. He was a four-time Bronze Star recipient, awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for controlling 60 aircraft during a three-day battle in 2012.
SSgt Sean Harvell
22nd STS (Died 2016) • Special TacticsA Combat Controller with the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Harvell was awarded two Silver Stars for actions in Afghanistan (2007), a rare feat reflecting his immense courage. He drowned in 2016 near his home in Long Beach.
SSgt Scott Sather
24th STS (KIA 2003) • Operation Iraqi FreedomA Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Sather was the first enlisted Airman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his leadership and bravery during the initial invasion.
SrA Mark Forester
21st STS (KIA 2010) • Uruzgan ProvinceA Combat Controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, SrA Forester was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. He was killed in action in Uruzgan Province while exposing himself to enemy fire to save a fallen teammate.
TSgt Daniel Zerbe
24th STS (KIA 2011) • Extortion 17A Pararescueman/Combat Controller element member with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, TSgt Zerbe was killed in the Extortion 17 crash. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for eliminating a high-ranking Taliban leader during a prior deployment.
TSgt Marty Bettelyoun
720th OSS (Died 2015) • Special TacticsA highly experienced Combat Controller and instructor with the 720th Operations Support Squadron. TSgt Bettelyoun passed away following a training accident, leaving a legacy as a dedicated mentor to the next generation of controllers.
MSgt Charles Paradise
8th Aerial Port Sq (KIA 1967) • Vietnam WarA Combat Controller with the 8th Aerial Port Squadron, MSgt Paradise was lost in a C-123 crash in Vietnam along with 3 other controllers. It remains the largest single loss of CCT life in the Vietnam War.
TSgt Richard L. Foxx
Combat Control Team (KIA 1962) • Special TacticsThe first USAF Combat Controller killed in action in the Vietnam War (Oct 1962). He died when his U-10 Helio Courier aircraft was hit and crashed while supporting Special Forces.
TSgt Frederick Thrower
8th Aerial Port Sq (KIA 1967) • Special TacticsLost in a C-123 crash in Vietnam on Sept 4, 1967, along with teammates Paradise, Gauthier, and Jerkins. Part of the single largest loss of CCT life in that war.
A1C Gerard Gauthier Jr
8th Aerial Port Sq (KIA 1967) • Special TacticsLost in a C-123 crash in Vietnam on Sept 4, 1967, along with teammates Paradise, Thrower, and Jerkins. Part of the single largest loss of CCT life in that war.
A1C William Jerkins
8th Aerial Port Sq (KIA 1967) • Special TacticsLost in a C-123 crash in Vietnam on Sept 4, 1967, along with teammates Paradise, Thrower, and Gauthier. Part of the single largest loss of CCT life in that war.
TSgt William H. Jefferson
Special Tactics (KIA 2008) • Special TacticsA Special Tactics Combat Controller, TSgt Jefferson made the ultimate sacrifice on March 22, 2008, during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was killed in action near Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.
Beginning his military career as a U.S. Marine in 1991, he later transitioned to the U.S. Air Force to embrace the elite challenge of becoming a Combat Controller. His dedication and service remain an enduring legacy within the Special Tactics community.
A1C Keigan J. Baker
STTS, 24th SOW (Died 2020) • Special TacticsA standout leader within the Special Tactics Training Squadron, A1C Baker tragically passed away during a dive training session in 2020. Having earned his scarlet beret in December 2019, he was known for his unparalleled grasp of "Global Access" skills and his commitment to mentoring teammates through the grueling Combat Control pipeline.
Living by his motto, "DIE LIVING," A1C Baker brought immense passion and drive to the Air Force. He was posthumously awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal, and his legacy continues to inspire the 24th Special Operations Wing.
Capt Roderic G. Gress
Combat Control Team Leader (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashCaptain Roderic G. Gress, a 29-year-old native of Munhall, PA, was serving as a Combat Control Team Leader when he made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of Capt Gress and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
TSgt Larry A. Rainey
Combat Controller (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashTechnical Sergeant Larry A. Rainey, a 34-year-old native of Bessemer, AL, made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of TSgt Rainey and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
TSgt Victor A. Valle
Combat Controller (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashTechnical Sergeant Victor A. Valle, a 34-year-old native of Bronx, NY, made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of TSgt Valle and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
SSgt Eddy D. Clark
Combat Controller (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashStaff Sergeant Eddy D. Clark, a 26-year-old native of Columbia, CA, made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of SSgt Clark and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
SSgt Jonathan D. Goerling
Combat Controller (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashStaff Sergeant Jonathan D. Goerling, a 25-year-old native of Corbett, OR, made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of SSgt Goerling and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
Sgt Steven M. Ray
Combat Controller (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashSergeant Steven M. Ray, a 24-year-old native of Woodstock, IL, made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of Sgt Ray and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
Sgt Emelio F. Martinez Jr.
Combat Controller (KIA 1984) • 1984 Spain C-130 CrashSergeant Emelio F. Martinez Jr., a 23-year-old native of San Bernardino, CA, made the ultimate sacrifice on February 28, 1984. He was aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130E Hercules taking part in a joint exercise with the Spanish Air Force when the aircraft tragically crashed into a mountain near Borja, Spain due to poor weather conditions.
The loss of Sgt Martinez and his six fellow Combat Controllers during this training mission remains a solemn chapter in the history of Air Force Special Tactics. Their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is honored and forever remembered by the Combat Control community.
SSgt Timothy P. Davis
23rd STS (KIA 2009) • Operation Enduring FreedomStaff Sergeant Timothy P. Davis, a U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, was killed in action on February 20, 2009, near Oruzgan, Afghanistan, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty is forever honored by the Combat Control community.
This list is a small fraction of the brave men who have served. For a complete memorial, please visit the Combat Control Foundation.