Honoring a Fallen Sky Soldier

Photo By Maj. Chris Bradley | Maj. Thomas Bostick commanded Bulldog Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry (Airborne). While under fire, he placed himself in front of an overwhelming enemy force to provide covering fire to enable the paratroopers in his command post to displace to more defensible terrain in Afghanistan, July 27, 2007.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, GERMANY

02.07.2019

Courtesy Story

173rd Airborne Brigade

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Maj. Thomas Gordon Bostick, former Bulldog Troop Commander of 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, will receive a posthumous upgrade of his Silver Star medal to a Distinguished Service Cross, March 1.

All Military Identification Card holders and guests are welcome to join us as we honor Maj. Bostick’s legacy and commemorate his receipt of the Distinguished Service Cross. The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at Founders Plaza in Fort Carson, CO. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be in the 4th Infantry Division Headquarters.

For those unable to attend in person, please go to @https://www.facebook.com/173rdabnbde/ or https://www.facebook.com/4thID/ to see coverage of the ceremony.

The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest award that a member of the U.S. Army can earn. Soldiers earn the Distinguished Service Cross for acts of gallantry and valor while engaged in armed conflict. These actions must set the Soldier apart from his or her comrades for their extreme heroism and extraordinary risk to the soldier’s life.

Bostick earned his Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on July 27, 2007 in defeating an insurgent attack near Saret Koleh, Afghanistan

Only the Medal of Honor ranks higher than the Distinguished Service Cross. Bostick becomes just the 16th U.S. soldier, and only the 3rd officer, to earn the Distinguished Service Cross for actions during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Bostick’s Silver Star citation vividly describes his heroism and sacrifice on behalf of his Troop.

“Maj. Bostick's leadership, courage under fire, and ultimate sacrifice in defense of his men saved the lives of the soldiers in his command post and that of many in his cavalry troop,” read the citation.

“Maj. Bostick, while in command of B Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry (Airborne), and without regard to his own personal safety, placed himself in front of an overwhelming enemy force to provide covering fire to enable the paratroopers in his command post to displace to more defensible terrain,” the citation continued.

“He willingly sacrificed his life so they could live. Maj. Bostick positioned himself directly between those Soldiers [from his command post] and the enemy, shielding them from the rounds while firing his personal weapon to cover their move. During this action, his position was engaged with overwhelming small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire that took his life.

“His actions provided his small element those precious few seconds necessary to gain their footing and negotiate the steep terrain in order to seek cover and survive the attack. Maj. Bostick's quick decisions to reposition forces, expert use of close air support and indirect fire, and final sacrifice to provide covering fire for his command post enabled B Troop to break the enemy attack inflicting severe punishment on a numerically superior enemy force.”

Bostick initially enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, ultimately jumping into Panama during Operation Just Cause. He then served with Special Operations Command during Operation Desert Thunder. After he commissioned, Bostick led a Platoon in 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment during the Operation Iraqi Freedom. He assumed command of Bulldog Troop during the 173rd Brigade’s 2007 deployment to Afghanistan. His many commendations include a Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters and the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusters.

Since 2007, the 173rd Airborne Brigade has taken several opportunities to honor the legacy of this brave warfighter and challenge its Soldiers to live up to his legacy of heroism. In 2018, the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) created the “Bostick Cup” to honor company sized units which demonstrate outstanding performance.

1-91 CAV, 173rd IBCT (A) is the United States Army's premier Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron. The Squadron stands ready to respond to crisis across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East at no notice, safeguarding the United States and her Allies. Maj. Bostick exemplified in every way what it means to be a Sky Soldier and a leader in the Airborne Cavalry.

• Date Taken: 02.07.2019
• Date Posted: 02.08.2019 01:57
• Story ID: 309856
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, DE