Marine Corps Maj. Robb McDonald will receive the Silver Star on Dec. 9 at Camp Pendleton, for heroic actions during the Taliban attack on Camp Bastion the night of Sept. 14, 2012.
On that fateful night, 15 Taliban soldiers donning U.S. Army uniforms breached Camp Bastion's defenses. The insurgents were armed with rocket propelled grenades, assault weapons, and suicide improvised explosive device vests, according to the Department of Defense.
Marine Lt. Col. Christopher Raible, commanding officer of Marine Attack Squadron 211, and Sgt. Bradley Atwell were killed in the attack.
The Marine Corps Times reports McDonald was serving as executive officer of Marine Attack Squadron 211 at the time of the assault:
McDonald took charge after Raible was mortally wounded, and risked his life to lead several groups of Marines away from an aluminum maintenance building that could have become a death trap had the troops remained there, according to his award citation.
McDonald now serves as air officer with the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion at Camp Pendleton.
