20JAN2007: His unit tasked with keeping the peace ahead of the coming Ashura festival in Karbala, Iraq, PFC Shawn Falter was at his post the evening of 20JAN2007. Although just outside Baghdad, Karbala hadn't yet seen the spike in violence that Baghdad or Anbar Province had. Just before 1800 that night, at least five SUV's moved through the outpost checkpoints and parked near the provisional coordination center. Not unusual for American or Iraqi VIPs to travel in this manner, seeing this would not have been out of the ordinary for PFC Falter. However, this wasn't a group of friendly visitors but enemy commandos in disguise. Exiting the vehicles, approximately ten enemy fighters stormed the building where a small US force was working and sleeping. Caught off guard, one American Soldier was killed and three wounded in the brazen attack. Less than 15 minutes after the ambush began, the enemy left the compound having captured four American Soldiers. Their convoy now being tracked by American forces, the enemy executed their four American prisoners. The surprise attack on the US compound in Karbala is widely considered the most sophisticated enemy attack during the Iraq war. CPT Brian Freeman (31) 1LT Jacob Fritz (25) SPC Johnathan Chism (22) PVT Johnathon Millican (20) PFC Shawn Falter (25)

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