Ty Michael Carter is a native of Spokane, Washington. He moved to the Bay Area of California until he was 10, when his family moved back to Spokane. In 1998, he graduated from North Central High School and then enlisted in the Marine Corps. He trained at the Marine Corps Combat Engineer School and demonstrated great aptitude for marksmanship, so he completed the Primary Marksmanship Instructor School in 1999. Completing his service, he was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in October 2002.
After his enlistment, Ty enrolled in college and studied biology at Los Medanos Community College in California. But his real desire was to serve our nation, and he missed the uniform fellowship. In 2008, he reenlisted, this time in the Army, as a cavalry scout. He trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
His first deployment to Afghanistan was from May 2009 to May 2010 during Operation Enduring Freedom. He deployed with the Black Knight Troop of the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
His unit was sent to Combat Outpost Keating, a remote location near the Pakistan border. COP Keating was a vulnerable post, as it was in a deep valley surrounded by high mountains. Those who served there called it “the fishbowl” because they were too often easy targets for Afghan snipers. Over the course of Black Knight Troop’s five-month deployment, the Taliban attacked COP Keating 47 times.
Despite the daily routine of duck and cover, the attack on their position on 3 October 2009, known as the Battle of Kamdesh, was an epic assault and defense, and Ty Carter, among others, would distinguish himself in combat that day.
Before dawn, about 300 Taliban fighters launched an assault on the 53 Americans at COP Keating, using mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, and anti-aircraft machine guns.
Awakened by incoming fire, Carter rose, put on his boots and Kevlar, and got to his Humvee equipped with a long-range advanced scout surveillance system to reinforce a forward position. Once in position, he exhausted his ammo twice, running 100 meters through enemy fire for additional ammunition. Soon, the Humvee’s tires were flat from incoming fire, trapping Carter and four other soldiers under a hail of constant fire.
Knowing they could not hold their position against the enemy forces closing in, the men sprinted for better cover. While Carter and SGT Brad Larson provided cover fire, the other three soldiers attempted their tactical retreat. Two were wounded almost immediately, while the third man, SPC Stephan Mace, disappeared in the smoke of battle.
Carter and Larson remained in their vehicle for hours, holding their ground against insurmountable odds, taking quick shots out the windows. At one point, looking back toward where the other three men had egressed, Carter could see SPC Mace about 30 meters from their position. Larson refused to let Carter make a rescue attempt, but Ty insisted. Opening the door, he then ran through a field of machine-gun fire and RPGs to reach Mace and carried him back to the Humvee for cover.
Ty then exited again to find the squad’s radio, which he did, and then coordinated their evacuation. A COP team led by SSG Clint Romesha got to their location and provided cover fire in order for Carter to evacuate Mace to a more fortified position where he could receive aid for his severe wounds. The soldiers then faced 12 more hours of intense combat before they were able to re-secure COP Keating.
Unfortunately, SPC Mace did not make it. Nor did eight other American soldiers: SSG Justin Timothy Gallegos, SGT Christopher Todd Griffin, SGT Joshua Mitchell Hardt, SGT Joshua John Kirk, SSG Vernon William Martin, SGT Michael Patrick Scusa, PFC Kevin Christopher Thomson, and SPC Ed Faulkner Jr.
There were 27 other soldiers wounded.
Returning to the U.S. after his first tour, in October 2010, Ty was trained as a Stryker gunner with the 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He redeployed for a second tour in Afghanistan in October 2012 with the 7th Infantry Division.
Several months into his second deployment, Ty received a call that he and SSG Clint Romesha would receive the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Battle of Kamdesh. (I previously published a Profile of Valor on Clint’s actions that day.)
On 26 August 2013, Ty was joined by his wife, Shannon, and their three children, along with other family members, for his Medal of Honor ceremony.
According to his Medal of Honor citation:
On that morning … Specialist Carter reinforced a forward battle position, ran twice through a 100 meter gauntlet of enemy fire to resupply ammunition and voluntarily remained there to defend the isolated position. Armed with only an M4 carbine rifle, Specialist Carter placed accurate, deadly fire on the enemy, beating back the assault force and preventing the position from being overrun, over the course of several hours. With complete disregard for his own safety and in spite of his own wounds, he ran through a hail of enemy rocket propelled grenade and machine gun fire to rescue a critically wounded comrade who had been pinned down in an exposed position. Specialist Carter rendered life extending first aid and carried the Soldier to cover. On his own initiative, Specialist Carter again maneuvered through enemy fire to check on a fallen Soldier and recovered the squad’s radio, which allowed them to coordinate their evacuation with fellow Soldiers. With teammates providing covering fire, Specialist Carter assisted in moving the wounded Soldier 100 meters through withering enemy fire to the aid station and before returning to the fight. Specialist Carter’s heroic actions and tactical skill were critical to the defense of Combat Outpost Keating, preventing the enemy from capturing the position and saving the lives of his fellow Soldiers.
His citation concludes: “Specialist Ty M. Carter’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the United States Army.”
Indicative of the extraordinary actions of all the Black Knight Troop defenders of COP Keating, there were 27 Purple Hearts, 37 Army Commendation Medals for valor, 3 Bronze Stars, 18 Bronze Stars (V), 7 Silver Stars, and 2 Distinguished Service Crosses awarded. The Silver Stars awarded to SSG Justin Gallegos and 1LT Andrew Bundermann were later upgraded to Distinguished Service Crosses.
In retrospect, Ty says: “All the heroic acts of that day are immeasurable. Simply stepping out the door was an act of courage in itself. You could see the impacts of the bullets. You could smell the smoke of the rocket-propelled grenades. We were able to win the day. Now we’re able to mourn our losses.”
Ty struggled with PTSD after the battle and through his second deployment.
Of his PTS, he says: “It was difficult to function regularly. I guess the worst time was night, when everything got quiet. Not only did you see it, you heard it. I had trouble sleeping. I would see the event over and over in my head, and it would choke me up. I didn’t work out very much. I didn’t eat a whole lot.”
It was a platoon sergeant who insisted he needed help: “When he grabbed me, I broke down. I knew he was right.”
Ty left active duty in September 2014 and has since been an effective mental health advocate working with veterans.
About 12% of veterans suffer from PTS, and about 30% of those are combat Vets from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It was a pleasure getting acquainted with TY at the 2025 National Medal of Honor Convention. The Battle of Kamdesh is depicted in the movie “The Outpost,” based on the 2012 book by the same name.
SSG Ty Carter: An ordinary man faced with extraordinary circumstances, he summoned the greatest measure of courage to place his life in imminent peril to save others. Your example of valor — a humble American Patriot defending Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty — is eternal.
“Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
Live your life worthy of his sacrifice.
(Read more Profiles of Valor here.)
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776
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