From this December 2003 Newsmax article:

Right behind the Medal of Honor in order of valor is the Distinguished Service Cross. A Special Forces leader holds the distinction of being awarded the first DSC since Vietnam.

Maj. Mark E. Mitchell, a Special Forces officer, was awarded the coveted and revered DSC for leading a team of 16 American and British soldiers into combat operations against about 500 Taliban and al Qaeda-trained fighters who had taken over a fortress near Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, where they had been imprisoned.

Major Mitchell’s citation states, “His unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership and personal sacrifice were directly responsible for the success of the rescue operation and were further instrumental in ensuring the city of Mazar-e-Sharif did not fall back in the hands of the Taliban.”

The Distinguished Service Cross was presented to Mitchell by Gen. Bryan “Doug” Brown, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, in a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

Like his Army comrades, above, the Major displayed the unerring modesty of the true hero:

“It is a tremendous honor,” Mitchell said. “But I don’t consider myself a hero. I am not personally convinced that my actions warranted more than a pat on the back. Wearing the Special Forces foreign-service combat patch on my shoulder and serving with the finest soldiers in the world is enough. I was just doing my job and our mission was accomplished.”

More tomorrow ...

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