What is the bravest recorded act of valour in most recent military times by a soldier of any country?
On 17 March 2016, senior lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko of the Russian Spetsnaz was surrounded by the ISIS terrorists. Prokhorenko was performing the task behind the enemy lines in Palmyra, Syria of designating the vital targets for airstrikes. After a week of staying hidden, he was spotted by the ISIS terrorists who tried to capture him.
For the entire day he was evading them. He called for an extraction that was sent from the Russian base, but it would take 15 minutes for them to reach him. Not having more ammunition to resist and knowing he would endanger the extraction party, he called his CO and demanded to cancel the extraction and deliver an airstrike on his coordinates. Here is the radio communication transcript with Alexander’s last words:
Prokhorenko: Command, I am surrounded, I am surrounded again.
Command: Please repeat and confirm.
Prokhorenko: They have spotted me, they are shooting everywhere, I am pinned, requesting evacuation immediately.
Command: Evacuation request acknowledged.
Prokhorenko: Please hurry, I am low on ammo, they are coming from everywhere, I can't hold them for too long, please hurry.
Command: Evacuation is coming, hold them off, keep returning fire, go to safe position. Air support is on its way, give your coordinates.
Prokhorenko gives the coordinates.
Command repeats the coordinates: Confirm.
Prokhorenko: Confirmed, please hurry, I am low on ammo, they are surrounding me, bastards.
Command: 12 minutes until evacuation, return to cover, I repeat, return to cover.
Prokhorenko: They are close, I am surrounded, this may be the end, tell my family I love them.
Command: Return to green line, keep returning fire, help is on the way, wait for air support.
Prokhorenko: Negative, I am surrounded, there are so many of these bastards.
Command: 10 minutes, return to green line.
Prokhorenko: I can't, they have surrounded me and are closing in, please hurry.
Command: Move to green line, repeat, move to green line.
Prokhorenko: They are coming, conduct the airstrike now, please hurry, this is the end, tell my family I love them and I died fighting for my country.
Command: Negative, return to green line.
Prokhorenko: I can't, command, I am surrounded, they are coming, I don’t want them to take me. Conduct the airstrike, they will make a mockery of me and the uniform. I want to die with dignity and take all these bastards with me. Fulfill my last wish, conduct the airstrike, they will kill me either way.
Command: Please confirm your request
Prokhorenko: They are here, this is the end commander, thank you. Tell my family and my country I love them, tell them I was brave and I fought until I could no longer. Please take care of my family, avenge my death. Good bye commander, tell my family I love them.
Command doesn't respond, orders the airstrike.
...this one via Quora feed in e-mail
