Marine at Camp Pendleton gets Silver Star for bravery in Afghanistan

A Marine officer at Camp Pendleton has received a Silver Star for bravery and leadership during an attack by Taliban fighters on a coalition airbase in Afghanistan.

Maj. Robb T. McDonald received the medal for actions during the Sept. 14, 2012, attack on the Camp Bastion airbase in Helmand province that left two Marines dead and a dozen aircraft destroyed or damaged.

McDonald, 37, a Harrier pilot, was executive officer of Attack Squadron 211 from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, when 15 Taliban breached the defenses of the sprawling airbase under the cover of darkness and began destroying aircraft.

McDonald and two other officers “maneuvered on foot more than a mile through an area dangerously exposed to both enemy fire and possible friendly fire,” according to the Silver Star citation.

When his commanding officer was mortally wounded, McDonald took command.

“Leading a small team out to reconnoiter the flight line, he killed one enemy with a rifle he had borrowed and then expertly coordinated two helicopter strikes to destroy all remaining enemy,” the citation says.

McDonald’s actions saved Marine lives and prevented further destruction of aircraft. He is now the air officer for the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion.

At an award ceremony this week, Lt. Gen. John Toolan, commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, praised McDonald and other Marines who repelled the Taliban attack.

“For those of you who aren’t aware that every Marine is a basic rifleman, those guys proved it in spades,” Toolan said.

The attack proved to be the most destructive launched by the Taliban against a coalition base in the decade-long war. The commandant of the Marine Corps, after an investigation, forced two major generals into retirement for not having done more to ensure that the base was protected.

From previous deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, McDonald has two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and eight Air Medals.

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tony.perry@latimes.com