Tom Grasso--Higganum Green Beret Honored With the Silver Star

by Philip R. Devlin (neighbor and friend)

Congratulations are in order for Sergeant First Class Thomas J. Grasso of Higganum, a Green Beret who is a member of the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). Tom was awarded the nation's 3rd highest military medal for Valor in combat-- the Silver Star-- on Friday, June 10th, 2016, at Fort Bragg, NC. A veteran with over 17 years in the Army, SFC Grasso is a 1991 graduate of Haddam-Killingworth High School and was an HK Middle School teacher for several years as well as an assistant varsity football coach at HKHS.

SFC Grasso has served overseas on multiple combat deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan over the past several years. Most recently, he served in Afghanistan from August 2015 to February 2016. During this last deployment, Tom was cited for his selfless and courageous actions in combat while he tactically advised and assisted an Afghan commando unit. During the beginning phase of the operation to liberate a Taliban-seized city, SFC Grasso volunteered to travel in an unarmored, two-person 4x4 ATV while conducting a movement to contact with multiple US-manned unarmored Toyota pickup trucks and several Afghan army tactical vehicles. During the assault to liberate the Taliban-seized Afghan City, his element endured multiple near ambushes and IED strikes by enemy forces. SFC Grasso manned an M240 machine gun mounted on his ATV; he was cited for saving many lives with his "withering fire" under heavy and sustained enemy fire. On one occasion, he "deliberately" exposed himself to heavy enemy fire by placing his unarmored ATV between the enemy and his fellow soldiers who were trapped in an intersection during a near ambush. SFC Grasso placed accurate and effective fire on the enemy position, neutralizing it, thus saving multiple American lives. Upon finally reaching their objective, SFC Grasso left his vehicle to occupy a tower from which he used both precision sniper fire and hand grenades in order to protect the lives of his men and Afghan partners for the next four days during wave after wave of relentless and sustained enemy assaults . SFC Grasso was one of just 24 American Green Berets and just over 100 Afghan soldiers that repelled a force of over 2,000 enemy insurgents in an amazing display of courage, selflessness, and determination.

Tom's proud parents, John and Denise Grasso of Higganum traveled to Fort Bragg with their other son, Rob (a former HKHS special education aide and 1987 HK grad), to be there for the medal ceremony.

Extending back to the American Revolution, the residents of the town of Haddam have a long and proud history of serving in the military. Few have served with greater distinction than Sgt. Tom Grasso. His courage, resourcefulness, and determination displayed under the duress of battle are an inspiration to us all! Congratulations, Tom, for such well-deserved recognition.

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Sgt. Tom Grasso of Haddam, CT Earns Silver Star