bobdina
09-07-2009, 09:13 PM
The Military William Order is the highest military honour in the Netherlands, which is bestowed for "performing excellent acts of Bravery, Leadership and Loyalty in battle". The award is comparable to the French Légion d’honneur but far less awarded.
From March 2006 to August 2006 Kroon, while still a lieutenant, was dispatched to the Afghan province of Uruzgan. His job, as platoon commander of the Dutch special forces unit "Viper", was to perform reconnaissance and to map out the area so Task Force Uruzgan could be established. During this period he distinguised himself by performing exceptional deeds during 6 extremely dangerous actions. These actions were performed during ISAF patrols of the Dutch Viper-unit and an Australian Special Air Service Regiment platoon.
One of these actions was Operation Chitag (13 - 14 July 2006). During the patrol Kroon encountered a group of Taliban soldiers. In the resulting battle, while heavily outnumbered, he was forced to request air support on his own position by a Lockheed AC-130 gunship aircraft; he ordered his men to take cover and with his Forward Air Controller (FAC) guided the American air attack. At such close quarters, however, it was also a harrowing experience for Kroon and his FAC. Later, his platoon was forced to take cover in an Afghan house and swatted a number of attacks during the night on their position. No men fell under Kroon's command; the resulting Taliban losses were severe. During daylight Kroon and his men emerged to retrieve intelligence from the deceased Taliban soldiers to establish their identity. Kroon straightened his men out after noticing his men's agitation and inclination towards unprofessional behaviour and subsequently ordered the wounded to be treated and the dead to be covered. In an interview, he later said to understand the behaviour of his men but felt, as a leader, responsible to ensure the platoon acted professionally. His leadership and ability to correct a battle-hardened group of commandos was later commended by his superiors.
These actions and his general behaviour as a leader were the reason both his subordinates and superiors recommended him for the award. After two years of research by the Ministry of Defence, it recommended to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix that Kroon be awarded the Military William Order. Kroon was made a Knight 4th class of the Military William Order on 29 May 2009 by Queen Beatrix.
From March 2006 to August 2006 Kroon, while still a lieutenant, was dispatched to the Afghan province of Uruzgan. His job, as platoon commander of the Dutch special forces unit "Viper", was to perform reconnaissance and to map out the area so Task Force Uruzgan could be established. During this period he distinguised himself by performing exceptional deeds during 6 extremely dangerous actions. These actions were performed during ISAF patrols of the Dutch Viper-unit and an Australian Special Air Service Regiment platoon.
One of these actions was Operation Chitag (13 - 14 July 2006). During the patrol Kroon encountered a group of Taliban soldiers. In the resulting battle, while heavily outnumbered, he was forced to request air support on his own position by a Lockheed AC-130 gunship aircraft; he ordered his men to take cover and with his Forward Air Controller (FAC) guided the American air attack. At such close quarters, however, it was also a harrowing experience for Kroon and his FAC. Later, his platoon was forced to take cover in an Afghan house and swatted a number of attacks during the night on their position. No men fell under Kroon's command; the resulting Taliban losses were severe. During daylight Kroon and his men emerged to retrieve intelligence from the deceased Taliban soldiers to establish their identity. Kroon straightened his men out after noticing his men's agitation and inclination towards unprofessional behaviour and subsequently ordered the wounded to be treated and the dead to be covered. In an interview, he later said to understand the behaviour of his men but felt, as a leader, responsible to ensure the platoon acted professionally. His leadership and ability to correct a battle-hardened group of commandos was later commended by his superiors.
These actions and his general behaviour as a leader were the reason both his subordinates and superiors recommended him for the award. After two years of research by the Ministry of Defence, it recommended to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix that Kroon be awarded the Military William Order. Kroon was made a Knight 4th class of the Military William Order on 29 May 2009 by Queen Beatrix.