Warrant Officer Patrick Tower, SMV, CD is a Canadian soldier who was the first recipient of the Star of Military Valour, a Canadian military decoration, in recognition of actions under enemy fire taken in the

Pashmul Zhari ( ps, ژړۍ, fa, ولسوالی ژری) is a district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Zheley (due to transliteration from Pashto), Zharey, Zharay, Zheri, or Zheray. The district was created in 2004 from l ...

region of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. He had prior military service including the Battle of Medak Pocket and three tours in the former Yugoslavia with Canadian peacekeeping forces. During the Panjwayi fighting in the summer of 2006, Tower was a section commander in 9 Platoon of the 1st Battalion,

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

but by 3 August 2006, "(c)asualties had elevated (Tower) to second-in-command of the platoon of about thirty soldiers of Charlie Company who had been fighting that day."Wattie, ''Contact Charlie'', p.24 The citation for his Star of Military Valour reads:

Sergeant Patrick Tower, S.M.V., C.D.
Edmonton, Alberta, and Victoria, British Columbia
Star of Military Valour Sergeant Tower is recognized for valiant actions taken on August 3, 2006, in the Pashmul region of Afghanistan. Following an enemy strike against an outlying friendly position that resulted in numerous casualties, Sergeant Tower assembled the platoon medic and a third soldier and led them across 150 metres of open terrain, under heavy enemy fire, to render assistance. On learning that the acting platoon commander had perished, Sergeant Tower assumed command and led the successful extraction of the force under continuous small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Sergeant Tower’s courage and selfless devotion to duty contributed directly to the survival of the remaining platoon members.

References

Governor General announces the first-ever awarding of Military Valour Decorations, October 27, 2006

Star of Military Valour (S.M.V.)

Canadian Forces Honours and Awards Chart
* Wattie, Chris ''Contact Charlie: The Canadian Army, The Taliban and the Battle that Saved Afghanistan'' (Key Porter Books Ltd., Toronto, ON, 2008)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tower, Patrick Towers, Patrick Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Recipients of the Star of Military Valour Canadian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)