ATLANTA (March 19, 2018) | Senator Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) welcomed veteran Green Berets Robert Pennington and William Summers from the U.S. Army’s 5th Special Forces Group on March 19, 2018, to honor them for their bravery and service with Senate Resolution 1024.
“I am so honored to have these brave men here with us today,” said Sen. Harbison. “When duty called, these men went running, and I can think of nothing more impressive. I am thankful for their commitment to our country, its principles and for defending our freedom.”
The once classified story of Pennington, Summers and their team was recently used as the inspiration behind the 2018 movie, “12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers.” The story became popularized not only for these men’s heroism, but for their innovative tactics, using horseback to conquer challenging mountainous terrain.
Following the 9/11 attacks, their team was one of the first deployed on the ground in the War in Afghanistan. Partnering with the rebel Afghan Northern Alliance, the members of their team were instrumental in driving back Al-Qaeda and Taliban soldiers during the early days of the conflict.