(CNN) -- When Spc.Ty Carter first arrived in Afghanistan, he took one look at his surroundings and thought, "This is a death trap." He would soon learn just how right he was. Combat Outpost Keating was a sitting target for nearby Taliban insurgents: It sat deep within a valley, surrounded by mountains. The American soldiers stationed there knew it was only a matter of time before something bad happened. "We just didn't know when," Carter said. When it did, the assault would set in motion a chaotic chain of events that had every soldier certain he would not make it out alive.
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Staff Sgt. Ty Carter survived the 2009 battle at Combat Outpost Keating
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His heroic efforts to save his fellow soldiers earned him the Medal of Honor
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He will receive the award Monday at the White House
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For more on Ty Carter, watch "An Unlikely Hero" on CNN Wednesday at 10 p.m.
Spc.Ty Carter
Carter
So, it was back to civilian life, something that left @placeholder restless and bored.
Taliban
The @placeholder had studied how the Americans responded to previous attacks, and they knew the outpost relied heavily on its mortars.
Combat Outpost Keating
Combat Outpost Keating
"I honestly believe that, yes, he was the ninth victim of @placeholder," Carter said.