Cashe occupied the gunner’s turret of a Bradley fighting vehicle when it was hit by an IED. Cashe managed to escape the vehicle, but the vehicle’s fuel cell had ruptured and ignited, setting fire to the men stuck inside. Cashe was covered in fuel, and insurgent small-arms fire was targeting the Bradley. Cashe rescued the driver, who was on fire, and opened the hatch to rescue the burning soldiers still inside. His uniform caught fire, but he continued his rescue efforts – even running into the inferno to pull out the medic.

Of those wounded in the attack, Cashe’s burns were the most severe. He succumbed to his wounds on Nov. 8, 2005. I run into burning buildings for a living as a fireman. But I cannot imagine running into a burning vehicle while soaked in fuel and on fire myself to rescue multiple victims. This man did, he died doing so, and was only awarded the military’s third-highest medal for valor. Lyndon Johnson got a Silver Star for just riding on an airplane.

From the narrative to accompany the award:

Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe, United States Army, distinguished himself by exceptional gallantry in action in the face of violence while serving as the platoon 1h sergeant of 151 Platoon, Alpha Company (Hard rock). 151 Battalion, 15 Infantry Regiment, based at FOB Mackenzie, Salah a Din Province, Iraq.

On 17 October 2005 , SFC Alwyn Cashe’s heroic actions saved the lives of six of his fellow Soldiers. At approximately 1915 hrs, his platoon departed the forward operating base along Route Jaime to conduct a route clearance operation along a supply route that ran through the town of Duliaya; a town adjacent to the FOB.

After traveling about 4-5 kilometers, the lead Bradley fighting vehicle, of which SFC Cashe was in the gunner’s hatch, struck a vehicle detonated IED emplaced across the route at grid MC 25377243. The blast ignited the fuel cell causing fuel to spew throughout the vehicle igniting a fire and causing the vehicle to roll to a stop. Also, from the forward left flank of the blast site, the platoon received enemy small-arms fire.

Soaked with fuel himself, SFC Cashe managed to dismount from the vehicle and assist the driver, SPC Howe, whose uniform was on fire. SFC Cashe extinguished the flames on SPC Howe.

Six soldiers and an interpreter were in the troop compartment of the burning vehicle. Flames had engulfed the vehicle and were darting from the weapons ports. One of the soldiers in the back of the vehicle attempted to open the hatch door in an attempt to help the soldiers escape. The flames intensified and everyone inside was aflame. Without regard for his personal safety, SFC Cashe rushed to the back of the vehicle, managed to help open the door and began to pull the soldiers out, one at a time. In doing this, the flames totally gripped his fueled soaked uniform causing severe, painful burns. Despite this pain, he bravely continued to pull his troops out of the vehicle and feverishly worked to put their flames out. As the chaos continued, SFC Cashe noticed that the platoon medic was still inside. He rushed back to the vehicle, reached through the flames and pulled out the medic. All this despite being on fire himself.

Within moments, a trail vehicle arrived and assisted with the CASEVAC. Although severely burned, SFC Cashe bravely continued to take control of the situation as besthe could. Shortly thereafter, the company first sergeant, 1SG Chris Mackenzie, accompanied by medics and other soldiers from the company arrived and began to evacuate the severely burned soldiers, the worst of which was SFC Cashe. The FOB helipad served as the LZ/PZ for the air evacuation. Badly burned, all six soldiers were alive when they were air evacuated. The interpreter did not survive the blast and was immediately transported to the battalion morgue.

Throughout the nightmarish ordeal, ten soldiers were injured. Six of the ten were treated at the Balad Hospital. Five of those six, including SFC Cashe were later evacuated through Landstuhl to the burn center in San Antonio, Texas. Sadly, over the next few weeks, four of the six died of wounds.

Despite being the most severely injured with 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 72% of his body, SFC Alwyn Cashe endured while his soldiers were alive. He suffered through painful surgeries, infections, organ failure and loss of body parts as he continued to be the consummate Platoon Sergeant to his Soldiers. SFC Alwyn Cashe died of his wounds on 8 November 2005. He was the last of those so severely injured that terrible night to die.

SFC Cashe’s selfless and gallant actions allowed the loved ones of these brave soldiers to spend precious time by their sides before each succumbed to their dreadful injuries.

Although he is no longer with us, SFC Alwyn C. Cashe is the type of hero that historians will write about.

His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect greatly upon himself and the US Army.

More Blackfive reading on SFC Cashe here, here, and here.

Not to take away from the honor and tradition of our military decorations, but sometimes cloth and metal don’t quite seem sufficient to recognize people like Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe. I expect that his medal will be upgraded. If not, it is time to overhaul the awards process.

Taliban fighters had ambushed TSgt Robert Gutierrez and a team of Army Special Forces soldiers from 7th Special Forces Group, pinning them down in a building with no escape route. Gutierrez had been shot, had a collapsed lung, and broken ribs. Despite his injuries, he refused to set down his M4 rifle or stop using his radio to call in deadly air strikes against the enemy – even while the team’s medic was treating his injuries.

Gutierrez called for three A-10s strafing runs on the Taliban, directing the deadly fire as close as 30 feet from the Americans.

Gutierrez’ air support destroyed the Taliban fighters and allowed the unit to get out alive.

“It never is about oneself; it is always about the others first, then you last,” said Gutierrez, who at the time was assigned to Pope Air Force Base’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron. “I had a second to think about not making it. After that, I told myself that I was going to get up and fight. I had an unborn child to see and my wife and family to come home to.”

And military.com reports that another veteran of the Battle of Ganjgal, Capt. William Swenson, has been nominated for the Medal of Honor. Former Marine Dakota Meyer also participated in the battle and was awarded the Medal of Honor this month at the White House and his citation can be read here.

It was rumored that Swenson would not be considered for the Medal due to his criticism of the rules of engagement that played a role in denying artillery support from the ambushed unit. Five American troops, eight Afghan soldiers, and their interpreter were killed in the fighting, and 20 were wounded.

Meyer says it is “ridiculous” that Swenson hasn’t been recognized yet: “I’ll put it this way,” Meyer said in an interview. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be alive today.”

Two other Marines were awarded the Navy Cross for their role in the engagement.

Read more about the Battle of Ganjgal here.

Howard, who retired in 1992 as a Colonel was believed to be the most decorated soldier since Vietnam. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times in just over a year. Due to the covert nature of his operations, the other actions were downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross (he was awarded two) and the Silver Star. He received eight Purple Hearts – tied with four other soldiers for the record – and was wounded 14 times in his 54 months of combat during the Vietnam War. He was one of only two soldiers to be awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross. He also was awarded four Bronze Stars, in addition to numerous other awards for valor. Read his citation here.

One year later, Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Yano was a crewmember aboard a command-and-control helicopter that was engaged with enemy forces near Bien Hoa. As Yano fired smoke and white phosphorous marking rounds to identify enemy positions for artillery strikes, a grenade detonated prematurely in the helicopter’s cabin, covering Yano with burning phosphorous and igniting the remaining ammunition. Despite his serious wounds, he began throwing the exploding ammunition overboard, causing further injuries – and ultimately his life – but sparing the helicopter and crew. Read his citation here.

On Dec. 23, 1944, Private Melvin Biddle and his unit set out on a mission to rescue a stranded company in Belgium. Biddle was selected to lead the force when two scouts were injured by a land mine. He shot three German snipers, then killed eight more soldiers and destroyed three machine gun nests. The next day, Biddle came across 13 German soldiers and killed them all with his M-1 rifle. Amazingly, Biddle was not injured during his actions, but his uniform sleeves were riddled with bullet holes. Biddle passed away in his home almost two weeks ago. His citation can be read here.

On Dec. 25, 1944, near Chaumont, Belgium, Private Paul Wiedorfer and his unit were clearing an area of German snipers when two machine gun emplacements opened fire. Although the emplacements were dug-in and flanked by riflemen, Wiedorfer charged the positions. Miraculously, none of the enemy fire hit him, and he reached the first machine gun, destroying it with a grenade and killing the soldiers with his rifle. When he threw another grenade at the next position, the remaining Germans surrendered to him. As he recovered from a serious mortar blast at Walter Reed hospital in February, Wiedorfer learned that he was awarded the Medal of Honor from a sergeant in the hospital bed next to his who read the news in Stars and Stripes. His citation can be read here.

The small castle overlooking a coastal highway was used by the Germans as an artillery observation post. Although three previous assaults on the objective had failed, Second Lt. Vernon J. Baker’s segregated company was ordered to attack again – using a similar approach as the previous assaults. To make matters worse, nearly three-quarters of Baker’s undermanned platoon were replacements, and had seen little or no combat.

At 5 a.m. on April 5, artillery pounded the German position and Charlie Company headed to their objective. Initially, they encountered little resistance, and within about two hours, Baker and his men were within 250 yards of the castle. As they looked for a suitable position to set up their machine gun, Baker saw an enemy telescope pointing out of a slit in the hill. He crawled up to the position and emptied the clip of his M1 Garand rifle into the hole, killing the observation post’s two occupants.

As the unit sought another position, Baker happened upon a concealed German machine gun position, killing the two soldiers as they ate breakfast. Moments later, an enemy grenade struck the company commander in the head, landing five feet from Baker. Luckily, the grenade didn’t explode, and Baker shot another German. Then, Baker grabbed a teammate’s Thompson submachine gun, and proceeded forward alone. Discovering another concealed enemy position, he used a grenade to blow open the door, and used his machine gun and grenade to kill three additional Germans.

As Baker returned to the summit of the hill, German mortar crews had zeroed in on the American position and were inflicting heavy casualties on the small group. Baker directed his forward observer to call in artillery support, but the fire base initially refused as they didn’t believe that the unit had already reached the castle.

The artillery barrage temporarily silenced the enemy mortars, but Baker knew that the Germans would mount a counterattack. His rattled company commander decided to leave the battle – supposedly for reinforcements.

But Baker’s reinforcements would never arrive.

The German mortar barrage resumed, and as the rounds hit the weakened platoon, a platoon of German soldiers disguised as medics and litter-bearers approached to within 50 yards of the American position. Once in place, they removed a machine gun from one of the litters. Baker’s men wiped out the attackers, but as the effective strength of the American force – originally at 25 – was now down to eight, Baker was left with no choice but to withdraw. He personally covered for his men, killing another enemy soldier in the process. The remaining Germans fled to the other side of the hill.

As the men moved down the hill, one man was wounded by a mortar, and a sniper killed the unit’s medic, bringing the party’s number to six. The men discovered two additional bunkers, and Baker disabled the positions with white phosphorous grenades, enabling the beleaguered force to evacuate the casualties to the aid station.

All told, Baker had killed nine enemy soldiers, disabled three machine gun positions, an observation post, and a dugout. But his work was not done. The regimental commander “volunteered” Baker to lead another assault on the castle the next day. Fortunately, the Americans captured the now-deserted castle without firing a shot.

Baker was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second-highest award for valor. He retired in 1968 after nearly 30 years of distinguished service

In 1993, the Army contacted Shaw University to determine if racism may have been a factor in the fact that no Medals of Honor were awarded to blacks during World War II. Historians did not find any racism in the Army’s policy, but recommended ten black soldiers who received the Distinguished Service Cross for an upgrade. The Army approved seven, and by then, Baker was the only man still alive – the other recipients either died in battle or after the war.

In 1997, President Bill Clinton awarded Vernon Baker the Medal of Honor. Baker accepted the medal on behalf of the 1.2 million black Americans who served during World War II.

“I was an angry young man,” Baker said of how he had felt about serving in a segregated unit. “We were all angry. But we had a job to do, and we did it. My personal thoughts were that I knew things would get better, and I’m glad to say that I’m here to see it.”

“Mr. Baker’s action is a perfect example of both what it takes to receive the Medal of Honor and why it’s nearly impossible to be awarded the decoration,” says national security expert W. Thomas Smith Jr., who has been serving as media relations director for the Medal of Honor Society’s 2010 Convention since 2008. “When Baker’s company was stopped by concentrated machinegun fire from several gun emplacements, he crawled from one position to the next, destroying each position, killing or wounding enemy soldiers, then covering the evacuation of wounded Americans, ultimately leading a battalion advance toward the division objective. It’s one thing to perform heroically in action, for which there are several levels of U.S. awards recognizing bravery. But to receive the Medal of Honor, the performance of the recipient must be so bold, so courageous, so utterly self-sacrificial that the deed is deemed something no mortal man could ever be expected to do in any one lifetime.”

Baker passed away surrounded by family last Tuesday in his home near St. Maries, Idaho, of complications due to brain cancer. He was 90 years old.

[Originally published at The US Report]

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Shortly after landing, the company encountered a reinforced enemy platoon in a well-organized, defensive position. Major Modrzejewski led his men in the successful seizure of the enemy redoubt, which contained large quantities of ammunition and supplies. That evening, a numerically superior enemy force counterattacked in an effort to retake the vital supply area, thus setting the pattern of activity for the next 2 1/2 days.

The citation states that Modrzejewski was “constantly present wherever the fighting was heaviest, despite numerous casualties, a dwindling supply of ammunition and the knowledge that they were surrounded…”

Read his citation here.

In September 1944, Marine Corps Captain Everett P. Pope earned the Medal of Honor for his valiant leadership against overwhelming odds on Peleliu. Pope and his men held the strategic hill against Japanese suicide attacks. When ammunition ran low, the Marines resorted to using rocks and bare fists.

Read his citation here.

Roberts is the only Medal of Honor recipient still serving in the Armed Forces.

Read Roberts’ citation here.

66 years ago on May 23 near Carano, Italy, Technical Sergeant Van T. Barfoot and his element were heavily engaged by a well-fortified enemy that held the commanding ground. Barfoot crawled forward, destroying an enemy machine gun position with a grenade, causing another machine gun position to surrender, capturing more than a dozen prisoners. When the enemy counterattacked, Barfoot destroyed a tank with his bazooka, and he moved forward into enemy territory to destroy a German fieldpiece with a satchel charge. Upon returning, Barfoot then assisted two wounded men to safety.

Read Barfoot’s citation here.

Despite being heavily outnumbered, the battle was a pyhhric victory for the defenders.

Donlon’s incredible citation can be read here.