Three U.S. Airmen Given Valor Awards For Heroic Actions In Afghanistan

Harrison Lee9 years ago

Today, three United States airmen, Senior Airman Dustin Temple, Tech Sgt. Matthew Greiner, and Senior Airman Goodie Goodman, will receive some of the highest awards in the military for their heroic actions on September 27, 2014.

From the Washington Post:

Senior Airman Dustin H. Temple will receive the rare and prestigious Air Force Cross, which is second only to the Medal of Honor in honoring heroism in combat in the service. Goodman and Tech. Sgt. Matthew J. Greiner will receive the Silver Star, which is two levels below the Medal of Honor.

The attack consisted of close to 100 insurgents who rained fire on the Americans and had plans to overrun their position and take them hostage. What the insurgents didn’t take into account is the fact that they were facing the greatest military ever to set foot on this earth. Twenty-one insurgents were killed that day while the U.S. forces only suffered one casualty.

A big reason for that was due to these three airmen. Airman Temple risked finding the crosshairs of enemy snipers to drag the Special Forces soldier who had been shot to an evacuation helicopter. Temple also called in strafing gun runs from F-16 fighters and risked enemy fire again to retrieve ammo from a helicopter that landed under fire.

Tech Sgt. Greiner guided multiple airstrikes that destroyed two enemy compounds with four 500 pound bombs from two F-16s. He didn’t stop there. He again called for Hellfire strikes, AH-64 Apache gun runs, and then took out six guys with an AC-130 strike as they approached the troops.

Airman Goodman drew out insurgents by telling the AC-130 to stay out of audible range while he held down a rooftop position on the same compound that Tech Sgt. Grenier was on. Goodman would then control the AC-130 and mortar firing on the insurgents.

Their actions are nothing short of amazing. Thank you for your service. True heroes..

[via Washington Post]

Photos released by the Air Force