FINALLY! SFC Alwyn Cashe to be awarded MoH

SFC Alwyn Cashe

The bravery of Alwyn Cashe should be well known to regular readers here. For those who don’t know, or would like a refresher (have tissues handy), here is my Valor Friday write up of this amazing man. He was a personal hero of our departed founder and platoon sergeant Jonn Lilyea.

Finally, after years of lobbying to have the wrong of Cashe’s gallantry not being properly recognized, President Biden will be presenting Cashe’s family with his posthumous Medal of Honor. It’s not clear when exactly this will happen, but the Washington Post is saying it could happen in the next couple of weeks.

The Washington Post report also says two other soldiers will be receiving award upgrades to the Medal of Honor at the same time. The Post’s article (which, because it’s the WaPo notes Cashe’s race in the very first sentence of their article) can be found here;

The Biden administration is planning to award Medals of Honor to three U.S. soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to people familiar with the matter, a group that includes the first Black service member to be recognized with the nation’s top combat distinction for either conflict.

The soldiers are Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who suffered mortal injuries in Iraq while rescuing fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle in 2005; Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee, a Special Forces soldier who fought off Taliban suicide bombers in Afghanistan in 2013; and Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz, an Army Ranger who died after stepping between Taliban fighters targeting a U.S. helicopter evacuating his fellow soldiers in 2018.

Recognition for each — the nation’s highest for battlefield valor — could happen as soon as Dec. 16, four current and former U.S. officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of an expected White House announcement.

MSG Earl Plumlee’s award is also an upgrade from the Silver Star. You’ll see why if you read the citation;

 The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class Earl D. Plumlee, United States Army, for gallantry in action in August 2013, while serving with Operation Detachment Alpha 1434 (ODA-1434), 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan. Sergeant First Class Plumlee distinguished himself when a vehicle-borne IED initiated an attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan, followed by the attack of nine insurgents armed with small arms, grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests. During the attack, Sergeant First Class Plumlee repeatedly engaged the enemy at close range, was wounded by a detonating suicide vest, risked his life to bring another Soldier to safety and provide first aid, all while continually putting himself in the line of fire in order to prevent the assault from penetrating the perimeter of the FOB. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

SFC Christopher Celiz was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal. I can’t immediately find any citations, but here’s a contemporary news report on his death.

Thanks to ninja for making sure we didn’t miss this one!

Category: Afghanistan, Army, Army News, Iraq, Medal of Honor, Valor, We Remember