Airman 1st Class Benjamin Hutchins’ Silver Star
Devtun sends us a link to the Air Force Times which tells the story of Airman 1st Class Benjamin Hutchins who earned a Silver Star Medal for his 2009 actions in Afghanistan;
Hutchins, a tactical air control party airman, fought back and refused to give up on the two soldiers, who were being swept away by the river’s current, until reinforcements arrived.
[…]
On Nov. 4, 2009, a missed aerial delivery resulted in one of the bundles landing in the Bala Murghab River. Two soldiers tried to recover the bundle but were pulled downriver by the current, according to the narrative accompanying Hutchins’ award.
The airman dove into the freezing water to rescue the soldiers and began taking enemy fire from the east bank of the river.
Despite “the onslaught of enemy fire,” according to the narrative, Hutchins refused to leave the soldiers in the river until more U.S. forces arrived. Hutchins then volunteered with three others to try to stop the attack from the enemy.
According to the article, Hutchins was able to engage the enemy with his M4 while directing combat air support against the enemy. You should read the whole story at the link.
Category: Air Force
BZ!
How was he able to swim with balls as big as those?
Maybe they acted as flotation devices – or were big enough they touched bottom and supported him. (smile)
Well done, A1C Hutchins. Damn well done.
SGM weekend safety brief always told us to swim with a buddy.
Must have an invisible shield around him.
I agree with that!
HOOAH !!!!!
Knowing that there are many people in the military of this caliber warms my heart and gives me hope for a future in which men, women, children and over living things will be able to florish and prosper.
Very well done, Airman 1st Class Benjamin Hutchins! Very well done!
Seven years to decorate this hero??!! Come on Air Force, you can do better.
Much better.
This is probably an upgraded decoration.
HRC has been sending emails to valor recipients to upgrade their medals, which only means another round of cheapening for our awards.
If every BSMV gets upgraded to SS, then what’s the value of a real SS as awarded?
This is part of the liberal campaign to cheapen our military and destroy our traditions.
On the other hand, maybe i am talking shit because i know nothing of this dude.
Read the article. He was going to get two Bronze Stars with V for valor for two different actions over the three days of action that they decided to combine for one Silver Star. Also keep in mind that A1C means he was an E-3 probably with less than three years service. I would say that my fellow airman was one squared away dude. Not some sissy, man bun metrosexual that’s more the norm.
“Read the article”
Good one
“This is part of the liberal campaign to cheapen our military and destroy our traditions.” To which I say … BULLSHIT
“On the other hand, maybe I am talking shit because I know nothing of this dude.”
To which I say you finally got it right. Oh, and I corrected your spelling. He may be your ‘dude’, but he’s my hero.
Sounds typical. It seems to me that the Air Force has always been stingy with the awards, moreso than the other services (except maybe the Marines).
With that kind of grit and gumption, he could have been a good Marine.
Dude,
I made E-8 Senior Master Sergeant and I ain’t got SHIT on this A1C.
Fucking-A man, Dick Out for Airman 1st Class Benjamin Hutchins
/no homo.