WASHINGTON, D.C. – (December 16, 2021) – President Joe Biden today presented the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest award for valor in combat, to three soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq: Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee and Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz.
Cashe sacrificed his life in 2005 to save his fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle and is the first African American awarded the Medal for actions during the War in Iraq. Plumlee fought off suicide bombers while serving in Afghanistan in 2013, refusing to let his injuries stop him. Celiz made the ultimate sacrifice in 2018 to protect an American helicopter evacuating injured soldiers in Afghanistan, saving them and the crew aboard the aircraft.
Following the President presenting the Medals during a White House ceremony, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation (NMOHMF) celebrated the news and released the following statement from Chris Cassidy, NMHOMF President and CEO:
“The National Medal of Honor Museum is thrilled that Sgt. 1st Class Cashe, Master Sgt. Plumlee and Sgt. 1st Class Celiz have been awarded the Medal of Honor. These American patriots went above and beyond the call of duty and deserve the highest recognition for their courage under fire. We look forward to preserving and telling the stories of these recipients, and the stories of all Medal of Honor recipients, from whom Americans can learn so much.”
To learn more about the heroism of Cashe, Plumlee and Celiz, visit our website at: https://mohmuseum.org/cashe-celiz-plumlee/.
