The medals were the first Mr. Biden has awarded since the United States completed the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan he ordered soon after taking office. Even as he suffered severe burns, he pulled four of his peers from the rear of the vehicle, then returned to rescue two others. Despite severe pain from his burns, he refused to be evacuated by medical helicopters until all other wounded soldiers were taken away. Mr. Biden said he was the seventh person to receive a Medal of Honor for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. “Alwyn Cashe was a soldier’s soldier,” the president said, “a warrior who literally walked through fire for his troops.”

Source: New York Times December 17, 2021 00:27 UTC