Upgraded and Undeniable – You Won't Believe How Much More He’s Getting!

For soldiers, courage in battle is expected, but few display the extraordinary selflessness of Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe. His valor in Iraq cost him his life, yet his heroism has now been recognized with the highest military award—the Medal of Honor.

A Life of Service Before Iraq

Cashe’s journey began in 1989 when he joined the U.S. Army right after high school. His early years in the military took him across the globe, including a deployment to Korea, service in the Gulf War, and assignments in Germany and Fort Hood, Texas. He later became a drill sergeant at Fort Benning, Georgia, shaping new recruits for two years.

By 2001, he was stationed in Europe, serving in operational roles before taking charge of a squad in Germany. In 2004, he became a platoon sergeant in the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, marking the beginning of his final chapter of service.

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe. (Photo Credit: United States Army / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Cashe deployed twice to Iraq, first in 2003 during the invasion and later during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2005, he was with A Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

On October 17, 2005, during a routine patrol, his unit encountered disaster. A roadside bomb struck his Bradley Fighting Vehicle, igniting its fuel cell and trapping six soldiers inside. Though injured, Cashe escaped through the gunner’s hatch, only to see his men engulfed in flames.

Disregarding his own safety, he ran back to the burning vehicle. Despite being drenched in fuel, he pulled the trapped soldiers out one by one, even retrieving the remains of an Iraqi translator. Flames consumed him in the process, burning over 72% of his body.

Cashe was airlifted to a military hospital in Iraq before being transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. He fought for survival but succumbed to his wounds on November 8, 2005.

The Fight for the Medal of Honor

Then-1st Lt. James “Jimmy” Ryan with Sgt. 1st Class Cashe during their deployment to Forward Operating Base McKenzie in Samarra, Iraq. (Photo Credit: Maj. James Ryan / U.S. Army )

Initially, Cashe was awarded the Silver Star, but those who knew the full extent of his sacrifice believed he deserved more. Lieutenant General Gary Brito, his former commander, began advocating for an upgrade after learning more about the incident.

Momentum for the change grew in 2019 when retired Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw, Representative Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), and former Green Beret Michael Waltz pushed for the upgrade. They urged defense leaders to recognize Cashe’s heroism properly.

Murphy introduced a bill in Congress to remove the five-year limit on Medal of Honor eligibility. The bill passed in the House and Senate before being signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 3, 2020.

A Long-Awaited Honor

On December 16, 2021, in a White House ceremony, President Joe Biden presented the Medal of Honor to Cashe’s widow, Tamara. Cashe was honored alongside Sergeant First Class Christopher Celiz and Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee.

President Biden hailed Cashe as “a soldier’s soldier” and “a man who literally walked through fire for his men.”

President Joe Biden during the Medal of Honor ceremony for Sgt. 1st Class Cashe, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz and Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee on December 16, 2021. (Photo Credit: MANDEL NGAN / AFP / Getty Images)

Cashe became the first African American since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor and the seventh service member from Operation Iraqi Freedom to be recognized with the nation’s highest military distinction.

His legacy is one of absolute sacrifice—a leader who placed his soldiers above himself, proving that true heroism knows no limits.