Alwyn C. Cashe

Alwyn C. Cashe was a United States Army non-commissioned officer posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Iraq War. A veteran of the Gulf War and multiple combat tours, he served with the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. Cashe is celebrated for sacrificing his life to rescue fellow soldiers from a burning Bradley Fighting Vehicle under enemy fire in Samarra, Iraq.

Early life and military career

Alwyn Crendall Cashe was born in Sanford, Florida, and graduated from Oviedo High School. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1988, initially serving as an infantryman before transitioning to the military occupational specialty of a drill sergeant. His early assignments included service with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and he first saw combat during Operation Desert Storm as part of the VII Corps. Throughout the 1990s, Cashe held various leadership positions, demonstrating the professionalism that would define his later service, and he was a veteran of the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning.

Actions in the Iraq War

On October 17, 2005, then-Sergeant First Class Cashe was serving as a platoon sergeant with Alpha Company in Samarra, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, causing the fuel cell to rupture and engulf the hull in flames. Despite being soaked in fuel and himself on fire, Cashe extracted the trapped vehicle commander and returned to the burning hull multiple times under intense small arms fire from enemy forces. He personally rescued six soldiers and an interpreter from the inferno, repeatedly refusing medical attention until all his men were safe. His actions were conducted in the immediate aftermath of the previous year's major combat in the city.

Death and posthumous recognition

Severely burned over most of his body, Cashe was evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Iraq and later to the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He succumbed to his injuries on November 8, 2005. He was initially awarded the Silver Star for his valor, but a prolonged campaign by his comrades, family, and members of Congress sought the nation's highest award. After a review by the United States Department of the Army and the United States Department of Defense, the award was upgraded. On December 16, 2021, President Joe Biden presented the Medal of Honor to Cashe's family in a ceremony at the White House.

Legacy and honors

Sergeant First Class Cashe's legacy is one of ultimate self-sacrifice and leadership. He is the first African-American recipient of the Medal of Honor for service in the Iraq War. His name is inscribed on the Fort Benning memorial walk and is honored at the National Infantry Museum. The United States Army has dedicated training facilities in his memory, and a post office in Oviedo, Florida, was renamed in his honor through legislation passed by the United States Congress. His story is taught within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command as a paragon of non-commissioned officer courage.

Medal of Honor citation

The official citation for the Medal of Honor recounts that Sergeant First Class Cashe, with complete disregard for his own life, braved intense flames and enemy fire to rescue his crew. It details his repeated entries into the burning vehicle to extract every soldier, despite his own severe injuries. The citation concludes that his extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 3rd Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

Category:United States Army soldiers Category:Recipients of the Medal of Honor Category:American military personnel killed in the Iraq War