Posted on 08/24/2015 5:45:33 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
The Air Force is awarding Airman First Class Spencer Stone its highest non-combat honor, the Airman’s Medal, for his heroic actions aboard a Paris train, the Air Force announced Monday.
Stone, Alek Skarlatos and college friend Anthony Sadler took down a gunman wielding an AK-47 and box cutter as he began an assault on a high-speed train bound for Paris late Friday.
The trio have been hailed as heroes in France, where they were awarded the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor, on Monday by French president Francois Hollande.
“What the gunman did not expect was a confrontation with our very own Captain America. Believe it or not, that is what Airman Stone’s friends nicknamed him during Air Force technical training,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James told reporters Monday when announcing the medal.
If it had not been for Stone’s actions, James said, “I’m quite sure today we would be sitting here considering a bloodbath.”
A representative for the Oregon National Guard, where Skarlatos serves, did not return requests for comment.
According to the Air Force, the Airman’s Medal was established in 1960 and is awarded “to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly nation who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Air Force ... distinguished himself or herself by a heroic act, usually at the voluntary risk of his or her life but not involving actual combat.”
James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said Stone may be eligible for other honors, including the Purple Heart if investigators determine the attack was an act of terrorism.
Active Duty ping.
Obama effig pissed is jihad brother couldnt do is massacre in peace.
American service members ... can’t be beat.
Don’t these great guys just make you soooo proud!...Gotta love them! Fabulous they are being recognized...I just love it!
sounded like Combat to me.
I know this is probably a silly question, but has Obama made any statement about this?
You just have to know that Obama would like to court martial him.France giving him that medal kind of squashed that.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama still orders a court marshal.
I pray that he can handle all the well deserved recognition.
He has truly earned every word and medal heaped upon him.
Awesome!!There is a hero my friends. Heroes are not hired firemen and police. No way. That is what they are paid for!! Not these men. THEY ARE REAL AMERICAN HEROES!!
He might get a Purple Heart.
But then again, they may determine that he has not risen to the level of a John Kerry (who fought in Vietnam, you know).
Yes. He wants a Legion of Honor medal too.
To actually wear the “Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur” as insignia on uniform requires approval of high command. I think he has got that here!
It would be interesting to see him serve in Europe or where French Military are found (SOCOM) and watch the bugged-out eyes of the uninformed. This is a VERY SIGNIFICANT honor!
Best feel good story of the week.They make us proud.
Obama personally called them and talked to them for longer than just a greeting. I think that he did what we would want our President to minimally do!
good on him!!!
No PH?
This is a good award. Analogous medals exist in the three branches and are awarded most commonly for lifesaving actions outside of combat. Sure, we could make an argument that they were in combat. Delighted to hear it. The young airman will probably find more conversations created when people ask what that red one is, the one with the gold stripes on either side of the black and red circle.
Uhh.... That’s court MARTIAL. If you’re going to make silly statements at least try to spell everything correctly.
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