as commander in chief, i promise it s a commitment that we will keep. god bless you all. may god protect the troops who are out there right now. now it s my great honor to ask for the citations to be read and award the medal of honor to sergeant first class alwyn cashe, sergeant first class christopher celiz, and master sergeant earl plumlee. will the cashe family please join the president onstage. attention to orders. the president of the united states of america, authorized by act of congress, march 3rd,
to stare down danger. we re grateful for all you three have done and so many more. the family of first class sergeant alwyn cashe, this has been 16 years and coming. representative murphy, representative walz, thank you for your continued efforts. sergeant cashe s commander, commander in arms, medical team, and family, who worked with dedication over so many years to make this recognition possible. october 17th, 2005, sergeant cashe was commanding a bradley fighting vehicle on night patrol in iraq. they came under enemy fire. an improvised explosive device detonated, igniting the vehicle s fuel and engulfing it
made sure his courage and selflessness was documented and honored, a testament to the love he inspired and the legacy he left behind. sergeant first class cashe is now the seventh individual to receive a medal of honor for his actions in operation remain freedom and the first african american to receive it since the vietnam war. tamara, alexis, casanow, i m so honored to award your husband, your dad, brother, the recognition that he earned. i know it s tough. as honored as you are, it s got to be tough to be here today. he ll be remembered, he ll be remembered forever. sergeant first class christopher celiz was an army ranger through and through, with 175.
the rangers lead the way. on july 12th, 2018, nearing the end of a fifth deployment, a fifth deployment, sergeant celiz was leading an operation in the patika province of afghanistan, not a very friendly place, to clear the area of enemy forces. attacked and pinned down by a large force, the sergeant exposed himself to enemy fire in order to retrieve a heavy weapons system that allowed his team to fight back and reach a secure location. during the firefight, a member of his team was critically wounded. as they called for medical evacuation and the rescue helicopter arrived and began taking fire as well, the sergeant knew time was critical to get his wounded teammate loaded and treated. he once again, knowingly and willingly, stepped into the enemy s crosshairs. sergeant celiz used his body as
attention to orders. the president of the united states of america, authorized by act of congress, march 3rd, 1863, has posthumously awarded the medal of honor to sergeant first class christopher a. celiz, united states army, for conspicuous gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. sergeant first class christopher a. celiz distinguished himself while engaged with the enemy in afghanistan on july 12th, 2018. as the leader of a special purpose unit comprised of partner forces and members of the first battalion, sergeant first class celiz led an operation to clear the area of enemy forces. shortly after his team reached their final objectives, a large enemy force attacked, placed effective fire on him and his team, preventing them from maneuvering a counterattack. realizing the danger the attack