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Washington Air National Guard’s Tech. Sgt. Kevin Whalen
| | Tech. Sgt. Whalen was part of a combat patrol in eastern
Afghanistan on July 19, 2003, when his patrol was ambushed by a group of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. Enemy fire hit the
lead vehicle, forcing the convoy to halt in the middle of the kill zone. As insurgents attacked from three sides, Whalen opened
fire on them, using an automatic grenade launcher. His quick reaction allowed his team to secure covered positions. After
taking many hits, Whalen’s grenade launcher malfunctioned. As he was attempting to fix his weapon, Whalen was hit in
the arm and abdomen. He dropped to a more secure location and began self-administering first aid. He then radioed for close
air support, communicating with and directing the two planes sent to aid the trapped group. After being taken to a hospital
to recover, Whalen refused to stay there and returned to his team 48 hours after the fight to continue combat missions. For
his actions and bravery, Whalen received the Silver Star in December 2004. Whalen is the first Washington Guardsmen to receive
the Silver Star since the Vietnam War. |
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