Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham
Pararescueman Senior
Airman Jason D. Cunningham,
gave his life in Afghanistan
while saving 10 lives and
making it possible for seven
others who were killed to
come home, was posthumously
awarded the Air Force Cross
Sept. 13, 2002.
The Air Force Cross is
awarded for extraordinary
heroism while engaged in
action against an enemy of
our nation. It is second
only to the Medal of Honor.
Cunningham was a Carlsbad,
N.M., native, and joined the
Air Force's elite combat
rescue program and graduated
pararescue technical
training in June 2001. He
was deployed to Southwest
Asia in February 2002.
On March 4, Cunningham was
the primary Air Force combat
search and rescue medic
assigned to a quick reaction
force in Afghanistan. The
force was sent to rescue two
American servicemen evading
capture in austere terrain
occupied by al-Qaida and
Taliban forces.
Before landing, his MH-47E
Chinook helicopter received
rocket-propelled grenade and
small-arms fire, disabling
the aircraft and forcing it
to crash-land. Crewmembers
formed a hasty defense and
immediately suffered three
fatalities and five critical
casualties.
The citation accompanying
Cunningham's Air Force Cross
reads, "Despite effective
enemy fire, and at great
risk to his own life, Airman
Cunningham remained in the
burning fuselage of the
aircraft in order to treat
the wounds. As he moved his
patients to a more secure
location, mortar rounds
began to impact within 50
feet of his position.
"Disregarding this extreme
danger, he continued the
movement and exposed himself
to enemy fire on seven
separate occasions. When the
second casualty collection
point was also compromised,
in a display of uncommon
valor and gallantry, Airman
Cunningham braved an intense
small arms and
rocket-propelled grenade
attack while repositioning
the critically wounded to a
third collection point."
The citation continues,
"Even after he was mortally
wounded and quickly
deteriorating, he continued
to direct patient movement
and transferred care to
another medic. In the end,
his distinct efforts led to
the successful delivery of
10 gravely wounded Americans
to life-saving medical
treatment."
Cunningham was laid to rest
in Arlington National
Cemetery on March 11, 2002.