280:
Sergeant Earl D. Plumlee distinguished himself by acts of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty on August 28, 2013, while serving as a weapons sergeant, C company, 4th
Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) in support of Enduring Freedom. Sergeant Plumlee instantly responded to an enemy attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni — Ghazni Province, Afghanistan — that began with an explosion that tore a 60-foot breach in the base's perimeter wall. Ten insurgents wearing Afghan National Army uniforms and suicide vests poured through the breach. Sergeant Plumlee and five others mounted two vehicles and raced toward the explosion. When his vehicle was engaged by enemy fire, Sergeant Plumlee reacted instinctively, using his body to shield the driver prior to exiting the vehicle and engaging an enemy insurgent 15 meters to the vehicle's right with his pistol. Without cover and in complete disregard for his own safety, he advanced on the enemy, engaging multiple insurgents with only his pistol. Upon reaching cover, he killed two insurgents — one with a grenade and the other by detonating the insurgent's suicide vest using precision sniper fire. Again, disregarding his own safety, Sergeant Plumlee advanced alone against the enemy, engaging several insurgents at close range, including one whose suicide vest exploded a mere seven meters from his position. Under intense enemy fire, Sergeant Plumlee temporarily withdrew to cover, where he joined up with another soldier and, together, they mounted another counterattack. Under fierce enemy fire, Sergeant Plumlee again moved from cover and attacked the enemy forces, advancing within seven meters of a previously wounded insurgent who detonated his suicide vest, blowing Sergeant Plumlee back against a nearby wall. Sergeant Plumlee, ignoring his injuries, quickly regained his faculties and reengaged the enemy forces. Intense enemy fire once again forced the two soldiers to temporarily withdraw. Undeterred, Sergeant Plumlee joined a small group of American and Polish soldiers, who moved from cover to once again counterattack the infiltrators. As the force advanced, Sergeant Plumlee engaged an insurgent to his front left. He then swung around and engaged another insurgent who charged the group from the rear. The insurgent detonated his suicide vest, mortally wounding a U.S. soldier. Sergeant Plumlee, again, with complete disregard for his own safety, ran to the wounded soldier, carried him to safety, and rendered first aid. He then methodically cleared the area, remained in a security posture, and continued to scan for any remaining threats. Staff Sergeant Earl D. Plumlee's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Special Forces Regiment, and the United States Army.
325:
Operation
Detachment Alpha 1434 (ODA-1434), 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan. Sergeant First Class Plumlee distinguished himself when a vehicle-borne IED initiated an attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan, followed by the attack of nine insurgents armed with small arms, grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests. During the attack, Sergeant First Class Plumlee repeatedly engaged the enemy at close range, was wounded by a detonating suicide vest, risked his life to bring another Soldier to safety and provide first aid, all while continually putting himself in the line of fire in order to prevent the assault from penetrating the perimeter of the FOB. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
337:
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715:
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231:
Plumlee, despite being wounded by a detonating suicide vest, quickly regained his bearings and reengaged the enemy. Intense enemy fire once again forced the two soldiers to temporarily withdraw. Undeterred and resolute, Plumlee joined a small group of
American and coalition soldiers moving from cover
219:
Plumlee and five other special operations soldiers, including Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Busic and Chief
Warrant Officer 3 Mark Colbert, intent on defending the base, mounted two vehicles and raced toward the detonation site. Plumlee's driver purposefully maneuvered the vehicle into enemy fire to shield
279:
The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Earl D. Plumlee, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry at the risk of his life and above and beyond the call of duty. Staff
324:
The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class Earl D. Plumlee, United States Army, for gallantry in action in August 2013, while serving with
223:
Using his body to shield the driver from enemy fire, Plumlee exited the vehicle while simultaneously drawing his pistol and engaging an insurgent 15 meters to the vehicle's right. Without cover and with complete disregard for his safety, he advanced toward the enemy force, engaging multiple
239:
Lieutenant Karol
Cierpica), carried him to safety, and rendered first aid. Afterwards, he organized three coalition members in a defensive stance as he methodically cleared the area, remained in a security posture and continued to scan for any remaining threats.
216:, when the complex was attacked. Plumlee instantly responded to a massive explosion that caused a 60-foot breach in the base's perimeter wall. Ten insurgents wearing Afghan National Army uniforms and suicide vests poured through the breach.
940:
1285:
227:
Plumlee left cover and continued to advance alone. Moving forward, he engaged several combatants at close range. Under intense enemy fire, Plumlee temporarily withdrew to cover, where he joined another soldier.
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Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Operation
Detachment Alpha 1434 (ODA-1434), 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
956:
110:
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Rank and organization: Staff
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Operation Detachment Alpha 1434 (ODA-1434), 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
1390:
1027:
753:
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On August 28, 2013, Plumlee served as a weapons sergeant assigned to
Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), at
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three dismounted teammates, two of whom were injured, placing the vehicle under effective enemy fire from the front and right side.
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829:
459:
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to counterattack the infiltrators. As the coalition forces advanced, Plumlee engaged an insurgent to his front-left.
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1047:
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931:
917:
658:
624:
675:
618:
568:
506:
644:
1375:
1207:"Alwyn Cashe set to become first Black recipient of Medal of Honor for service in post-9/11 war on terror"
582:
545:
574:
761:
681:
1370:
1062:
485:
883:
422:
1179:
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181:
78:
864:
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707:
436:
1355:
823:
999:
467:
442:
400:
201:
138:
53:
993:
701:
557:
270:
Place and date: Forward Operating Base Ghazni — Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, 28 August 2013
1176:"After extraordinary sacrifice — and years of delay — Alwyn Cashe gets his Medal of Honor"
394:
177:
100:
235:
Plumlee then ran to mortally wounded Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis (who died while shielding
1323:
1077:
800:
471:
381:
341:
185:
134:
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911:
375:
30:
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1339:
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875:
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1038:
809:
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1119:
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385:
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236:
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insurgents with only his pistol. Upon reaching cover, he killed two insurgents.
197:
189:
1328:
1143:"Biden to award three Medals of Honor for combat actions in Iraq, Afghanistan"
889:
789:
767:
1253:
1070:
349:
345:
193:
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1118:. Congressional Medal of Honor Society. December 16, 2021. Archived from
120:
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that took place on 28 August 2013 and presented to him by President
1055:
1286:"Remarks by President Biden at Presentation of the Medal of Honor"
499:
335:
1338:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
1271:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
608:
U.S. Service (Campaign) Medals and Service and Training Ribbons
196:
on December 16, 2021; awarded the same day, posthumously, were
16:
United States Army Master Sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient
295:
252:
872:
Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
148:
130:
116:
106:
96:
84:
68:
60:
37:
21:
316:Awarded for actions during: Global War on Terror
273:Awarded for actions during: Global War on Terror
1381:Members of the United States Army Special Forces
1205:Deena, Zaru; Robinson, Adia (16 December 2021).
1356:Medal of Honor: Master Sergeant Earl D. Plumlee
1096:List of post-Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients
8:
1396:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
740:Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
313:Place and date: Afghanistan, 28 August 2013
29:
18:
1238:
1236:
1234:
1232:
1230:
1228:
899:
363:
1107:
468:Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
986:Marine Corps Combatant Diver Insignia
754:Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
7:
1031:Combat Service Identification Badge
972:Military Freefall Parachutist Badge
797:NCO Professional Development Ribbon
288:the President of the United States.
1294:. 16 December 2021. Archived from
601:Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
176:(born April 6, 1980) is a retired
14:
1244:"Master Sergeant Earl D. Plumlee"
1174:Lamothe, Dan (15 December 2021).
1045:United States Army Special Forces
1386:Military personnel from Oklahoma
1333:
1266:
1141:Lamothe, Dan (8 December 2021).
1069:
1054:
1037:
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1006:
992:
978:
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944:
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882:
863:
856:
849:
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836:
822:
808:
788:
782:
766:
760:
746:
732:
713:
706:
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665:Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
657:
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633:Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
623:
617:
593:
573:
567:
544:
538:
514:
498:
492:
478:
458:
452:
435:
421:
407:
393:
374:
522:Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
161:
651:National Defense Service Medal
340:Plumlee is presented with the
1:
1391:People from Clinton, Oklahoma
1318:"Earl D. Plumlee - Recipient"
554:Meritorious Unit Commendation
214:Forward Operating Base Ghazni
830:Army Overseas Service Ribbon
1401:United States Army soldiers
1417:
1209:. ABC News. Archived from
1028:1st Special Forces Command
1000:Honduran Parachutist Badge
898:
775:Armed Forces Reserve Medal
690:Afghanistan Campaign Medal
362:
75:United States Marine Corps
1048:Distinctive Unit Insignia
902:
606:
527:
429:Meritorious Service Medal
368:U.S. military decorations
366:
28:
957:1st Special Forces Group
932:Expert Infantryman Badge
918:Combat Infantryman Badge
111:1st Special Forces Group
953:Basic Parachutist Badge
507:Army Good Conduct Medal
583:Navy Unit Commendation
443:Army Achievement Medal
357:
327:
300:
257:
244:Awards and decorations
1063:Overseas Service Bars
356:on December 16, 2021.
348:in a ceremony in the
339:
322:
299:
256:
208:Medal of Honor action
184:. He was awarded the
85:Years of service
1331:on 16 December 2021.
959:background trimming
486:Combat Action Ribbon
1256:on 28 February 2022
1186:on 15 December 2021
1180:The Washington Post
1148:The Washington Post
904:Other accoutrements
816:Army Service Ribbon
722:Iraq Campaign Medal
384:(Upgraded from the
188:for his actions in
1155:on 8 December 2021
1122:on August 28, 2022
1014:Special Forces Tab
892:for ex-Yugoslavia
358:
301:
258:
182:United States Army
125:War in Afghanistan
79:United States Army
1116:"Earl D. Plumlee"
1087:
1086:
1083:
1082:
896:
895:
202:Christopher Celiz
171:
170:
139:Bronze Star Medal
54:Clinton, Oklahoma
1408:
1343:
1337:
1336:
1332:
1327:. Archived from
1314:
1308:
1307:
1305:
1303:
1282:
1276:
1270:
1269:
1265:
1263:
1261:
1252:. Archived from
1240:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1218:
1202:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1191:
1182:. Archived from
1171:
1165:
1164:
1162:
1160:
1151:. Archived from
1138:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1127:
1112:
1073:
1058:
1041:
1024:
1010:
996:
982:
968:
949:
948:
942:
928:
914:
900:
886:
868:
867:
861:
860:
854:
853:
847:
846:
840:
826:
812:
793:
792:
786:
777:with "M" device
771:
770:
764:
750:
736:
718:
717:
711:
710:
704:
684:
678:
661:
647:
627:
621:
597:
577:
571:
558:Oak leaf cluster
548:
542:
529:U.S. Unit Awards
518:
503:
502:
496:
482:
462:
456:
439:
425:
411:
397:
378:
364:
360:
359:
165:
163:
90:2000–2008 (USMC)
88:1998–2000 (ARNG)
70:
51:
47:
45:
33:
19:
1416:
1415:
1411:
1410:
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1407:
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1405:
1361:
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1214:
1213:on 20 July 2022
1204:
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1199:
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1173:
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1158:
1156:
1140:
1139:
1135:
1125:
1123:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1104:
1092:
1078:Service stripes
943:
862:
855:
848:
841:
787:
765:
712:
705:
686:
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629:
628:
622:
579:
578:
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305:Earl D. Plumlee
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285:Joseph R. Biden
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262:Earl D. Plumlee
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178:master sergeant
174:Earl D. Plumlee
167:
164: 2007)
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137:
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101:Master Sergeant
92:2009–2023 (USA)
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24:
17:
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5:
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1350:External links
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1324:Military Times
1309:
1298:on 7 July 2022
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935:
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921:
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876:Campaign stars
869:
833:
832:
827:
819:
818:
813:
805:
804:
794:
779:
778:
772:
757:
756:
751:
743:
742:
737:
729:
728:
726:Campaign stars
724:with 2 bronze
719:
697:
696:
692:with 1 bronze
687:
673:
672:
671:
668:
667:
662:
654:
653:
648:
640:
639:
630:
616:
615:
614:
611:
610:
604:
603:
598:
590:
589:
585:with 1 bronze
580:
566:
565:
564:
561:
560:
556:with 1 bronze
551:
537:
536:
535:
532:
531:
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524:
519:
511:
510:
504:
489:
488:
483:
475:
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472:5/16-inch star
465:
451:
450:
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446:
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426:
418:
417:
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404:
403:
398:
390:
389:
382:Medal of Honor
379:
371:
370:
342:Medal of Honor
333:
330:
315:
312:
309:
303:
302:
293:
290:
281:
272:
269:
266:
260:
259:
250:
249:Medal of Honor
247:
245:
242:
209:
206:
186:Medal of Honor
169:
168:
157:
153:
152:
150:
146:
145:
135:Medal of Honor
132:
128:
127:
118:
114:
113:
108:
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103:
98:
94:
93:
86:
82:
81:
72:
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58:
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39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1376:Living people
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1340:public domain
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1273:public domain
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1137:
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1117:
1111:
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1097:
1094:
1093:
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1079:
1075:
1072:
1068:
1067:
1064:
1060:
1057:
1053:
1052:
1049:
1046:
1043:
1040:
1036:
1035:
1032:
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1026:
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1019:
1018:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1005:
1004:
1001:
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991:
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987:
984:
981:
977:
976:
973:
970:
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962:
958:
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947:
941:
937:
936:
933:
930:
927:
923:
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916:
913:
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905:
901:
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880:
877:
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866:
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845:
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835:
834:
831:
828:
825:
821:
820:
817:
814:
811:
807:
806:
802:
801:award numeral
798:
795:
791:
785:
781:
780:
776:
773:
769:
763:
759:
758:
755:
752:
749:
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744:
741:
738:
735:
731:
730:
727:
723:
720:
716:
709:
703:
699:
698:
695:
694:Campaign star
691:
688:
683:
677:
670:
669:
666:
663:
660:
656:
655:
652:
649:
646:
642:
641:
638:
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631:
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609:
605:
602:
599:
596:
592:
591:
588:
584:
581:
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570:
563:
562:
559:
555:
552:
547:
541:
534:
533:
530:
526:
523:
520:
517:
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512:
508:
505:
501:
495:
491:
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487:
484:
481:
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469:
466:
461:
455:
448:
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441:
438:
434:
433:
430:
427:
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420:
419:
416:
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406:
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402:
399:
396:
392:
391:
387:
383:
380:
377:
373:
372:
369:
365:
361:
355:
351:
347:
344:by President
343:
338:
332:Commendations
331:
326:
321:
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298:
291:
286:
278:
277:
263:
255:
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243:
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207:
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199:
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187:
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151:
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119:
115:
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109:
105:
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99:
95:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73:
67:
64:United States
63:
59:
55:
50:(age 44)
48:April 6, 1980
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
1329:the original
1321:
1312:
1300:. Retrieved
1296:the original
1289:
1280:
1258:. Retrieved
1254:the original
1247:
1215:. Retrieved
1211:the original
1200:
1188:. Retrieved
1184:the original
1169:
1157:. Retrieved
1153:the original
1146:
1136:
1126:September 5,
1124:. Retrieved
1120:the original
1110:
903:
799:with bronze
637:Service star
607:
587:Service star
528:
415:Purple Heart
367:
323:
318:
317:
304:
284:
275:
274:
261:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
211:
173:
172:
143:Purple Heart
117:Battles/wars
23:Earl Plumlee
1371:1982 births
1302:19 December
1291:White House
1260:28 February
1217:16 December
1190:16 December
1159:15 December
509:(5 awards)
401:Bronze Star
386:Silver Star
354:White House
292:Silver Star
237:Polish Army
198:Alwyn Cashe
190:Afghanistan
1365:Categories
1102:References
890:NATO Medal
61:Allegiance
44:1980-04-06
1322:Valor at
350:East Room
346:Joe Biden
319:Citation:
276:Citation:
194:Joe Biden
154:Terrie Vo
149:Spouse(s)
1090:See also
121:Iraq War
69:Service/
1249:US Army
874:with 4
635:with 1
470:with 1
352:of the
180:in the
166:
158:
282:Signed
131:Awards
71:branch
56:, U.S.
955:with
160:(
156:
1304:2021
1262:2022
1219:2021
1192:2021
1161:2021
1128:2022
200:and
107:Unit
97:Rank
38:Born
1367::
1320:.
1288:.
1246:.
1227:^
1178:.
1145:.
1076:7
1061:5
803:4
388:)
204:.
162:m.
46:)
1342:.
1306:.
1275:.
1264:.
1221:.
1194:.
1163:.
1130:.
42:(
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