Fallen war hero to receive Medal
16 years after his death, Alwyn Cashe, of Oviedo, recognized for heroism
President Joe Biden will award a posthumous Medal of Honor next week to Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, an Oviedo fallen war hero who died in 2005 after risking his life to save fellow soldiers during a deployment in Iraq, the White House announced Friday.
He will be awarded the U.S. military’s most prestigious award at a formal ceremony Dec. 16 along with two other soldiers. U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, the Winter Park Democrat who helped usher in a bipartisan bill removing the bureaucratic red tape that kept Cashe from receiving the Medal of Honor, said she was “overjoyed” to hear the “long overdue” announcement.
“I wish this amazing man were alive to receive it himself,” Murphy said. “I am so happy for his family and fellow soldiers who fought for years to ensure that Alwyn received the recognition he earned. This nation is beyond grateful for his service and ultimate sacrifice.”
Cashe is the first Black U.S. service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Kasinal Cashe White, who has fought for years to see her brother recognized, said she was “thankful.”
“I am ecstatic, overjoyed, relieved — my nerves are on fire,” she said. “... I can’t even tell you how I feel right now.”
Cashe, 35, was a platoon sergeant Oct. 17, 2005, when an armored vehicle he was commanding was attacked and hit an improvised explosive device, which caused it to engulf in flames, according to a press release from the White House.
Cashe crawled out from the wreckage and repeatedly returned to the burning vehicle to pull out the driver, translator and six other soldiers — all while his fuel-soaked uniform was on fire, causing severe burns to his body, and dodging enemy fire.
“When medical evacuation
helicopters began to arrive, [Cashe] selflessly refused evacuation until all of the other wounded soldiers were first evacuated,” the White House said in a statement. “Sergeant First Class Cashe’s heroic actions, at the cost of his life, saved the lives of his teammates.”
Cashe died after suffering second and third-degree burns on the majority of his body. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the third-highest military decoration for bravery in combat.
His family and comrades petitioned for Cashe’s award to be upgraded, but federal law requires a Medal of Honor to be awarded within five years of the recognized combat action.
Murphy and Rep. Michael Waltz, a Republican who represents Volusia and Flagler counties, were co-sponsors on a bill waiving the five-year time limit for Cashe that was signed into law by former President Donald Trump in December 2020.
On a call with reporters Friday, Murphy said Trump’s defense secretary approved awarding Cashe the Medal of Honor, but they later had to seek approval again from Biden’s defense secretary. The congresswoman blamed bureaucracy for the delay.
“It was very frustrating to have had to wait for as long as we did for what to us was obvious,” she said.
Still, both Murphy and Waltz said they were glad Cashe’s family, friends and comrades would finally get to see his heroism honored.
“The part of his story that’s so touching to me is when you read the accounts of the people that were in the military hospital that day, when Sgt. Cashe was brought in tragically, literally with his uniform burnt to a crisp, he wasn’t asking for help for himself,” Waltz said. “He was asking about the health and welfare of his men to the very end. I get choked up thinking about it.”