Flying Cross for KAFB hero
Helicopter door gunner saved lives in Afghanistan
Recognition for heroism has been a long time coming for one master sergeant with the 512th Rescue Squadron.
Master Sgt. Greg Gibbs will be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on Jan. 13.
The Distinguished Flying Cross is the oldest and highest military aviation award.
“It’s important to recognize his actions, especially all these years later,” said Staff Sgt. Mathew Hawkins, with the 512th Rescue Squadron, the medal ceremony coordinator.
Gibbs is being recognized for actions he took five years ago on a rescue mission in Shorbak District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
Gibbs was a door gunner on an HH-60G Pave Hawk during the mission to rescue a squad of Army Pathfinders who had been decimated by improvised explosive devices.
On the last evacuation, the aircraft lost power, and Gibbs guided the pilots down the valley to land just a few feet outside the minefield. Once the aircraft was operational again, Gibbs calculated that they could fly the patient to higher medical care on emergency fuel.
When the patient was transferred to the hospital, the aircraft had only five minutes of fuel left.
“This is a good learning opportunity for students, who will soon graduate and potentially be asked to do these same types of missions within months,” Hawkins said.
Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, commander of the Air Education and Training Command, is going to present the award at the 58th Special Operations Wing Hangar 1001.
“Throughout the time we have been planning the ceremony, we haven’t told Master Sgt. Gibbs what we are doing. He knows he is getting this award and that the squadron commander is not the one presenting it,” Hawkins said.
He said help from the protocol offices for the 58th SOW and 377th Air Base Wing have provided excellent support for this event.
Created 80 years ago, the medal’s elements use the cross to show sacrifice, propellers for flight and five sunburst rays at each angle for the glory and splendor of the actions for which the award is earned.
President Calvin Coolidge presented the first medal in 1927 to Charles Lindbergh.
The presentation ceremony is open to all of Team Kirtland.