Three Marines who survived the Abbey Gate suicide bombing during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan received upgraded valor awards Wednesday, five years to the day after the attack that killed 13 American service members.
Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the awards at a Pentagon ceremony, saying the original submissions had been improperly reduced during the years that followed. "For half a decade, this building allowed bureaucratic caution, or maybe politics, to stand in the way of proper recognition," Hegseth said. "Today, on this milestone anniversary, we declare that those days are over."
Hegseth presented upgraded Bronze Star Medals with "V" devices for valor to Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Eby and Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston. Cpl. Michael Gretzon received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a "V" device for valor.
"For too long, leadership in this capital city failed to match that frontline courage with administrative backbone, inappropriately downgrading the original award submissions that these men rightfully deserved," Hegseth said.
Eby, who held the rank of staff sergeant at the time of the attack, was screening evacuees from an exposed position when the suicide bomber detonated. With his platoon commander and half his platoon wounded or killed, Eby took command, rallied remaining Marines, established security, and helped evacuate the wounded. His award citation said his actions "undoubtedly saved the lives of many."
Houston was approximately 32 feet from the blast and was knocked unconscious. He woke with shrapnel wounds but stayed in an exposed position to cover fellow Marines and provide medical care to those more seriously injured. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith noted that Houston concealed his injuries to avoid being removed from the fight and later removed shrapnel from his own body before accepting medical treatment. "I don't know where we find such men, but I'm not sure we deserve them," Commandant Gen. Smith said.
Gretzon suffered an arm wound severe enough that he applied his own tourniquet. After medical personnel bandaged him, he returned immediately to his squad and continued assisting until his platoon sergeant personally ordered him to the casualty collection point.
The ISIS-K bombing on August 26, 2021 killed 13 American service members: Marine Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss.
