Brig. Gen. Richard Angle pins the Soldier’s Medal on Staff Sgt. Adams on Monday. (Derek Hamilton/U.S. Army)
A Special Forces soldier stationed at Fort Bragg received the Army’s highest honor for heroism outside of combat this week.
The service member, identified only as Staff Sgt. Adams, received the Soldier’s Medal after saving the lives of two people who were involved in a fiery crash in North Carolina in October 2016, the Fayetteville Observer reported.
"It takes a special person to do what he did," said Army Maj. Crocker, acting commander of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group.
Adams, part of that group, was not identified by his first name because of the nature of his job.
"Staff Sgt. Adams saw four of his fellow human beings in desperate need of help," Crocker said. “And in trying to save them, proved that the Army's "capacity to do good in this world is not limited to the battlefield."
"Staff Sgt. Adams saw four of his fellow human beings in desperate need of help. And in trying to save them, proved that the Army's capacity to do good in this world is not limited to the battlefield."
Officials said the Soldier's Medal requires that a soldier must also voluntarily risk his own life to save others, the Observer reported.
Adams was traveling on the U.S. 64 highway near Asheboro, N.C., when he saw a truck with two women and two children veer down a hill and collide with several trees, the report said.
He ran to vehicle, losing his shoes on the way, and didn’t stop even as glass pierced and stuck to the soles of his feet, the Observer reported.
Adams freed and saved two of the victims, Lillie Mingin, 33, and her son Eric Mason Mingin, 7, the report said.
Brittany Goodman, 26, was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, while Colby Springle, 12, the other son of Mingin, was trapped in the vehicle and died shortly after he was extracted, the newspaper reported.
Many people say they would risk their lives to save others, but Brig. Gen. Richard Angle said Adams is one of the few who proved that he would, the Observer reported.
"My challenge to all of you ... use (Staff Sgt. Adams) and his actions as an example," Angle said. "Make that decision to do the right thing. No matter how big or how small the act."
Meanwhile, about 250 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team arrived home Tuesday from Afghanistan, the Observer reported.
"Job well done," Col. Brett Funck, chief of staff for the 82nd Airborne Division, told the troops, according to the newspaper.
“As you come back, take a deep breath, relax, look after your paratrooper, your buddy, your jump buddy, but spend some well-deserved time with your family.”
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