Earl Plumlee

Earl D. Plumlee is a retired master sergeant in the United States Army. He was presented the Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan that took place on 28 August 2013 and presented to him by President Joe Biden on December 16, 2021. He was stationed at Operating Base Ghazni in Afghanistan 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. Plumlee and five other special operations soldiers, intent on defending the base, mounted two vehicles and raced toward the detonation site. The driver purposefully drove into enemy fire to deflect fire from two injured teammates.

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 insurgents with only his pistol.

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.

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 to counterattack the infiltrators. As the coalition forces advanced, Plumlee engaged an insurgent to his front-left.

Plumlee then ran to mortally wounded Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis (who died while shielding Polish Army 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.