1. Army Sergeant Saves Fellow Soldier from Car Crash
Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian’s moment of bravery shows that Army soldiers are ready to step up to the challenge and save a life at any moment, even when they are off duty. While driving to physical training (PT) on base in 2020, the driver of the car in front of Ehiarinmwian – who was, unbeknownst to her, a soldier from her unit – suddenly lost control of their vehicle. The car collided with a road sign, was flipped through the air and then landed upside down, crashing through a security gate. Ehiarinmwian immediately jumped into action.
Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian was named the 2020 United Services Organization Soldier of the Year for her brave actions while off-duty.
Ehiarinmwian rushed to the driver’s side and assessed their injuries before carefully pulling them from the car, which had already begun to smoke.
“I felt like the car was going to burst into flames,” she said. “But at the time, I didn’t think of the danger.”
Instead, she thought only of ensuring that the driver was safe, and once the paramedics arrived and she was sure that her fellow solider was in good hands, Ehiarinmwian went about her day, business as usual, and arrived for PT with her unit. Ehiarinmwian explained that helping others is simply a part of the job description of a solider, and it’s an instinct that comes naturally – regardless of whether or not she’s on the clock.
“I was in shock and shaky, but I knew someone was in worse shape than I was,” she said. “There were no steps or thought behind it, [I] just got out of the car and helped.”
Ehiarinmwian was recognized as the USO Soldier of the Year 2020 for her bravery.
2. World War II Veteran and POW Dan Crowley is Finally Recognized for His Bravery
It’s been over 80 years since Sgt. Dan Crowley first enlisted in the Army at the young age of 18, but the World War II veteran and prisoner of war (POW) was finally recognized for his service and sacrifice in January 2021.
Retired Army Sgt. Dan Crowley is pictured here after a ceremony in which he was officially presented with the rank of sergeant, Prisoner of War Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge at Bradley Air National Guard Base in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
Crowley was stationed at Nichols Field in the Philippines before the United States had even entered WWII. However, the day after the U.S. declared war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked the Philippines and the U.S. Army bases there – including Nichols Field.
Even though Crowley – who was assigned to an aircraft unit – was not trained in combat, he immediately leapt into action. He and his fellow soldiers improvised, using antiquated British machine guns that they had on-hand, creating a powerful air defense attempt.
Crowley and the other soldiers who survived the devastating air raid crossed Manila Bay to the Bataan Peninsula in the dark of night to avoid Japanese detection, where they joined other U.S. troops and continued the fight. As Japanese forces closed in, Crowley and his fellow soldiers swam through shark-infested waters to avoid capture, but eventually they were found by the enemy and became prisoners of war.