ANSBACH, Germany (Aug. 29, 2013) -- During an Aug. 29 ceremony at Katterbach Airfield, a Soldier assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (Assault Helicopter), received the Soldiers Medal for his actions in January while assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division when he extracted a Korean local national from a smouldering vehicle after it had struck a tree.
Sgt. 1st Class David George, a native of Seattle, received the Soldiers Medal for the lifesaving actions he took while assigned to 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd ID, in Korea at the time of the incident. The Soldiers Medal is the highest honor a Soldier can receive for an act of valor in a noncombat situation.
The narrative of the Soldiers Medal reads: "On January 11, 2013 while returning home after a 24 hour duty [George] noticed a smouldering vehicle that had slid off the ice road and into a tree. He observed a passenger frantically attempting to help the driver out of the vehicle but to no avail. At this moment [he] sprang into action by taking control of the scene. Without regard to his own well-being he [extracted] the local national from the driver's seat using his bare hands and a belt cutter from his own vehicle carrying the driver to safety minutes before the vehicle exploded into flames."
Lt. Col. Mark Johnson, the commander of 3-158th Assault Helicopter Battalion presented George with the medal in a formation surrounded with family and friends.
"I was only doing my job," George said after the ceremony. He continued by thanking several people, including the command of the 2nd CAB for honoring him with the award, a long-time friend and mentor, and his wife Rachel George (Brevik).
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