Security forces specialists Technical Sgts. Matthew Treadwell, Rafael Melendez and Randy Sampson helped fight off a massive, pre-dawn Taliban attack on three bases near Kabul on July 17, 2014.
They are among 24 airmen honored for heroism in the Air Force's latest Portraits in Courage volume.
Treadwell, Melendez and Sampson, who were assigned to NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan near Kabul, were awoken at 4:15 a.m. by loud explosions coming from less than 400 meters outside the perimeter.
They pulled on protective gear, gathered outside with other airmen, and climbed into a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, or MRAP, before heading to the Afghan air force base right outside the gate. Bullets and rocket-propelled grenades were flying.
Melendez checked in with an Afghan quick reaction force to make sure there wouldn't be any confusion as they repelled the attack. The Air Force said he "served as a calming force to his U.S. and Afghan teammates -- reminding them to relax and rely on their training."
Then Treadwell and Sampson began kicking in doors and clearing rooms, one-by-one, in an Afghan air force building, where they took up elevated firing positions about 100 meters away from the Taliban attackers. For two hours, they shot at the attackers with grazing fire to keep them down, while calling positions into heavy gunners back at the forward operating base. At one point, they took heavy gun and RPG fire.
After a nearly five-hour-long firefight, an Afghan-led quick reaction force made it to the attackers' position and cleared the last insurgents. Treadwell, Melendez and Sampson were each awarded the Air Force Combat Action Medal. Treadwell and Sampson received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
