Kyle J. White

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This article is about the Medal of Honor recipient. For the rugby league player, see Kyle White (rugby league). For the climate justice scholar, see Kyle Powys Whyte.

Kyle J. White
Kyle J. White.jpg
SGT Kyle J. White in March 2014
Born (1987-03-27) March 27, 1987 (age 34)
Seattle, Washington
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service2006–2011
RankSergeant
Unit2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsMedal of Honor
Purple Heart

Kyle Jerome White (born March 27, 1987) is an American financial analyst and former United States Army soldier. He is the seventh living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the War in Afghanistan.[1]

Early life[]

White was born on March 27, 1987,[2] and lived in Bonney Lake, Washington.[3] He enlisted in the United States Army on February 15, 2006, attending basic training, advanced individual training, as well the United States Army Airborne School consecutively, at Fort Benning.[2] White's military education includes the Combat Life Saver Course, United States Army Air Assault School, Infantryman Course (One-Station Unit Training), Primary Leadership Development Course and Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course.[2]

Military service[]

White in mid-2007, before his deployment to Afghanistan

White was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment from 2006 to 2008. In early 2007, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, he was deployed to Aranas, Afghanistan where he served as a platoon radio telephone operator.[2] White's actions on November 9, 2007, were the basis for his receiving the Medal of Honor.[2]

From 2008 to 2010, White was assigned to the 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Fort Benning. In May 2011 he departed the active-duty United States Army.[2]

Medal of Honor[]

Prior to the event that lead to the awarding of the Medal of Honor, White noticed that during a Shura "it seemed like every male fighting-age and above was there in attendance." Half an hour later he and his unit were under attack.[4] During the Battle of Aranas on November 9, 2007, White suffered a mild traumatic brain injury from a Rocket-propelled grenade blast and from the subsequent blast of a 120mm mortar round fired by United States forces.[1] Although injured himself, White provided assistance to the soldiers and Marines around him while under heavy fire.[5] He was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, but says he copes with its symptoms by exercising.[1] Through 2014, White's face still had bullet fragments from an AK-47 round that shattered on a rock in front of him.[1]

White receiving the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama on May 13, 2014, for his actions in Afghanistan on November 9, 2007[6]

After the battle, paperwork regarding a potential Medal of Honor awarding was delayed in the Pentagon.[7] On May 14, 2014, White received the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony, for administering life saving medical aid to comrades and for radioing situational reports;[6] that battle resulted in five soldiers (1st Lt. Matthew C. Ferrara, Sgt. Jeffery S. Mersman, Spc. Sean K. A. Langevin, Spc. Lester G. Roque, and Pfc. Joseph M. Lancour) and Marine Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks being killed and all eight surviving Americans being wounded.[1] White became the seventh living recipient of the Medal of Honor from either the Iraq War or Afghanistan operations.[8] The following day, White was inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes by Deputy Defense Secretary Robert O. Work.[9]

Citation[]

A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Specialist Kyle J. White, United States Army.

Specialist Kyle J. White distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on 9 November 2007. On that day, Specialist White and his comrades were returning to Bella Outpost from a shura with Aranas Village elders. As the soldiers traversed a narrow path surrounded by mountainous, rocky terrain, they were ambushed by enemy forces from elevated positions. Pinned against a steep mountain face, Specialist White and his fellow soldiers were completely exposed to enemy fire. Specialist White returned fire and was briefly knocked unconscious when a rocket-propelled grenade impacted near him. When he regained consciousness, another round impacted near him, embedding small pieces of shrapnel in his face. Shaking off his wounds, Specialist White noticed one of his comrades lying wounded nearby. Without hesitation, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reach the soldier and provide medical aid. After applying a tourniquet, Specialist White moved to an injured Marine, similarly providing aid and comfort until the Marine succumbed to his wounds. Specialist White then returned to the soldier and discovered that he had been wounded again. Applying his own belt as an additional tourniquet, Specialist White was able to stem the flow of blood and save the soldier's life. Noticing that his and the other soldier's radios were inoperative, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire yet again in order to secure a radio from a deceased comrade. He then provided information and updates to friendly forces, allowing precision airstrikes to stifle the enemy's attack and ultimately permitting medical evacuation aircraft to rescue him, his fellow soldiers, Marines and Afghan Army soldiers. Specialist Kyle J. White's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade and the United States Army.[10]

Post-military career[]

In 2013, White received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he majored in finance.[2] He became an investment analyst with the Royal Bank of Canada. In 2013, he joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch as a fixed income bond trader.[2]

Awards and decorations[]

White has earned the following awards and decorations:[2]

Blank.JPG Blank.JPG Blank.JPG Combat Infantry Badge.svg
Blank.JPG
Width-44 purple ribbon with width-4 white stripes on the borders
V
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 myrtle green ribbon with width-3 white stripes at the edges and five width-1 stripes down the center; the central white stripes are width-2 apart
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
Width-44 green ribbon with central width-8 flag blue stripe flanked by a pair of width-2 yellow stripes. At distance 6 from the edges are a pair of width-4 yellow stripes.
Award numeral 2.png
503InfRegt2BnTrim.jpgUnited States Air Force Parachutist Badge.svg AirAssault.svg
Right breast Left breast
Army Presidential Unit Citation Valorous Unit Award Combat Infantryman Badge
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart Army Commendation Medal w/ Valor Device one bronze Oak Leaf Clusters Army Achievement Medal w/ one Oak leaf cluster
Army Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 1 service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal NCO Professional Development Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 2 NATO Medal for ex-Yugoslavia
Parachutist Badge with 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment trimming Air Assault Badge

White has earned two Overseas Service Bars and one service stripe.

See also[]

  • List of post-Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Zoroya, Gregg (April 15, 2014). "Medal of Honor recipient risked all for comrades". USA Today. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Profile: Sergeant Kyle Jerome White". U.S. Army. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  3. ^ Former Bonney Lake man to be receive Medal of Honor | The Seattle Times Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  4. ^ Delmore, Eric (August 14, 2014). "Medal of Honor winner Kyle White: "The memories are still vivid"". MSNBC. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  5. ^ Stan Toler (April 3, 2018). The Power of Your Influence: 11 Ways to Make a Difference in Your World. Harvest House Publishers. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7369-7305-2.
  6. ^ a b Leipold, J. D. (May 14, 2014). "President Presents Medal of Honor to Former Army Sergeant". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014.
  7. ^ Mike Henry (June 7, 2016). What They Didn't Teach You in American History Class: The Second Encounter. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-4758-1548-1.
  8. ^ Harper, John (May 13, 2014). "Bracelet outshines Medal of Honor at ceremony for Kyle White". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  9. ^ Marshall Jr., Tyrone C. "Article: Work Inducts Former Army Sergeant Into Pentagon's Hall of Heroes". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on May 21, 2014.
  10. ^ "Transcript: Obama's remarks on Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Kyle White". CNN. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
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