Six U.S. Army servicemen have been recommended for the Soldier’s Medal for saving the lives of Ukrainian civilians during a fire in a residential building in Lviv, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported on July 21.
U.S. 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team servicemen Matthew Odom, Nelson Deese, Vincent Humerickhouse, Kellar Jackson, Aaron Moore, Kevin Polk were deployed to Ukraine in support of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine at the Yavoriv firing range.
On Sunday, July 16, at 4 p.m., the six men were visiting Lviv on a sightseeing tour, when a fire broke out in residential building close to the Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet in the city center
“We were about to head back to base when we saw smoke coming from down the street, so we decided to investigate,” Sergeant Matthew Odom told the DVIDS, a U.S. Army media outlet, on July 17.
The U.S. servicemen rushed into the building and evacuated the people from the third floor before firefighters arrived, the outlet says.
“We kept asking if there was anyone still in the building, and finally we found someone who spoke English who said that there was,” Odom said. “Sergeant Deese and I just gave each other a look; it was like we knew what the other was thinking, and we just stormed in.”
Deese, who is a volunteer firefighter in his home community of Crowder, Oklahoma, said he also helped the Ukrainian firefighters unroll their hoses and take their equipment upstairs.
“I felt like most soldiers, especially infantrymen, when we go into battle,” he added. “Not a single hesitation.”
U.S. 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team press officer Captain Kayla Christopher said the six servicemen will be recommended for decoration with the Soldier’s Medal, which is awarded to servicemen for heroism in non-combat circumstances.
