Alwyn Cashe: The Florida Soldier Who Went Back Into the Fire

On the night of October 17, 2005, Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe faced a choice outside Samarra, Iraq. His Bradley Fighting Vehicle had been disabled and engulfed in flames. Cashe escaped. Several people in his crew had not. He went back for them.

Over the course of the rescue, Cashe helped bring six soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter out of the burning vehicle. His own fuel-soaked uniform caught fire. Even after suffering severe burns, he continued to help the trapped men and refused medical evacuation until the other wounded soldiers were taken first. The U.S. Army’s account of his actions records both the danger and the decisions he made in it.

A soldier from Oviedo

Cashe grew up in Oviedo, Florida, and entered the Army in 1989. He later became an infantryman and served as a drill sergeant. By 2005, he was a platoon sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Division. His career had taken him through multiple deployments, but it was his care for the people under his command on that October night that would define his legacy.

He and another soldier first pulled the driver from the Bradley and moved him away from the flames. Cashe then went to the troop compartment, where others remained trapped. The Army’s Medal of Honor citation describes his return to the vehicle as enemy fire was directed toward his position. He helped four soldiers escape, then reentered to retrieve two more.

Recognition that came later

Cashe died of his wounds on November 8, 2005, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He was 35. The Medal of Honor was presented posthumously to his widow on December 16, 2021. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society records his service, citation, and the presentation.

The years between his death and the award do not change what happened at the Bradley. They remind us that the full measure of a person’s courage can take time to enter the public record. Cashe had a way out of the fire; he chose to keep reaching for others.

Remembering Alwyn Cashe

Our flag can mark a public ceremony, a military funeral, or a quiet moment at home. In each setting, remembrance is more meaningful when we know a name and the life behind it. Alwyn Cashe was a soldier from Florida, a leader responsible for his platoon, and a man who put their lives ahead of his own. His story deserves to be told with care—and remembered.

Fly the flag in remembrance: For a home or community display, see our Made in USA embroidered American flag, or the Made in USA Poly-Max American flag for a high-wind location.

Sources: U.S. Army Medal of Honor profile and citation; Congressional Medal of Honor Society recipient record.