Marines at Abbey Gate awarded Bronze Star medal upgrade

Key Points:

• Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston, Gunny Sgt. Jonathan Eby, and Cpl. Michael Gretzon were awarded valor medals for their courageous actions during the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate in August 2021, which killed 13 U.S. service members and around 170 Afghans.
• Houston, despite being injured and unconscious from the blast just 10 meters away, continued to provide cover and aid other wounded Marines, even removing shrapnel from his hip himself before seeking medical treatment.
• Gretzon applied a tourniquet to his own arm after being wounded but remained at his post until ordered to receive care, while Eby reestablished security, provided life-saving aid, and coordinated casualty evacuations under fire.
• The attack occurred amid the chaotic evacuation of over 124,000 Americans and allies following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, with the Marine battalion having trained extensively for security and night combat during the mission.
• A Defense Department investigation later found that Marines at Abbey Gate were in a highly vulnerable position, with a general officer recommending closing the gate a day before the attack.