Saturday afternoon St. A Minnesota Air Nationwide Guard member on the 133rd Airlift Wing in St. Paul was awarded the nation’s highest air achievement award.
Main Katie Lunning was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal for excellent achievement throughout an air flight in 2021.
“It was very busy. It was very chaotic. We actually simply wanted to give attention to our work,” stated Main Lunning.
It was a process that navy officers stated required braveness and braveness, and Main Lunning fulfilled it.
He was on an evacuation crew that flew to Kabul on the night time of August 26, 2021.
Main Lunning responded to the mass casualty incident attributable to a suicide bomber that killed 13 US troopers at Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport.
“We got here up with a form of mantra to say ‘the horrible issues we will not management,’ and that actually helped us keep centered as a result of what we are able to management is doing our job,” he stated.
Flight nurse Main Lunning carried out affected person triage and recruitment for 22 individuals whereas underneath fireplace earlier than an 8-hour aerial medical evacuation flight to Germany.
Because of his care, critically unwell sufferers survived.
“We’re very humbled and honored to have performed a component on this,” stated Main Lunning.
On Saturday, the Minnesota Air Nationwide Guard honored Main Lunning with the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism.
She made historical past as the primary air Nationwide Guard flight nurse to obtain the award.
On the 133rd Airlift Wing medal presentation, elected officers expressed gratitude for the most important’s efforts.
“These awards are an outward illustration of how we bear in mind the sacrifices and dangers all of us made to defend our lifestyle, whether or not we put on uniforms or not,” stated Governor Tim Walz.
Greater than a yr later, Main Lunning stated that he was nonetheless maintaining with the individuals he had saved in Kabul and that seeing them lead comfortable lives was price it.
“I am so grateful to have their quiet cheerleader within the background and to see them with their households, as a result of it was price each ounce of my sleep to see them come house,” stated Main Lunning.
Main Lunning is the twelfth United States girl in historical past to obtain this award.
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