Senior Airman Danny Williams: Explosive Ordnance Disposal 

One man’s sacrifice to save the lives of others is something Senior Airman Danny Williams witnessed first-hand in April of 2009.

It is his duty to “render safe” improvised explosive devices (IEDs) threatening American and Coalition forces in Afghanistan. Airman Williams lost his team leader and his friend, Technical Sergeant Phillip Myers, while rendering safe an IED along a main casualty evacuation route in Afghanistan. With no robot available and an IED prohibiting movement along a main casualty evacuation route, Sergeant Myers was responsible for inspecting the IED and choosing a course of action. He instructed Airman Williams to fashion a device they would use to disarm the IED. Moments later, Airman Williams heard an explosion. He turned to see Sergeant Myers lying on the ground.

As everyone rushed to the aid of Sergeant Myers, Airman Williams stopped them. He knew the IED was not yet safe and further lives could be lost. Airman Williams now had the responsibility to render the IED safe. He probed the area, working around Sergeant Myers’ body and the IED. He picked up his fallen teammate and moved back to a safer location. He then destroyed the IED and transported Sergeant Myers back to a coalition forward operating base.

Even after experiencing the death of his friend and knowing his next mission could be his last, he stayed behind and pieced together the same IED that took Sergeant Myers’ life. By removing the IED threat, the road could stay open to transfer casualties and ensure more lives would be saved.