Senior Airman Bradley Smith deployed to Afghanistan as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller in December 2009.

On January 3, 2010, Airman Smith was on a thirteen-person, dismounted area reconnaissance patrol in the vicinity of Kandahar. After arriving at a local village, Airman Smith assumed a support-by-fire position with the patrol’s Alpha team, while Bravo team traversed a bridge toward the village. After crossing the bridge, an 82mm mortar round impacted 10 meters from Bravo team. Seconds later, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated, instantly killing two Soldiers and seriously wounding an Airman. The blast launched two of the casualties into an adjacent creek and a third mortally-wounded serviceman across the village. Without regard for his own safety, Airman Smith immediately rushed from his covered position into the waist-high water of the creek, in an effort to save one service member and recover the remains of the fallen.

After moving the victims from the creek to a casualty collection point, Airman Smith focused on gathering the remains of the deceased member in the village. The patrol leader requested volunteers for the recovery operation; Airman Smith and the platoon medic were the first to step forward. Airman Smith proceeded along the eastern edge of the village, where he retrieved portions of the remains and began maneuvering back to the extraction site. As Airman Smith arrived at the casualty collection point, a second IED exploded. The results of this explosion were catastrophic, killing Airman Smith and the platoon medic instantly.

For his selfless and valorous actions, Senior Airman Smith was posthumously nominated for the Silver Star and received the Purple Heart Medal.