Ronald J. Shurer

He fought uphill under fire to save wounded fellow soldiers.

Ronald Joseph Shurer II was born on 7 December 1978. He graduated from Washington State University before entering the Army in 2002 and qualifying as a Special Forces medical sergeant. He deployed to Afghanistan with 3rd Special Forces Group.

On 6 April 2008, Operational Detachment Alpha 3336 came under intense fire in Shok Valley. Shurer fought toward an isolated assault element, stopping to treat another casualty before reaching several critically wounded Americans and injured Afghan commandos. He continued caring for them while exposed to gunfire, suffering wounds himself.

When evacuation required moving casualties down a steep cliff, he used nylon webbing to lower them and shielded them from falling debris. He continued treatment at the collection point and helped organize their extraction. His actions were first recognized with a Silver Star, subsequently upgraded to the Medal of Honor, presented on 1 October 2018.

Shurer left the Army in May 2009 and joined the Secret Service. He served in Phoenix before transferring to its Counter Assault Team in Washington in 2014. He died from cancer on 14 May 2020, leaving his wife and two sons.

Official citation (excerpt)

"Staff Sergeant Shurer used his own body to shield the wounded from enemy fire and debris caused by danger-close air strikes."