Mount Vernon native Jason D. Smith was awarded the United States Army Air Medal with valor.
He is the son of Dennis and Karen Smith of Mount Vernon and Beverly Brown of Rockwall.
Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2) Jason D. Smith heroically distinguished himself by exceptional valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States as a helicopter pilot in command. The 90 minute incident for which he was honored happened June 23, 2011, while he was assigned to task Force Thunder out of the Forward Operating Base Wolverine during Operation Enduring Freedom.
“The safety and survival of my friends - the downed aviators - and avoiding being shot down was the only thing on my mind during the intense firefight,” said CW2 Smith. “Seeing both pilots walk away was rewarding.” For more details about the award and the event for which it was received, see the December 29 edition of the Mount Vernon Optic-Herald.
