Eddie Camacho

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Eddie Camacho, Specialist, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 3d Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, during combat operations in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 25 April 2003, in Afghanistan. Specialist Camacho was part of a quick reaction force trying to help American soldiers under attack along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He climbed into the back of a civilian pickup with two comrades to continue to ferry wounded soldiers to a casualty collection point. The truck was ambushed by anti-coalition forces, which bombarded him and the other soldiers with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire. Specialist Camacho provided the suppressive fire that allowed his comrades to escape to safety while single-handedly stopping the enemy’s threat.