Silver Star Given for Fallen Airman's Gallantry
Sep 10, 2012
American Forces Press Service
by Karen Petitt
Dressed in a silver and black dress, 3-year-old Chloe Smith stood beside her mother, Tiffany, as they accepted a Silver Star award today in honor of Senior Airman Bradley R. Smith who was killed in action at the age of 24 in Afghanistan Jan. 3, 2010.
Maj. Gen. Lawrence Wells, 9th Air Force commander, presented the medal "on behalf of a grateful nation and even more grateful Air Force" to Smith's widow, his parents, Gary and Paula Smith, and to Tech. Sgt. Ryan Smith, Brad's brother, during a ceremony in Troy, Ill.
Upon receiving the award, Tiffany said she was thankful for the efforts of everyone who took part in seeing that Brad received the honor he had earned.
"When I first learned of what Brad did, I wasn't filled with pride like I am today," she said. "Quite frankly I was very upset at him and would just yell out 'Why didn't you keep your head down?' or 'Why couldn't you have just been a coward ... just this once?' In the midst of my tantrum, a good friend reminded me that Brad wasn't trying to be a hero, and that he wasn't trying to do anything more than what he thought was right and necessary ... and that 'coward' wasn't a word that he knew.
"Over time I could see that he was just being true to the kind of man that he was. He was my hero long before his death. His passion for life, love for his family and dedication to always bettering himself is what made Brad my hero. This Silver Star solidifies what I already knew about my husband, and it will serve as a reminder of the hero that he truly was ... both in the way he lived and died."
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