On Friday, May 13th, 2022, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Cory Haggett was presented the Silver Star Medal and his second Bronze Star Medal at Hurlburt Field.
- Gen. Jim Slife, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, presided over the ceremony.
Staff Sergeant Cory A. Haggett distinguished himself by gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force near Yemen on January 28, 2017.
On that date, according to Hurlburt Field, as Lead Pararescueman for a Joint Task Force, in support of overseas contingency operations, Sergeant Haggett displayed exceptional battlefield courage as a member of an assault force on a direct-action night raid deep into enemy territory.
Following a difficult 8-kilometer infill to the set-point, the assault force immediately took heavy and effective enemy fire within 75 meters in all directions.
- When a teammate was struck in the chest by small arms fire, and with total disregard for his own life, Sergeant Haggett quickly moved to his aid, dragging the casualty, shielding him with his own body, and rendering trauma care under intense enemy fire.
Determining his wounded teammate required an immediate evacuation, Sergeant Haggett led an element of four teammates to carry the casualty over 130 meters under tremendous small arms, according to Hurldburt.
“Shortly after movement began, Sergeant Haggett received a radio call for additional support, and without hesitation, he directed a member of his element to return to the assault force to provide support while the element continued to slide down the steep and slippery, shale faced mountainside,” wrote Hurlburt in a press release.
Once Sergeant Haggett and his element arrived at the helicopter landing zone, he performed an expedited cricothyrotomy to establish an airway and stabilized his teammate until the medical evacuation helicopter arrived.
- Following the evacuation, Sergeant Haggett immediately ran the 130 meters back up the rocky mountain face, “braving fierce and unrelenting enemy fire” as rounds impacted the ground within inches of his position.
Upon reaching the assault force and his second wounded teammate’s position, Sergeant Haggett once again selflessly shielded him with his own body and rendered treatment even while intense small arms fire impacted the area around him.
Additionally, once the movement started to the exfil site, Sergeant Haggett provided medical assistance to a third teammate requiring medical attention to a blunt force trauma wound to the face. Sergeant Haggett quickly bandaged the wound permitting his teammate to stay engaged in the firefight.
Finally, once the assault force arrived to the exfil site, Sergeant Haggett treated a fragmentation wound to his Troop Chief’s arm, treating the wound to mitigate exposure to the elements and the chance of infection.
“By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Haggett has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force,” wrote Hurlburt Field in a press release.
Sergeant Haggett is currently assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
He graduated from Navarre High School in 2005 and attended Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 2006.
His other awards and decorations include:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Medal
- Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat Device
- Joint Service Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters
- An Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
