Epic Medal of Honor Battle Description | Marine Force Recon | Army Special Forces | Earl Plumlee

About This Episode
Today we have a once in a lifetime Combat Story with one of the few living Medal of Honor recipients from the war in Afghanistan: Earl Plumlee. Earl was a Marine infantryman, Force Recon team leader, and Special Forces Weapons Sergeant in the pre- and post-9/11 era.
Earl would deploy multiple times with the Marine Corps and the Army, to include combat deployments with Force Recon and a historic deployment in 2013 with the his ODA where he would earn the Medal of Honor.
In this episode, we touch on both of Earl’s Recon deployments but spend a considerable amount of time walking through the battle in which he earned the Medal of Honor and in which his fellow Green Berets earned other medals for valor. It’s an amazing story to hear firsthand that includes a coordinated and lethal attack of a US installation in Ghazni, Afghanistan; suicide bombers; injured Americans; and several Green Berets who had never fought together operating as one element to repel the attack.
Earl’s work during this assault is amazing and almost impossible to imagine he didn’t get more gravely wounded. He had over 300 rounds of enemy fire directed at him from very close range, dozens of grenades lobbed his direction, and suicide vests detonating meters away.
He now speaks out about civic duty and service and provides motivational and public speaking for customers around the world. Please enjoy this selfless story of a rare and living Medal of Honor with Earl Plumlee.
Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.
Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.
Show Notes: 01:0:52 - Second Deployment Difficult Moments
Earl Plumlee
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction
- 01:02Guest Profile: Earl Plumlee
- 02:25Start of Interview
- 02:33Life As Medal of Honor Recipient
- 07:02Childhood
- 12:38Military Family History
- 14:07Deciding to Serve
- 16:33Recruitment Story
- 22:26Basic
- 24:58Mad Rabbit Tattoo Ad
- 26:22Graduation from Marine Corps.
- 31:14First Time Down Range
- 39:14S.E.A.R. School
- 39:42New Guy In Recon Unit
- 43:04First Time Outside The Wire
- 45:08Give Legacy Ad
- 46:30Formative Moments
- 53:38Losing Teammates
- 55:35Hindsight Advice
- 59:49Second Deployment
- 01:01:52Special Forces
- 01:07:21First Special Forces Deployment
- 01:12:36Having Kids At Home While Deployed
- 01:14:25Medal OF Honor Story
- 02:06:58Battle Afterthoughts
- 02:16:49Sentimental Items
- 02:17:35Would You Do It All Again
- 02:19:33Listener Feedback


