Medal of Honor: Kyle J. White – War in Afghanistan – November 9, 2007
In the mountains of Afghanistan, Specialist Kyle J. White awoke from an RPG blast to chaos and enemy fire. Wounded and outnumbered, he fought on—calling airstrikes, aiding the wounded, and refusing to yield.
November 7, 2025
Name: Kyle Jerome White
Rank: Sergeant (then Specialist)
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company C, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade
Place and Date: Aranas, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan – 9 November 2007
Entered Service At: Seattle, Washington
Born: March 27, 1987 – Seattle, Washington
Departed: Survived
Accredited To: Washington
Date of Issue: May 13, 2014
Summary of Action
On November 9, 2007, Specialist Kyle White’s unit was returning from a meeting with village elders near Aranas, Afghanistan, when the narrow mountain trail erupted in gunfire. Enemy forces, firing from elevated positions, unleashed a devastating ambush that pinned White and his comrades against a sheer rock face.
A rocket-propelled grenade exploded near him, knocking him unconscious. When he came to, bleeding and dazed, another blast struck even closer, embedding shrapnel in his face. Ignoring the pain, White crawled to reach a wounded comrade, braving open fire to apply a tourniquet and save his life. Hearing the cries of a Marine further down the slope, he crossed the exposed path again, treating the Marine’s wounds and staying by his side until he succumbed.
As the firefight raged, White discovered that his radio was destroyed. Crawling across the kill zone, he retrieved a working radio from a fallen teammate and began coordinating airstrikes and medical evacuation. For hours he calmly relayed enemy positions and casualty updates, directing life-saving support while continuing to aid the wounded.
When rescue helicopters finally arrived, White refused evacuation until every wounded soldier and Marine was safely aboard. His extraordinary composure and courage under fire turned chaos into survival, saving multiple lives and ensuring his unit lived to fight another day.
Medal of Honor Citation
Entered Service At: Seattle, Washington.
Born: 27 March 1987.
Citation:
Specialist Kyle J. White distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on November 9, 2007.
On that day, Specialist White and his comrades were returning to Bella Outpost from a shura with Aranas Village elders. As the soldiers traversed a narrow path surrounded by mountainous, rocky terrain, they were ambushed by enemy forces from elevated positions. Pinned against a steep mountain face, Specialist White and his fellow soldiers were completely exposed to enemy fire. Specialist White returned fire and was briefly knocked unconscious when a rocket-propelled grenade impacted near him.
When he regained consciousness, another round impacted nearby, embedding small pieces of shrapnel in his face. Shaking off his wounds, Specialist White noticed one of his comrades lying wounded nearby. Without hesitation, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reach the soldier and provide medical aid. After applying a tourniquet, Specialist White moved to an injured Marine, similarly providing aid and comfort until the Marine succumbed to his wounds.
Specialist White then returned to the soldier and discovered that he had been wounded again. Applying his own belt as an additional tourniquet, Specialist White was able to stem the flow of blood and save the soldier’s life. Noticing that his and the other soldier’s radios were inoperative, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire yet again in order to secure a radio from a deceased comrade. He then provided information and updates to friendly forces, allowing precision airstrikes to stifle the enemy’s attack and ultimately permitting medical evacuation aircraft to rescue him, his fellow soldiers, Marines, and Afghan Army soldiers.
Specialist Kyle J. White’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, and the United States Army.
