Sgt. Christopher Celiz embodied the ideal soldier. While deployed in Afghanistan, he gave his life to shield a wounded comrade and the MEDEVAC team sent for their rescue. His courage that day was recognized posthumously with the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest award.
Christopher Celiz’s enlistment in the US Army
Christopher Celiz enlisted in the US Army in September 2006. After completing basic combat and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas as a combat engineer and team leader.
Deployed to Iraq
Christopher Celiz was subsequently transferred to Company C, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division as a team leader, followed by an assignment with the 530th Engineer Clearance Company, 92nd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, as a sapper squad leader and platoon sergeant.
From 2008-09, Celiz was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and two years later was sent to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Coming under enemy fire in Afghanistan
In 2013, Christopher Celiz was chosen to serve as a combat engineer with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. By March 2017, he had advanced to the role of mortar platoon sergeant in Company D. The battalion was later deployed to Afghanistan, where Celiz commanded a specialized team made up of Company D members and allied forces.
On July 12, 2018, while leading a mission in Afghanistan’s Paktia province to clear the area of enemy fighters, Celiz’s unit was suddenly ambushed by a group armed with machine guns and small arms. The attack was so fierce that it halted their ability to launch a counteroffensive.
Christopher Celiz used his body as a shield
Recognizing the danger his team faced, Christopher Celiz risked his life to retrieve and operate a heavy weapons system. This enabled his unit to regain control and move to a secure location, where they began treating a wounded partnered soldier.
As the enemy barrage continued and a MEDEVAC helicopter arrived, Celiz knew it was crucial to evacuate his injured comrade. He exposed himself to enemy fire and used his body as a shield while moving the wounded soldier toward the chopper.
Dying of his injuries
As the helicopter lifted off, Christopher Celiz was hit, but, instead of having the chopper remain, he motioned for it to leave. He was treated on the ground and transported to a nearby medical facility, where he died of his injuries.
Following Celiz’s sacrifice, Captain Ben Krzeczowski, the pilot in command of the MEDEVAC mission, said, “Courage, to me, is putting your life on the line to save the life of another, as demonstrated by Sfc. Chris Celiz who died protecting my crew.”
Medal of Honor recipient
Christopher Celiz was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by US President Joe Biden in December 2021. It was presented to his wife and daughter. During the ceremony, Biden called Celiz “courage made flesh,” and thanked his family for his service.
The citation reads:
“His selfless actions saved the life of the evacuated partner force member and almost certainly prevented further casualties among other members of his team and the aircraft. Throughout the entire engagement, Sergeant First Class Christopher Celiz significantly changed the course of battle by repeatedly placing himself in extreme danger to protect his team, defeat the enemy, and it ultimately cost him his life.
“Sergeant First Class Celiz’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”
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Celiz was the first Jewish recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Global War on Terrorism.
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