Five years after the deadly Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul, three Marines have received upgraded awards recognizing their extraordinary courage during one of the darkest moments of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Their actions reflected the finest traditions of the Marine Corps, even as chaos, casualties, and tear gas consumed the airport entrance.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth presented the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for valor to Lance Cpl. Jordan Houston and Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Eby. Cpl. Michael Gretzon received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “V” device.
The three Marines served with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, which arrived in Kabul on Aug. 14, 2021, to provide security for the evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies.
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The suicide bombing outside Abbey Gate killed 13 American service members and approximately 170 Afghans.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said the explosion immediately wounded dozens of Marines.
Shrapnel also punctured tear gas canisters carried by the troops, filling the devastated area with gas while surviving Marines fought to restore security and treat casualties.
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“Each of today’s awardees demonstrated courage under extreme duress, under extreme personal risk. They remain committed to the mission and selflessly devoted to one another,” Smith said.
“I won’t say ‘congratulations’ because it’s an award no one ever wants to get, but damn well earned.”
Houston was conducting crowd control when the bomber detonated only 10 meters away, knocking him unconscious and driving shrapnel into his body.
After regaining consciousness, he “maintained his exposed position to cover his fellow Marines” and treated troops who were more “grievously wounded than he was,” Smith said.
“He continued assisting with casualties, all the while concealing his own wounds for fear of being taken out of the fight. I don’t know where we find such men, but I’m not sure we deserve them,” Smith said.
“Later that night, he quietly removed the shrapnel himself before receiving treatment from medical personnel, digging the shrapnel out of his own body.”
Houston had deliberately avoided medics and his platoon sergeant because he feared they would remove him from the fight after discovering the severity of his injury.
Later that night, alone in his room, he dug shrapnel from his own hip before finally receiving medical attention.
Gretzon was also controlling the crowd when the bomb exploded, and shrapnel tore into his arm.
He applied a tourniquet to himself but continued holding his position rather than abandoning fellow Marines during the emergency.
“Despite his injuries, Lance Cpl. Gretzon remained at his position until he was ordered to receive care,” Smith said.
Nearby medical personnel bandaged him, but Gretzon returned to his squad until Eby ordered him to report to a casualty collection point.
“They once again had to be ordered to stand down,” Smith said.
That stubborn refusal to quit, even while wounded, offered a powerful reminder of what commitment to mission and fellow Marines actually looks like outside Washington briefing rooms.
Eby, then serving as a platoon sergeant, had been overseeing refugee screening near Abbey Gate when the explosion erupted.
“As soon as he regained his footing, he continuously exposed himself to scan for threats and reestablish a security perimeter,” Smith said.
Once security was restored, Eby provided lifesaving aid to wounded Marines while directing casualty evacuations and supervising the perimeter.
His ability to lead under fire helped prevent an already catastrophic scene from deteriorating further.
The attack occurred as American citizens and desperate Afghans crowded around Kabul airport following the Taliban capture of the capital on Aug. 15, 2021. During the two week evacuation, American forces moved more than 124,000 Americans, Afghans, and allied personnel out of the country.
The Marine battalion had trained for months before receiving the mission, and troops were reportedly told to prepare for night combat after landing.
Instead, they faced a massive humanitarian evacuation conducted under constant threat while occupying an exposed and dangerously vulnerable position.
A later War Department investigation determined that Marines guarding Abbey Gate faced severe security risks. One Marine general officer had wanted the gate closed one day before the bombing, while American troops had already withdrawn from Bagram Airfield, the only other major airport under United States control.
Dozens of service members have since received Bronze Stars, Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals, Presidential Unit Citations, and other honors connected to the evacuation.
Seven additional Marines received valor upgrades in April, though recognition from the bureaucracy has moved far more slowly than the courage displayed that day.
Hegseth announced Wednesday that a Pentagon panel examining the Afghanistan withdrawal is expected to deliver its complete report by the end of 2026.
The medals presented to Houston, Gretzon, and Eby recognize three Marines who refused to leave the fight, even when their own blood and wounds gave them every reason to do so.
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