Trump Accords Medal of Honor to Delta Force Member Who Saved 75 Lives in Iraq

By M.G. Alison. First Posted: Sep 12, 2020 11:52 AM EDT

For personifying the motto "Rangers lead the way," President Donald Trump accorded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration, to U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Thomas "Patrick" Payne.

Payne earned the award for his part in a daring rescue mission in Iraq in October 2015, which led to the liberation of 75 Iraqis who were held hostage by ISIS.

Payne, whom Trump described as one of the bravest men anywhere in the world, is the first living member of the elite Delta Force to receive the award, according to a report on Fox News.

The award was given on the September 11 anniversary of terror attacks in the U.S. in a ceremony at the White House. Incidentally, it was the 9/11 terror attacks that prompted Payne to join the army straight out of high school.

He told the ABC News that when the Twin Towers in New York fell, he saw it as a call to service and love for country. He then decided to join the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Aside from rescuing the hostages, 20 members of the ISIS also fell that day.

On that day, Payne, who was then a sergeant first class, was called to be part of the joint U.S.-Iraqi special operations raid on an ISIS prison in northern Iraq.

While giving the award to Payne, Trump described his actions and how he disregarded his own life in ensuring that all hostages would be rescued.

Payne's heroism and his team were recorded on a helmet camera video donned by a member of the Kurdish special operation forces. The video was later released to the public by the Kurdish government.

All in all, Payne has been deployed 17 times and has been part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

At present, Payne is assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command as an instructor.

Trump honored Payne's 17-mission deployments and said that the Delta Force member is now in the immortal company of the U.S. most revered American heroes, said a report on the National Public Radio.

After receiving the award, Payne told reporters that more than being a recipient of the Medal of Honor, he will also act as a guardian of what the award means.

Payne added that the spirit of the Medal of Honor resides in every American. He also said that he wants to be a man who wears the honor well and represent the army.

Also honored during the ceremony was Master Sgt. Josh Wheeler who died in that operation. Trump paid a tribute to Wheeler and told his widow that her husband will be honored forever.

During the ceremony, Payne was joined by his wife and six-year-old son, whom Trump told that he wanted him to know that his dad was one of the bravest man in the world.