Trump awards Medal of Honor to combat medic from Puyallup

President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor on Monday to a retired Army staff sergeant in recognition of his treatment and evacuation of fellow US soldiers while taking fire from enemy combatants in Afghanistan in 2008.

The White House announced Friday the President will recognize Ronald J. Shurer with the award for "conspicuous gallantry."

Shurer and his team were engaged in heavy combat when he braved enemy fire to treat a wounded soldier, according to a statement from the White House. Shurer then fought his way to another group of four more wounded soldiers that he treated and stabilized before evacuating the group down a mountainside while using his body to shield them from enemy fire.

"After he loaded the wounded in the evacuation helicopter, he retook control of his commando squad and rejoined the fight," the statement continued. "Then-Staff Sergeant Shurer's heroic actions saved the lives of his teammates."

Shurer attended Rogers High School in Puyallup, Washington. After graduating in 1997, he attended Washington State University, earning a bachelor's degree in business economics.



After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, Shurer joined the U.S. armed forces -- following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, grandfather and parents:

The Medal of Honor is the most prestigious decoration in the US military. Recipients of the award must have demonstrated "incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit."

CNN contributed to this report.