Sergeant Christopher Celiz represented the very essence of duty and selflessness. During a mission in Afghanistan, he was fatally wounded while protecting a fellow soldier and covering the medical evacuation team as they came under enemy fire. Placing the lives of others above his own, he acted with extraordinary courage—an ultimate sacrifice that earned him the Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest decoration for bravery in battle.
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
Christopher Celiz entered the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as a combat engineer in 2013. Four years later, he had advanced to serve as the mortar platoon sergeant for Company D. When the battalion deployed to Afghanistan, his leadership and skill earned him the responsibility of commanding a specialized team made up of Rangers and allied forces.
On July 12, 2018, during an operation in Afghanistan’s Paktia province to eliminate enemy fighters, his unit was suddenly trapped in a fierce ambush. With machine guns and small arms, the opposing force unleashed such heavy, coordinated fire that mounting an effective response was nearly impossible.
Christopher Celiz used his body as a shield
Understanding the threat to his team, Christopher Celiz put his life on the line to recover and operate a heavy weapons system. This heroic action allowed his unit to regain control and move to a more secure location, where they could begin treating an injured teammate.
As the enemy attack persisted and a MEDEVAC helicopter approached, Celiz recognized the urgent need to evacuate his wounded comrade. With remarkable bravery, he placed himself in danger, using his body as a shield while helping to transport the injured soldier to the helicopter.
Dying of his injuries
As the helicopter took off, Christopher Celiz was struck, but rather than signaling for the helicopter to stay, he gestured for it to depart. He received treatment on the ground and was then taken to a nearby medical facility, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Reflecting on Celiz’s sacrifice, Captain Ben Krzeczowski, the MEDEVAC mission’s pilot in command, 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.”
Celiz was the first Jewish recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Global War on Terrorism.