In 2011, Army Sgt. Julia Bringloe was an air ambulance medic in Afghanistan tasked with supporting Operation Hammer Down. After another air ambulance team was grounded by damage from small arms fire, Bringloe broke her leg protecting a patient.
Knowing she and her team were now the only medics pulling injured from the valley, she pushed on through another two days and rescued another dozen patients despite fierce enemy fire targeting the ambulance and herself at most stops.
See her full story, including how she and both her pilots earned Distinguished Flying Crosses, at Task and Purpose.
You can also watch her interview during a 50-minute special on women who have served in combat here.
MORE: This Green Beret’s heroism was so incredible that Ronald Reagan said it was hard to believe
