SPOTLIGHT: Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe
U.S. Army – Gulf War & Iraq War
July 13, 1970 – November 8, 2005
Hometowns: Born in Sanford, Florida; raised in Oviedo, Florida
A Soldier from Small-Town Florida
Alwyn C. Cashe grew up in a humble family in Oviedo, Florida, the place where everyone knows your name and hard work isn’t optional. He graduated from Oviedo High School in 1988 and went straight into the U.S. Army, choosing the infantry—one of the toughest paths there is.
Over the next 17 years, he became the noncommissioned officer every soldier remembers: demanding but fair, always out front. He served in the 1991 Gulf War, deployed to the Balkans, and then to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and again in 2005 as a platoon sergeant with A Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.
Heroism in a Burning Bradley
On the night of October 17, 2005, near Samarra, Iraq, Cashe’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled over an IED during a mounted patrol. The blast ruptured the fuel cell, turning the vehicle into an inferno. Cashe, soaked in fuel, managed to escape—but his men were still inside.
He went back.
He pulled the driver—on fire—from the hatch and dragged him to safety. As Cashe did this, his own fuel-soaked uniform ignited. Now burning himself, he ran back to the rear of the Bradley to reach the troop compartment. Under heavy enemy fire, he climbed in and dragged out soldier after soldier.
He kept going—again and again—despite second- and third-degree burns eventually covering about 72% of his body. Even when medevac helicopters arrived, Cashe refused treatment until every one of his men had been evacuated first.
Sgt. 1st Class Cashe died of his wounds on November 8, 2005, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He was 35 years old and is buried at Restlawn Cemetery in Sanford, Florida.
Legacy of Love, Family, and Service
Behind the uniform, Alwyn Cashe was a husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Tamara Cashe, and their children, Lajada, Alexis, and Andrew—and by a tight-knit family that has spent years making sure the world knows his story.
His former soldiers and commanders describe him as a “leader from the front,” the NCO who pushed you hard because he wanted you alive and ready. Today, his name lives on in multiple dedications: a U.S. Army Reserve Center in Sanford, a veterans nursing home in Florida, and “Cashe Gardens” at Fort Stewart, Georgia, all named in his honor.
On December 16, 2021, years after his death, his Silver Star was upgraded, and his wife accepted the Medal of Honor from the President of the United States, recognizing what his soldiers had always known—he gave everything for his men.
🎖️ Decorations & Honors
- Medal of Honor
- Silver Star (original award, later upgraded)
- Bronze Star Medal
- Purple Heart
- Numerous other personal and campaign medals from the Gulf War, Kosovo, and Iraq.
🌟 Reflection
“Again and again, he continues to go back, soaked in fuel, on fire, with no regard for his own safety to get everybody out.” – Col. Jimmy Hathaway, his company commander
Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe is the definition of selfless service—a man who walked back into the fire until every one of his soldiers had a chance to live.
At mickyspano.com/, we honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces. Today, we proudly recognize Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe, a soldier whose courage and devotion to duty represent the very best of America.
His story reminds us that freedom is protected not by words, but by the bravery of those who step forward when others step back.
mickyspano.com/ and The Micky Spano Show are privileged to share his story and keep his legacy alive.
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