Hosted by PJs in
Vietnam
Last Update:
Monday, July 20, 2009
Site Mission: Provide Pararescue
and Air Rescue History
Airman's or Soldier's Medal Recipients
Attention to orders. Citation to accompany the award of the Airman's Medal to Staff Sergeant Stephen R. Lupenski
Staff Sergeant Stephen R. Lupenski distinguished himself by heroism involving voluntary risk of life at Mount McKinley, Alaska, on 23 May 1991. On that date, Sergeant Lupenski evacuated a critically ill climber from seventeen thousand feet to fourteen thousand four hundred feet, down a fifty degree slope. For over twenty-one hours, he endured fifty knot winds and minus fifty-five degree windchill in whiteout conditions. With complete disregard for his own safety, sergeant Lupenski disconnected from the safety rope and crossed a crevasse field two times, despite the fact that unroped travel through crevasses could cause serious injuries to be fatal. Sergeant Lupenski executed the evacuation of the victim from the fourteen thousand four hundred foot level of the mountain. By his courageous action and humanitarian regard for his fellowman, Sergeant Lupenski has reflected great credit upon himself, the Air National Guard, and the United States Air Force.