Sgt. Julia Bringloe

The U.S. Army Valkyrie: Rescued 14 wounded in 3 days with a Broken Leg

Sgt. Julia Bringloe heroically saved 14 men in a 3 day period during Operation Hammerdown in Afghanistan in 2011. Lowering herself from a hovering helo sometimes 150 feet, she retrieved many of the wounded while under fire from the Taliban. At one point, dangling from the Jungel Penetrator cable, she was slammed into a pine tree effectively breaking her leg. Another time, dangling from the cable at 60 feet a static discharge shocked her badly as the cable touched a tree branch. Several patients with critical wounds would have died without this Battle Angel’s help (one shot in the face). She was forced to stay behind at one point on the ground because of heavy fire which damaged another Dustoff helo, and wait with the ground troops. Fire from Apache attack helicopters lit up the landscape no more than 300 feet from her at times during her rescue efforts. Sgt. Julia Brinloe later received the Distinguished Flying Cross for her Valor and selfless actions rescuing and recovering fallen soldiers.

Valor Gear salutes this brave Valkyrie Warrior for putting the lives of others before her own. Valor is in you. Set it free.