Breedlove: US Troops ‘Heroes’ in Train Attack

Air Drive Chief of Employees Gen. Mark A. Welsh informed reporters that if French authorities conclude the assault was a terrorist occasion, officers might contemplate awarding Stone the Purple Coronary heart.

Investigators have searched two buildings in Brussels where the gunman accused of attacking a high-speed rail train may have stayed.

“What the gunman didn’t expect, however, was a confrontation with our very own Captain America”, James said.

The 23-year-old Stone “leapt into action” with two of his buddies from a California middle school – National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, 22, and Anthony Sadler, 23 – as well as 62-year-old British businessman Chris Norman in confronting gunman who had strapped the assault rifle across his bare chest.

On Monday morning, French President Francois Hollande presented the four who helped subdue the gunman with the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest honor.

Airman Stone’s unit has said it will be nominating him for the Airman’s Medal, which is the highest medal for noncombat bravery that the Air Force can bestow.

The actions of Stone and his friends “personified service before self, no question about it”, Secretary James said, noting with pride that US airmen like Stone “bind themselves to a set of core values, which are integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all that we do”. “Actions like this clearly illustrate the courage and commitment our young men and women have all the time, whether they are on duty or on leave”, Breedlove said.

“Had it not been for this heroic quartet, I’m quite sure that today we would be sitting here discussing a bloodbath”, James said.

“Alek just hit me on the shoulder and said, ‘Let’s go.’ And [I] ran down, tackled him”. El-Khazzani’s lawyer said on Sunday that he was homeless and trying to rob passengers on the train to feed himself.

Stone, who suffered non-life threatening injuries in the attack, is now being treated in a French medical facility.

Stone said the attacker kept pulling out weapons from his bag, and that he was stabbed in the neck and sliced on his hand.

U.S. Ambassador Jane Hartley praised the three Americans, calling them heroes.