Ten New York National Guard soldiers received the Purple Heart last Saturday at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y., according to an Army news release.

The 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion soldiers were honored in relation to injuries they sustained during a January 28, 2024, drone attack on the Tower 22 base in Jordan. The attack was the worst on U.S. military personnel since the withdrawal from Afghanistan, killing three U.S. soldiers and injuring 40 others.

Tower 22 is situated near the Syrian border and is used in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, a mission to defeat the Islamic State that National Guard soldiers regularly deploy to.

The drone was launched by an Iran-backed militia amid a wave of similar attacks against U.S. forces in the region. The Washington Post in April cited an internal Army investigation that found the attack was most likely preventable.

The 10 were part of a group of 14 New York National Guard soldiers tasked with maintaining communications at the outpost. About 350 service members were housed at the base. The three soldiers who were killed were from Fort Benning, Ga.

Sgt. Ryan Kissoon, one of the soldiers recognized, recalled that Chaplain (Maj.) Chase Williams told him. “We are all from different parts of the country, but we will forever be bonded by blood,” according to the release.

Kissoon that he is honored to receive the medal, “but it’s never an award we wanted to get. ... It’s a sad relief we made it home that day and others didn’t.”

The attack struck the base’s living quarters, resulting in concussions to the New York soldiers and causing other injuries, the release said. It crinkled a housing unit used by some of them “like a soda can,” according to 1st Lt. Ian Gallagher, the platoon leader.

After the attack, the New York National Guard soldiers who were not severely injured administered aid to other personnel, the release said. They also lined up to donate blood.

Despite their injuries, the 10 soldiers “continued to uphold the highest standards of duty, courage and resilience,” unit commander Lt. Col. Darren Ketchum said, per the release.

The soldiers honored during the Saturday ceremony were:

• Staff Sgt. David Barrientos

• Sgt. Anthony Gist

• Sgt. Ryan Kissoon

• Sgt. Guillermo Renderos

• Sgt. Jarvis Ho So

• Spc. Christian Tiburcio

• Spc. Matthew Crespo

• Spc. Domingo Perez

• Spc. Junior Clarke

• Spc. Michael Branch

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