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Fort Carson Soldier Receives Valor Medal

FORT CARSON, Colo. (AP) - An Army sergeant at Fort Carson has received the U.S. military's third-highest combat medal for intercepting a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in August.

Sgt. Andrew Mahoney received the Silver Star at a ceremony Monday at Fort Carson, outside Colorado Springs.

The Army credits Mahoney with saving the lives of 24 people.

He was assigned to protect the commander of Fort Carson's 4th Brigade Combat Team when two suicide bombers attacked. One got through, killing three officers, but Mahoney flung the other attacker aside.

The attacker detonated his explosives, injuring Mahoney and others.

The other suicide bomber killed Air Force Maj. Walter D. Gray, Army Maj. Thomas E. Kennedy and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin J. Griffin. Griffin was from Laramie, Wyo.

Col. James Mingus, commander of the 4th Brigade, survived.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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