He is the third soldier from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division to receive the medal for acts of valor in Afghanistan.
Advertisement
While four people still died, Groberg’s actions substantially limited the casualty count.
“It was an honor to speak to the president on that day”, Groberg said. “It was eerie and looked suspicious. He didn’t appear to be himself that day… most likely drugged”.
Groberg was dragged to safety by his platoon sergeant and received medical attention shortly thereafter.
“Sgt. Mahoney to my left moved in with me and struck him, then Mahoney and I threw him”.
Groberg and another soldier rushed the man, pushing him away from the other troops and down into the street.
“I couldn’t find my rifle, so I took my pistol out, and I made sure I had a round in there”, Groberg told Army Times.
In 2012, Groberg was serving as a commander for the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, according to the Army.
Groberg said he spotted one of the suicide bombers walking backward toward the soldiers. “I figured, all right, I must have stepped on an IED, because I couldn’t remember anything”. I thought I had stepped on an IED [improvised explosive device]. “I must be in the kill zone, and they’re probably going to follow up with small-arms fire”.
“That’s when all the pain came in”.
“It felt like a blow torch was burning through my leg”, he said. “Aug. 8, 2012, was not a bad day; it was the worst day of my life”.
Groberg, 32, himself suffered a severe leg injury and was medically retired in July.
The blast badly injured Groberg and wounded Mahoney.
Grobert was born in France but naturalized in February 2001 and graduated from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda in June 2001. In May 2006, he graduated from UMD with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
On November 12, Capt. Florent “Flo” Groberg will become the tenth living Medal of Honor recipient for actions while serving in Afghanistan.
It will be the first Medal of Honor given for Afghanistan service since Ryan Pitts and Kyle White, both soldiers, and Marine Lance Cpl.
Advertisement
The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life.
