--- title: "Pentagon upgrades valor awards for three Marines after Kabul attack" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/pentagon-upgrades-valor-awards-for-three-marines-after-kabul-attack" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/pentagon-upgrades-valor-awards-for-three-marines-after-kabul-attack" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/pentagon-upgrades-valor-awards-for-three-marines-after-kabul-attack.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/pentagon-upgrades-valor-awards-for-three-marines-after-kabul-attack" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-08-27T02:25:23.048Z" source_reported: "2026-08-27T00:40:25.000Z" updated: "2026-08-27T02:25:23.048Z" trust_score: 70 critic_score: 70 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-27T02:15:14.105505+00:00" --- # Pentagon upgrades valor awards for three Marines after Kabul attack *Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented upgraded medals to three Marines for actions during the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 70 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and multiple digests corroborate the core facts, with specific details on awards and actions. - Craft 70 of 100, higher is better. Reports clearly separate facts from comment and provide specific details about the Marines' actions and awards. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. Headlines use strong language like 'valor' and 'heroism' but are generally supported by the article content. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Three Marines have received upgraded valor awards for their actions during the 2021 Abbey Gate attack in Kabul. - Retired Gunnery Sergeant Jonathan Eby and retired Lance Corporal Jordan Houston were awarded the Bronze Star Medal with valor device. - Retired Corporal Michael Gretzon received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with valor device. - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the awards, stating the recipients' response represented 'the pinnacle of combat heroism'. The Pentagon has upgraded the valor awards for three Marines for their actions following the Abbey Gate attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, which occurred during the final days of the U.S. military withdrawal in 2021. The attack, carried out by an ISIS-K suicide bomber outside Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport, killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghan civilians. Retired Gunnery Sergeant Jonathan Eby and retired Lance Corporal Jordan Houston were each presented with the Bronze Star Medal with the valor device. Retired Corporal Michael Gretzon received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with the valor device. These awards recognise specific acts of combat valor against an enemy. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presided over the award ceremony. He stated that the Marines' 'fearless response represents the pinnacle of combat heroism.' According to award citations, Eby continued screening evacuees and rallied forces amid chaos. Houston, despite being wounded and exposed to gunfire and tear gas, pulled wounded Marines to safety. Gretzon maintained crowd control from an exposed position to allow for the evacuation of critically wounded individuals. ## Disagreement on initial awards According to CBS News, a defense official stated that the initial approved awards for Houston and Eby were Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with combat devices, and Gretzon was initially approved to receive a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a combat device. Task & Purpose reports that the initial awards were for general military service, not valor. ## What the coverage left out None of the left, centre, or right-rated reports mention the specific cost estimate for the awards, nor do they detail the findings of the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel beyond stating that its work continues and that Defense Secretary Hegseth expects it to be completed by the end of 2026. ## Who covered it Shares of the 13 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 8% (1) - Centre: 38% (5) - Right: 54% (7) 2 of 15 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-27T02:15:14.105505+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 4 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-27T03:15:10.371Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Task & Purpose highlighted the personal cost of the attack for the Marines, noting that Lance Corporal Jordan Houston sat in his room digging shrapnel out of his hip after avoiding medics for fear of being ordered off the scene. The report also quoted Marine Corps Commandant Eric Smith describing the chaos of the blast zone filled with tear gas and the Marines' commitment to each other. Smith stated, 'I won’t say ‘congratulations’ because it’s an award no one ever wants to get, but damn well earned.' ### Centre - The centre-rated reports focused on the Pentagon's upgrade of the valor awards for the three Marines. CBS News provided detailed accounts from the award citations, including specific actions taken by Eby, Houston, and Gretzon. The New York Ledger and The Hill reported on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's involvement and his statement that 'Those days are over,' implying a correction of previous under-recognition. Stars and Stripes noted the five-year delay in the valor awards. ### Right - Right-rated outlets frequently highlighted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's criticism of the initial award downgrades. Fox News and WFMD.com reported Hegseth stating that 'bureaucratic caution, or maybe politics,' had prevented proper recognition for half a decade. The New York Post reported Hegseth claimed the Biden administration failed to upgrade the awards to cover up military failure. The Epoch Times and RedState focused on Hegseth honouring the Marines' 'valor' and actions defending Abbey Gate. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 3 - mixed: 6 - high: 1 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Stars and Stripes](https://stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-08-26/marines-valor-awards-abbey-gate-attack-22669514.html) — Marines receive valor awards 5 years after helping troops wounded in deadly Kabul airport attack - [The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/6053832-hegseth-upgrades-abbey-gate-awards) — Hegseth upgrades medals of three Marines who survived Afghanistan attack five years ago - [The New York Ledger](https://thenyledger.com/politics/hegseth-upgrades-abbey-gate-marines-valor-awards-after-5-year-delay-those-days-are-over) — Hegseth upgrades Abbey Gate Marines' valor awards after 5-year delay: 'Those days are over' - [WTX News](https://wtxnews.com/pentagon-upgrades-awards-for-three-marines-in-response-to-abbey-gate-attack) — Pentagon upgrades awards for three Marines in response to Abbey Gate attack - [nytimespost.com](https://nytimespost.com/hegseth-upgrades-abbey-gate-marines-valor-awards-after-5-year-delay-those-days-are-over) — Hegseth upgrades Abbey Gate Marines' valor awards after 5-year delay: 'Those days are over' - NEW YORK TIMES POST - [CBS News](https://cbsnews.com/news/pentagon-upgrades-awards-marines-abbey-gate-attack-afghanistan) — Pentagon upgrades awards of 3 Marines for "combat heroism" after Abbey Gate attack in Kabul - [wfmd.com](https://wfmd.com/2026/08/26/hegseth-upgrades-abbey-gate-marines-valor-awards-after-5-year-delay-those-days-are-over) — Hegseth upgrades Abbey Gate Marines’ valor awards after 5-year delay: ‘Those days are over’ - [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-upgrades-abbey-gate-marines-valor-awards-after-5-year-delay-those-days-are-over) — Hegseth upgrades Abbey Gate Marines' valor awards after 5-year delay: 'Those days are over' - [Newsmax](https://newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/pete-hegseth-jonathan-eby-michael-gregson/2026/08/26/id/1267438) — Hegseth Honors 3 Marines for Valor at Abbey Gate - [Internewscast](https://internewscast.com/news/us/hegseth-upgrades-valor-awards-for-3-abbey-gate-marines-on-afghanistan-withdrawal-anniversary) — Hegseth Upgrades Valor Awards for 3 Abbey Gate Marines on Afghanistan Withdrawal Anniversary - [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/08/26/us-news/hegseth-upgrades-awards-for-three-abbey-gate-marines-on-5th-anniversary-of-deadly-afghanistan-withdrawal) — Hegseth upgrades awards for three Abbey Gate Marines — claims Biden failed to do so to cover up military failure - [Task & Purpose](https://taskandpurpose.com/news/abbey-gate-award-upgrades) — Marines at Abbey Gate awarded Bronze Star medal upgrade - [大纪元 Epoch Times](https://epochtimes.com/b5/26/8/26/n14837326.htm) — Hergé Attends the Medal of Valor Award Ceremony - [The Epoch Times](https://theepochtimes.com/epochtv/live-now-war-secretary-hegseth-hosts-abbey-gate-award-ceremony-at-the-pentagon-6079847) — War Secretary Hegseth hosts Abbey Gate Award Ceremony at the Pentagon - [RedState](https://redstate.com/beccalower/2026/08/26/had-to-ordered-to-stand-down-dow-honors-exemplary-marines-who-saved-lives-at-abbery-gate-n2206112) — 'Had to Be Ordered to Stand Down': DoW Honors 'Valor' of Marines Who Defended Abbey Gate ## Questions **Which Marines received upgraded valor awards?** Retired Gunnery Sergeant Jonathan Eby and retired Lance Corporal Jordan Houston received the Bronze Star Medal with the valor device. Retired Corporal Michael Gretzon was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with the valor device for their actions following the Abbey Gate attack in Kabul. **Who presented the upgraded awards?** Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presided over the award ceremony and presented the upgraded medals to the three Marines. He stated that their 'fearless response represents the pinnacle of combat heroism.' **What was the Abbey Gate attack?** The Abbey Gate attack was a suicide bombing outside a gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. The attack killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghan civilians. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/pentagon-upgrades-valor-awards-for-three-marines-after-kabul-attack. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Pentagon upgrades valor awards for three Marines after Kabul attack", https://mediabias.news/conflict/pentagon-upgrades-valor-awards-for-three-marines-after-kabul-attack