Eight firefighters from the Kentucky Air National Guard were honored here recently for their efforts in subduing a massive fire after a United Parcel Service cargo jet crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport last year.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft went down shortly after takeoff Nov. 4, carving a half-mile-long path of destruction through a petroleum recycling facility, an auto parts business and numerous other sites. The flight, bound for Hawaii and loaded with 38,000 gallons of aviation fuel, ignited a blaze upon impact that burned for nearly five hours, officials said, ultimately claiming 15 lives.
The Guard firefighters, assigned to the 123rd Fire and Emergency Services Department, were among the first to arrive on site, deploying four trucks right behind their counterparts from the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, according to Kyle Miller, assistant fire chief.
All eight were recognized for their expert performance during a ceremony held Dec. 14 in the Fuel Cell Hangar at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base, with each receiving a Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal before an audience of hundreds of fellow service members.
Receiving the medal were Miller, Assistant Fire Chief William Weinstein, Crew Chief Logan Ramsey and Firefighters William Daniels, Robert Holmes, Ethan Howay, Mark Shultz and Alan Smith.
As the senior fire officer on the scene, Weinstein demonstrated exceptional leadership directing four apparatus and seven firefighters through five continuous hours of intense firefighting operations, according to his award citation.
Meanwhile, Ramsey “skillfully directed the positioning of the apparatus and his crew of three firefighters to initiate cooling of (petroleum) tanks,” preventing further explosions, his citation said.
The driver-operators, including Howay and Schultz, engaged in direct fire extinguishment with a steady flow of more than 130,000 gallons of water, while Miller skillfully resupplied the primary apparatus and established a permanent water source.
This effort was supported by Daniels and Smith, who connected and moved over 500 feet of supply lines, ensuring a constant flow for the entire operation, according to the citations.
Holmes was especially instrumental in the initial fire attack, discharging thousands of gallons of suppressing agent while others worked to establish water supplies.
Despite constant danger, including multiple explosions of nearby petroleum tanks, the team maintained calm and decisive control, leading to the successful suppression of the fire in coordination with dozens of civilian fire officials, the citations said.
The firefighters also received a certificate of appreciation from the National Transportation Safety Board for their efforts in protecting the public and preserving the accident scene.
“The circumstances that bring us together in these moments are never ones we hope to face,” wrote NTSB member J. Todd Inman. “Yet, when called upon, your team demonstrated professionalism, readiness and an unwavering commitment to the NTSB’s core mission of safety. Your cooperation and assistance were essential to our ability to begin this investigation thoroughly and effectively.”
| Date Taken: |
04.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.10.2026 13:41 |
| Story ID: |
562466 |
| Location: |
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: |
15 |
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0 |
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This work, Kentucky Air Guard firefighters honored for civilian plane-crash response, by Dale Greer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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