A Montana National Guard combat medic has received the Soldier’s Medal for a rescue in which he shielded two critically injured hikers with his own body. He stayed with them on a frozen mountainside for more than 48 hours.
Sgt. Adam M. Lee received the medal during a ceremony at the Belgrade Armory in Belgrade, Montana, on Aug. 16, according to a release from the Montana National Guard. Brig. Gen. Trenton J. Gibson, the state’s adjutant general, presented the award to Lee, a combat medic specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 163rd Infantry Regiment.
“Our Montana National Guard is fortunate to have someone like you who takes the responsibility of protecting and defending our citizens seriously, and those on the mountain that day were lucky to have you there in their worst moments and their time of need,” Gibson said.
Stranded 800 Feet Down
Lee earned the award for his actions while volunteering as a Life Flight paramedic near Tahquitz Rock in Idyllwild, California, on March 1, 2025.
Two hikers had fallen roughly 800 feet from a trail and were stranded in steep terrain, according to the release. Both needed urgent medical care, a technical rope rescue, and helicopter extraction.
The weather made all three nearly impossible due to subfreezing temperatures, snow, and ice. An approaching winter storm grounded the aircraft that would normally insert rescuers. This caused Lee and the rest of the team to climb in on foot.
Some of them were eventually forced to turn back as conditions worsened. The team reached the hikers in darkness early on March 2. Lee volunteered to rappel into the fall zone to get to them.
He found both patients seriously hurt, with facial, pelvic, and spinal fractures. According to the release, some had frostbite and severe hypothermia. They had been exposed for about 12 hours without adequate cold-weather gear.
Lee administered warm intravenous fluids and used core-rewarming techniques to stabilize them. He kept them alive through an operation that would stretch past two days.
‘You Were the One on the Way’
As the conditions deteriorated, Lee kept working. He continued treating the hikers while helping run the rope system needed to move them. At one point, Lee used his own body to shield them from falling ice and rock, putting himself at risk of injury, the release noted.
The cold began to break down his fellow rescuers. Lee recognized signs of exhaustion, confusion, and hypothermia among other members of the team. He had them pulled out for medical attention, then took on their duties, so the rescue could continue.
Rescuers eventually moved the hikers hundreds of feet uphill to ground a helicopter could reach, but the worsening storm delayed the evacuation for two more days. Lee stayed with them the entire time, monitoring their conditions until they could be flown out.
Gibson told those gathered at the armory, “Sergeant Lee, you are the standard,” according to the release. “You proved that when the conditions were at their worst, you were the one on the way, and you were at your best.”
He added that Lee had not acted for recognition. “You did what you did because it needed to be done,” Gibson said.
The Army’s Highest Non-Combat Honor
The Soldier’s Medal is awarded to soldiers who distinguish themselves through heroism that does not involve conflict with an enemy, recognizing acts of personal hazard and the voluntary risk of one’s life.
Lee’s award narrative credited his resilience and decisive leadership with overcoming limited personnel, communication failures, hazardous weather, and repeated helicopter delays. According to the release, Lee continues to serve his state and community. He’s currently pursuing a career as a physician assistant.
Reached through the Montana National Guard, Lee was not immediately available to comment.
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