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Santos, Womack receive Whiteman Spirit Award
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Posted on Jun 27 2008
Senior Airman Mike Womack and Airman Ronald Santos from the 509th Maintenance Squadron were recently awarded the Whiteman Spirit Awards for being Good Samaritans when they helped a stranded motorist put out the fire engulfing his car’s engine.
Santos, who hails from Saipan, and Womack received the award from Brig. Gen. Garrett Herencak, 509th Bomb wing commander, on Feb. 11.
The awards stemmed from an incident when, as they were returning to Whiteman Air Force Base from a Chapel-sponsored trip to Colorado Springs, Colo., Womack and Santos noticed a motorist in distress on the other side of the interstate highway. The motorist’s engine was in flames and he was already jettisoning his belongings from the vehicle.
Womack maneuvered the Government Service vehicle he was driving near the motorist’s car as Santos took out a fire distinguisher and both rushed toward the smoke and flames.
Master Sgt. Brad Plante, who had nominated Airmen Womack and Santos for the award, said the motorist was startled at the sudden appearance of the two, who, without being asked, helped extinguish the flames.
Santos completely stopped the flames, and Womack examined the troubled vehicle ensure that there were no more flames and that the motorist was not injured.
“The motorist was overjoyed that the airmen had stopped to help. The fire department was already en route, but it would have been too late to save his vehicle due to the rural location,” said Plante.
“Womack and Santos were selfless in their acts of initiative and courage, saving the property and potentially the life of a citizen. These acts reflect in everyway the core values of service before self and excellence in all we do, reflecting highly on the Air Force and Armed Forces of the United States,” Plante said.
Santos, a native of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, is the son of Monet and Rudy Santos of Dandan, San Vicente Village.
