Portraits in Courage
Lt. Col. William Schroeder, a special operations weather officer and commander of the 342nd Training Squadron, acted as a human shield, ordering his first sergeant to run, right before a gunman opened fire at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. During his struggle with the gunman, he suffered significant defensive wounds prior to succumbing to a fatal shot. His swift, heroic and selfless actions prevented the gunman from shooting anyone else. He was posthumously awarded the Airman’s Medal. (Courtesy photo)