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The Nathan Shumaker Story
Army Specialist Nathan Shumaker and his gun crew were aligning its 155-millimeter M777 A-1 Howitzer on a Taliban target down range in Afghanistan when the men heard that ominous whistle — the unmistakable sound of an incoming round. The mortar shell hit the crew’s gun, scattering the men and blasting Nathan some distance away. He knew he was hit even before he saw the blood on his pants’ legs. But it would be five days later before he awoke at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., and an uncertain time after that, before he really understood the magnitude of his injuries.
The blast on May 4, 2010, was the first time Nathan had come under fire. The crew’s first tour in Afghanistan in 2008 had been uneventful. The second tour with the gun they had affectionately named “The Big Nasty” had been different from the day they arrived in January 2010. The firing at the Taliban was so heavy that the men spent most of their time at the gun where the mortar would strike — and change Nathan’s life. It was some time after he awoke at Walter Reed before he realized his left leg had been amputated above the knee, his right leg was badly injured, and he had undergone abdominal surgery to remove shrapnel.
But here is where Nathan’s courage and character came to the surface. He never felt anger or resentment. He was glad to be alive, with a new appreciation for what that really meant. He approached his recovery with determination and dedication. He couldn’t wait until he received his first prosthetic leg and could begin 11 months of rehabilitation aimed at a special goal: to stand on his own two feet again. Now married and the father of a young son, Nathan is in college to prepare for a career in social work to enable him to help other veterans receive the benefits they deserve, just as he has.
Jet Aviation is proud to honor Nathan, his service, and his sacrifice, as our 2014 Wounded Warrior. Last year, we launched this program at NBAA by awarding our first Wounded Warrior a remarkable, fully customized Harley Davidson motorcycle. This year, our crews of skilled craftsmen at Jet Aviation St. Louis have applied their expertise and creativity to another presentation in what we call Operation Deere. Our goal is to restore at least part of the mobility that Nathan sacrificed for his country. The result will be unveiled here for the first time.
We are honored to name Nathan Shumaker as Jet Aviation’s recipient of the 2014 “Honoring a Wounded Warrior” program.
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