Spencer Stone
Spencer John Stone (born August 13, 1992) is an American former United States Air Force staff sergeant. In August 2015, Stone, along with friends Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler and three other passengers, as well as an off-duty train driver, while travelling from Amsterdam on a high speed, Paris-bound train, disarmed and subdued a solitary, heavily armed Moroccan terrorist. Three days later, French President François Hollande awarded Stone, Sadler, and Skarlatos, as well as British citizen Chris Norman, the Legion of Honour. Stone was recognized by U.S. Ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley for "his actions in saving countless lives" and by U.S. President Barack Obama, with a ceremony held at The Pentagon to honor the trio. For his bravery, Stone was awarded the Airman's Medal and a Purple Heart.
Spencer Stone | |
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Stone listens during a promotion ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, California, October 30, 2015. | |
| Born | Spencer John Stone August 13, 1992 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Citizenship |
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| Alma mater | Del Campo High School |
| Known for | Heroism in stopping a gunman on a Paris-bound train travelling from Amsterdam in August 2015 |
| Military career | |
| Nickname(s) | Captain America |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 2012–2016 |
| Rank | Staff sergeant |
| Unit | 65th Air Base Group |
| Awards | Airman's Medal Purple Heart |
On October 8, 2015, Stone was stabbed during a fight in Sacramento and was released from the hospital on October 15. He was promoted to senior airman in late October and then staff sergeant in November 2015. In 2018, he portrayed himself in the Clint Eastwood-directed film The 15:17 to Paris which was based on the 2016 book of the same name detailing his experiences with Skarlatos and Sadler.