Guard member recognized for heroism at 2024 I-89 fiery crash

August 11, 2025 | By Lisa Scagliotti

A Vermont National Guard member was honored recently for his efforts at the scene of a fiery car crash last summer on Interstate 89 between Waterbury and Middlesex. 

Vermont Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight (left), presents the U.S. Army Soldier’s Medal to U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Josh Smith (right), at an Aug. 3 ceremony in Northfield. Photo by Staff Sgt. Barb Pendl

On Sunday, Aug. 3, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Josh Smith received a U.S. Army Soldier’s Medal during a ceremony held at the Vermont Army National Guard Readiness and Regional Technology Center in Northfield. 

The decoration is awarded for heroism involving the voluntary risk of one’s life under non-combat circumstances. Vermont National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight presented Smith with the medal and certificate. 

On July 28, 2024, Smith, who lives in Westford, put himself in harm’s way when he stopped along I-89 to try to help two individuals trapped in a crashed vehicle that had caught on fire. A summary from the National Guard unit described Smith’s actions where he risked his life: “He extinguished what flames he could and directed response efforts until emergency services arrived. Then, he supervised traffic control in northbound lanes given the ongoing hazards of the scene.”

Despite Smith’s efforts, the occupants of the vehicle did not survive. 

The crash took place around 5 a.m. on the northbound side of the interstate. The vehicle, a 2006 Lexus sedan, went off the right side, crashed into a rock ledge, and became engulfed in flames. The driver and single passenger, 19-year-old Sean Delaney and 20-year-old Elana Korey, both of Duxbury, Massachusetts, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Vermont State Police. 

Smith’s response to stop and attempt to render aid while risking his own safety demonstrated courage and selflessness and “exemplify the U.S. Army’s highest values,” reflecting positively on himself and the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the National Guard noted in its announcement. “The decoration is among the U.S. Army’s highest honors for heroism outside of combat,” it states.