Navy SEAL honored with Medal of Honor for bravery in Afghanistan

President Donald Trump awarded a Medal of Honor to Northampton native Britt K. Slabinski on Thursday.

Trump presented the honor to Slabinski on Thursday, calling him a "special man" and "a truly brave person."

"We pay tribute to Britt's heroic service and we proudly present him with our nation's highest military honor, and I would go so far as to say our nation's highest honor," Trump said at a ceremony honoring Slabinski.

"Today we induct a new name into the world's most exclusive gathering of heroes, and that's exactly what it is," the president said.

Slabinksi and his team were aboard an army helicopter, trying to land on an Afghanistan mountaintop six months after the attacks on 9/11.

The chopper began to took heavy fire, crash-landed and Slabinski immediately led his team into a 14-hour firefighter to try and rescue Petty Officer Neil Roberts, who was flung from the aircraft.

"The odds were not good. They were not in their favor, but Britt and his team didn't even hesitate for a moment," Trump said about Slabinski and his team.

According to the Navy, Slabinski carried one of his wounded soldiers through the snow, and fought until his team could be extracted.

Seven Americans were killed in the battle, including Air Force Sergeant John Chapman.

The Air Force has criticized Slabinski for believing the sergeant was dead during the battle, as new evidence suggests he may have been alive initially.

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"I can tell you, we left no one behind," Slabinski said. "No one. What I saw, what I experienced I know that clearly that we didn't leave anyone behind up there."

Slabinski retired in 2014 after 25 years of service, and is now self-employed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group