Joseph Lemm, also known as “Superman” to his family and friends, was a technical sergeant with the 105th Security Forces Squadron and a detective with the New York Police Department. 

He was killed in the line of duty on December 21, 2015 while conducting outside-the-wire human intelligence operations near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan

Tech Sgt. Lemm, along with Staff Sgt. Louis Bonacasa, heroically placed themselves between their team members and a terrorist’s explosive-laden motorcycle. Although they and four others lost their lives, their actions saved the lives of two of their fellow team members and an Afghan Defender.