Mary Grace Baloyo

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Mary Grace Baloyo was a First Lieutenant in the Philippine Air Force who received the Philippine's highest military award for valor - The Medal of Valor. The circumstances in which she was awarded the medal is unique in that it was not given for actions against enemy forces but rather for self sacrifice. On March 26, 2001, the plane in which she was flying was experiencing engine trouble and rapidly descending into a heavily populated area. Rather than ejecting, she chose to stay on board and diverted the plane before it crashed subsequently killing her. To date, Baloyo is one of only 4 recipients of the medal from the Philippine Air Force and the only female recipient of the medal. She was also posthumously promoted to rank of Captain.