On the night of May 7, 2007, while returning from a memorial service for two soldiers from his brigade, he lost both his legs and severely injured his right arm to a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He became one of the first military personnel to use a next-generation powered prosthetic knee with technology to make it possible for amputees to walk with confidence and with a more natural gait.[4]
Gadson played football at West Point between 1985 and 1988, wearing the No. 98 jersey. In 2007, he was present when the New York Giants beat the Washington Redskins at FedExField at the invitation of West Point classmate Mike Sullivan, who was then on the coaching staff of the New York Giants. This win was the beginning of a 10-game road winning streak and came after Gadson had made an inspirational speech to the team. The streak culminated in the Giants winning Super Bowl XLII[7] and in recognition of his contribution, Gadson received a specially minted Super Bowl ring.[8] Gadson has since remained with the team as a motivational speaker.
Acting career
Gadson made his acting debut in Battleship, a 2012 American science fiction naval war film, as Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales, playing a war veteran who regains his appetite for life when Oahu is threatened by an alien attack. Director Peter Berg, having seen news articles about Gadson, decided to cast him as an army officer trying to recover from the loss of his legs.[9] In 2023, Gadson made a guest appearance on the television series NCIS: Los Angeles, specifically in the second episode of the fourteenth season titled "Of Value".
Photography
Gadson has been an avid photographer for many years. His work has most recently been featured prominently in Coming Home: Journey, Community, Dialog, a public art project based in New York City that seeks to encourage communication between civilians and those who have served in the US military.[10]
^"COL GREGORY GADSON, USA". HENRY M. JACKSON FOUNDATION CENTER FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.