Biden to Bestow Medal of Honor on 7 Veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars
On Friday, Biden will present the recipients with their medals during special ceremonies.
On January 3, President Joe Biden awarded seven veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars the Medal of Honor for their “acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.” Additionally, eight men received the Medal of Valor for demonstrating exceptional courage in “attempting to save or protect human life.”
The Medal of Valor recipients, recommended to Biden by the attorney general and the Medal of Valor Review Board, included both police officers and firefighters.
Heroics in the Korean War
The Medal of Honor is granted to armed forces members who distinguish themselves by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives, exceeding the obligations of duty. This act of bravery must occur during confrontations against enemies of the United States, in military operations involving conflict, or when serving alongside “friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not actively involved.”
The recipients honored on Friday served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as noted in a press release from the White House.
Nakamura, who also served in Korea in 1951, took it upon himself to check and repair a communications line between the command post and his platoon. During his early morning inspection, enemy forces surrounded the friendly positions and opened fire on Nakamura, aiming to break through the company’s defenses.
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Nakamura then charged the enemy lines, single-handedly neutralizing a hostile machine-gun nest and driving the enemy away from several captured bunkers. After reloading with an ammunition party, he returned to fight, killing four more enemies but was ultimately killed by a grenade during the attack.
McGee was recognized for his valor in Korea in 1952 when he provided heavy covering fire from an exposed position amidst intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire aimed at him. His courage allowed many platoon members to evacuate, even after sustaining wounds.
Johnson was acknowledged for his actions during the Chinese assault on his unit on June 11 and 12, 1953. Despite being surrounded and injured by artillery and grenade fire, Johnson administered first aid and helped a wounded soldier to safety, placing himself between the enemy fire and his fellow injured soldiers. Johnson lost his life in the early hours of June 12, 1953.
Cavazos was awarded for leading his company through a barrage of assaults and for staying back to look for casualties while UN forces withdrew. He evacuated five casualties one at a time despite his injuries and served over 30 years in the military, ultimately achieving the rank of four-star General before passing away in 2017 at the age of 88.
Courage in Vietnam
Nelson was honored for his extraordinary actions during the Vietnam War on June 5, 1966, when his helicopter was shot down amidst enemy territory. With his weapons disabled, Nelson disregarded his injuries to aid three fellow wounded comrades. He shielded one of them with his body from heavy gunfire, ultimately saving the man’s life.
The White House stated, “Captain Nelson’s selfless actions enabled his injured comrade to use a smoke grenade to alert nearby supporting aircraft, which promptly came to evacuate all four wounded crew members and recover Nelson’s remains.”
David received recognition for his bravery on May 7, 1970, when his company faced heavy fire. He positioned himself to engage the enemy and redirect fire away from his fellow soldiers. Despite being surrounded and wounded, David stayed engaged until all helicopters had landed, continuing to lay down suppressive fire until it was safe to evacuate him.
Honor for Valor Recipients
Following the enactment of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001, a measure Biden co-sponsored as a senator, the president has the authority to award a Medal of Valor to a public safety officer for exceptional valor beyond the call of duty.
The following individuals received the Medal of Valor: Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, Officer Rex Engelbert, and Detectives Michael Collazo, Ryan Cagle, and Zachary Plese, for their bravery in responding to an active shooter situation at The Covenant School in Nashville in March 2023, where they saved several students and neutralized the threat.
Sergeant Tu Tran was recognized for risking his life to rescue a woman from a frigid pond on February 22, 2023. Tran swam through icy waters to open the rear door of her sinking vehicle, ultimately saving her life.
Lieutenant John Vanderstar acted heroically on October 23, 2022, when he rushed into a burning apartment to rescue a mother and her child who were suffocating in smoke and flames.
Firefighter Brendan Gaffney was honored for repeatedly entering a blazing apartment on February 5, 2023, to save two unconscious victims. “In the apartment, Gaffney used a door as a shield to navigate through intense flames, finding a pregnant woman and a child who were both unconscious. He first shielded the child with his body to bring him to safety, then returned through the fire to rescue the mother, performing CPR while awaiting paramedics.”
Thanks to Gaffney’s bravery, both the mother and child survived.
