Biden to award Medal of Honor to Korean and Vietnam War veterans

On Friday, President Biden will bestow the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration, on seven Army soldiers for their extraordinary bravery in combat during the Korean and Vietnam wars. This ceremony comes as the nation mourns the recent passing of former President Jimmy Carter, indicated by the U.S. flag flying at half-staff over the White House.

The Medal of Honor will be awarded posthumously to six soldiers: Pvt. Bruno R. Orig, Pfc. Wataru Nakamura, Cpl. Fred B. McGee, Pfc. Charles R. Johnson, retired Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, and Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr., alongside Spc. 4th Class Kenneth J. David. Orig, Nakamura, McGee, Johnson, and Cavazos served valiantly in Korea, with Orig, Nakamura, and Johnson losing their lives in action. Nelson and David fought in Vietnam, with Nelson also making the ultimate sacrifice.

All recipients displayed “gallantry and intrepidity” in combat, risking their lives to engage enemy forces or save fellow service members, as noted by the White House. This acknowledgment of heroism honors not only their sacrifices but also the legacy of valor within the military community.

In addition to the military honors, Biden will present the Medal of Valor to eight first responders. This includes five police officers who bravely responded to a shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 2023, successfully neutralizing the threat.

Other honorees include Sgt. Tu Tran, who performed a courageous rescue of a woman from a frozen pond in Nebraska, and Lt. John Vanderstar, a firefighter who saved a mother and child from a burning building in New York City. Firefighter Brendan Gaffney also distinguished himself by rescuing an unconscious child and a pregnant woman from a fire earlier this year.