Celebrating Medal of Honor Day

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” —John 15:13

25 March is National Medal of Honor Day is an opportunity to recognize the recipients of our nation’s highest military award, and remember their extraordinary sacrifice on behalf of their brothers in arms and in defense of this Country and their Battle Buddies.

The first Medals of Honor were awarded on 25 March 1863 during the Civil War when the Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton presented the first Medals of Honor to six Union Army volunteers.

Today we highlight two recipients, who received their awards for gallantry and bravery over 140 years apart:

Frank Dwight Baldwin (June 26, 1842 – April 22, 1923), born in Michigan, Baldwin is one of only 19 servicemen to receive the Medal of Honor twice. Baldwin received his first award for his actions during the Atlanta Campaign in the Civil War where he led his company in battle, singly entering the Confederate enemy's line, capturing and bringing back 2 commissioned officers and a Georgia regimental flag. He received his second for conspicuous bravery in 1874 during a battle at McCellans Creek, Texas during the Indian Wars where he rescued two female white captives from a numerically superior Indian force. Baldwin holds the distinction of being the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in two different conflicts. He also fought in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War and rose to the rank of major general before retiring.

Leroy A. Petry born 29 July 1979 in Sante Fe, New Mexico while Staff Sergeant/E-6 and member of 2nd Battalion, 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger) distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy in the vicinity of Paktya Province, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2008. As a Weapons Squad Leader, Staff Sergeant Petry moved to clear the courtyard of a house that potentially contained high-value combatants. While crossing the courtyard, Staff Sergeant Petry and another Ranger were engaged and wounded by automatic weapons fire from enemy fighters. Still under enemy fire, and wounded in both legs, Staff Sergeant Petry led the other Ranger to cover. He then reported the situation and engaged the enemy with a hand grenade, providing suppression as another Ranger moved to his position. The enemy quickly responded by maneuvering closer and throwing grenades. The first grenade explosion knocked his two fellow Rangers to the ground and wounded both with shrapnel.

A second grenade then landed only a few feet away from them. Instantly realizing the danger, Staff Sergeant Petry, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, deliberately and selflessly moved forward, picked up the grenade, and in an effort to clear the immediate threat, threw the grenade away from his fellow Rangers. As he was releasing the grenade it detonated, amputating his right hand at the wrist and further injuring him with multiple shrapnel wounds. Although picking up and throwing the live grenade grievously wounded Staff Sergeant Petry, his gallant act undeniably saved his fellow Rangers from being severely wounded or killed. Despite the severity of his wounds, Staff Sergeant Petry continued to maintain the presence of mind to place a tourniquet on his right wrist before communicating the situation by radio in order to coordinate support for himself and his fellow wounded Rangers.

National Medal of Honor Day

Article written by Major (ret) Drew Dix.

On a hilltop in Arlington National Cemetery, servicemen from our nation’s wars, whose names we don’t know but whose service and sacrifice we will always remember, have found their final resting place in the Tomb of the Unknowns. It’s fitting that these courageous Americans, who represent all who have worn the cloth of our great country, received our nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor. In addition to these unknown heroes, for many of us Medal of Honor recipients, and for many veterans, Arlington National Cemetery evokes specific memories of incredible people we served with and long-ago battles we fought. Photo at right: Medal of Honor recipients Mike Fitzmaurice and Will Swenson, center, participate in a wreath-laying ceremony commemorating valor and sacrifice on National Medal of Honor Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery on March 25. 2017.

There are 71 living recipients of the Medal of Honor, and this week, 31 of my brothers are in our nation’s capital to commemorate National Medal of Honor Day, which falls every year on March 25. While they lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and render salutes as a lone bugler plays “Taps,” all of us, no matter where we are, will be paying our respects to the men and women who have served our great nation in uniform.

To a man, the privilege and burden of wearing the Medal of Honor is our opportunity to represent the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have served, fought, and in some cases sacrificed their lives to preserve America’s liberty. All 71 of us have witnessed firsthand the ravages of the battlefield. We all have one thing in common: We fought side-by-side with Americans from all walks of life. We wear our medals for all of them, and especially for those who didn’t come home.

As Medal of Honor recipients, we have the opportunity to travel around the country and meet patriotic Americans striving every day to improve their communities and our nation. We understand you don’t have to wear a uniform for service or sacrifice. That’s why in 2008, we created the Citizen Honors Awards to recognize everyday Americans for their extraordinary acts of courage and selfless service. And that’s why we’ve made Citizen Honors a significant part of our National Medal of Honor Day commemoration.

Individually, the stories of these heroic and selfless Americans are amazing and inspiring. Collectively, they’re an example for all of us to emulate. The 2018 recipients are no exception. Robert Engle subdued a gunman in a Tennessee church and prevented further loss of life. Matthew Cobos shielded and provided lifesaving medical treatment to concertgoers injured in the mass shooting at the Route 91 Music Festival in Las Vegas. Kimberly Scofi selflessly serves veterans in Georgia through her United Military Care organization, providing them with immediate access to food and housing.

Virgil Smith, our Young Hero Award recipient, used an air mattress to rescue 17 people during Hurricane Harvey. The Veterans Heritage Project in Phoenix is receiving our Community Service Hero Award for a program that connects students with veterans to conduct oral history interviews that are donated to the Library of Congress.

These stories are reminders that you don’t have to serve in combat or experience a life-threatening situation to make a difference in someone’s life. Sometimes doing the right thing may not have an immediate or obvious effect, but the long-term impact can be just as powerful for the person you helped. Courage, service and sacrifice come in many forms, and they all matter. Doing the right thing always makes a difference.

My fellow recipients and I encourage you to take a few minutes on National Medal of Honor Day to reflect on the blessings we have as Americans and thank those who have willingly and selflessly served and sacrificed to protect our way of life, as well as those who choose every day to do the right thing. We also challenge you to help make your communities and our country better for everyone by embracing the values embodied in the Medal of Honor: courage and sacrifice, commitment and integrity, citizenship and patriotism. Drew Dix (see photo at left) earned the Medal of Honor for his actions in South Vietnam’s Chau Doc province in 1968 as an Army staff sergeant; his citation, and those of other Medal of Honor recipients, can be viewed at The Hall of Valor Project. Dix is president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

We believe there’s a hero in everyone. How will you make a difference? 

Article from the Military Times