Male Speaker: Let us pray. Most high and gracious God,
we pray today that you remind of us of the sacrifice, how
hero is a venerable title, because of the price
paid by soldiers, like the two we honor today. Let us remember, by his
persistence to defend his brothers, to never accept
defeat, and to never quit. And one who saved the
lives of his friends by selflessly and reflexively
giving up his own. These brave men living in
dead consecrate our history and our faith, the
courage of our soldiers, the sacredness of our values,
the strength of our nation. Today we weave their actions
into the fabric of our history, as they served in
the jungle of mist of (inaudible)
Kasan Lowlands. And we who are the living
never forget what they did, the friends they lost, the
family which he left behind. And we take to heart, the
words spoken after battle by a grieving president. That it is for us, the living
to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they have
fought have so nobly advanced. God of redemption
and God of grace, we ask you to grant
these in your holy name. Amen. Audience Members: Amen. The President: Please be seated. Good afternoon, and welcome
to the White House. More than four decades
ago, in early 1970, an American squad in
Vietnam set out on patrol. They marched down a
trail, past a rice paddy. Shots rang out and splintered
the bamboo above their heads. The lead soldier tripped
a wire -- a booby trap. A grenade rolled toward the feet
of a 20-year-old machine gunner. The pin was pulled, and
that grenade would explode at any moment. A few years earlier, on the
other side of the country, deep in the jungle, a small
group of Americans were crouched on top of a
small hill. And it was dark, and
they were exhausted; the enemy had been
pursuing them for days. And now they were surrounded,
and the enemy was closing in on all sides. Two discrete moments, but today
we honor two American soldiers for gallantry above and
beyond the call of duty at each of those moments:
Specialist Donald Sloat, who stood above that grenade,
and Command Sergeant Major Bennie Adkins, who fought
through a ferocious battle and found himself on
that jungle hill. Nearly half a century
after their acts of valor, a grateful nation bestows
upon these men the highest military decoration -- the
Medal of Honor. Normally, this medal must be
awarded within a few years of the action. But sometimes even the most
extraordinary stories can get lost in the fog of war
or the passage of time. Yet when new evidence
comes to light, certain actions can be
reconsidered for this honor, and it is entirely right and
proper that we have done so. And that is why
we are here today. So before I go any further, I
want to thank everyone present here today whose research and
testimonies and persistence over so many years finally resulted
in these two men deserving the recognition they
so richly deserve. I especially want
to welcome members of the Medal of Honor
Society, as well as two American families whose love
and pride has never wavered. Don Sloat grew up in
the heart of Oklahoma in a town called Coweta. And he grew big -- to over 6'4". He loved football, and played
for a year at a junior college. Then he decided
to join the Army. But when he went to
enlist, he didn't pass his physical because of
high blood pressure. So he tried again. And again. And again. In all, he took the physical
maybe seven times until he passed -- because Don Sloat was
determined to serve his country. In Vietnam, Don became
known as one of the most liked and reliable guys
in his company. Twice in his first months, his
patrol was ambushed; both times, Don responded with punishing
fire from his machine gun, leaving himself completely
vulnerable to the enemy. Both times, he was
recognized for his bravery. Or as Don put it
in a letter home, "I guess they think [that] I'm
really gung-ho or something." (laughter) And then one morning, Don
and his squad set out on patrol, past
that rice paddy, down that trail, when
those shots rang out. When the lead soldier's foot
tripped that wire and set off the booby trap, the grenade
rolled right to Don's feet. And at that moment,
he could have run. At that moment, he could
have ducked for cover. But Don did something truly
extraordinary -- he reached down and he picked that grenade up. And he turned to throw it, but
there were Americans in front of him and behind him --
inside the kill zone. So Don held on to that grenade,
and he pulled it close to his body. And he bent over it. And then, as one
of the men said, "all of a sudden
there was a boom." The blast threw the lead
soldier up against a boulder. Men were riddled with shrapnel. Four were medevaced out,
but everyone else survived. Don had absorbed the brunt of
the explosion with his body. He saved the lives
of those next to him. And today, we're joined by two
men who were with him on that patrol: Sergeant William Hacker
and Specialist Michael Mulheim. For decades, Don's family
only knew that he was killed in action. They'd heard that he had
stepped on a landmine. All those years, this Gold Star
family honored the memory of their son and brother,
whose name is etched forever on that granite wall
not far from here. Late in her life,
Don's mother, Evelyn, finally learned the full
story of her son's sacrifice. And she made it her mission
to have Don's actions properly recognized. Sadly, nearly three years
ago, Evelyn passed away. But she always believed --
she knew -- that this day would come. She even bought a special dress
to wear to this ceremony. We are honored that Don -- and
his mom -- are represented here today by Don's brother and
sisters and their families. On behalf of this American
family, I'd ask Don's brother, Dr. Bill Sloat, to come
forward for the reading of the citation and accept
the gratitude of our nation. MILITARY AIDE: The President of
the United States of America, authorized by Act of
Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of
Congress the Medal of Honor to Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat, United States Army. Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat distinguished himself
by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of
his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving
as a Machinegunner with Company D, 2nd Battalion,
1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry
Brigade, Americal Division, during combat operations against
an armed enemy in the Republic of Vietnam on January 17, 1970. On that morning, Specialist Four
Sloat's squad was conducting a patrol, serving as a blocking
element in support of tanks and armored personnel
carriers in the area. As the squad moved up a small
hill in file formation, the lead soldier tripped a
wire attached to a hand grenade booby trap set
up by enemy forces. As the grenade
rolled down the hill, Specialist Four Sloat knelt
and picked up the grenade. After initially attempting
to throw the grenade, Specialist Four Sloat realized
that detonation was imminent. He then drew the grenade to his
body and shielded his squad members from the blast,
saving their lives. Specialist Four Sloat's actions
define the ultimate sacrifice of laying down his own life
in order to save the lives of his comrades. Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat's extraordinary heroism
and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are
in keeping with the highest traditions of military service
and reflect great credit upon himself, Company
D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th
Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division and
the United States Army. [The medal is presented] (applause) The President: At this point, I'd like to ask Bennie Adkins to come join me on stage. Now, let me just say the
first thing you need to know is when Bennie and
I met in the Oval Office, he asked if he
could sign back up. (laughter) His lovely
wife was not amused. (laughter) Most days, you can
find Bennie at home down in Opelika, Alabama, tending
his garden or his pontoon boat out on the lake. He's been married to
Mary for 58 years. He's a proud father of
five, grandfather of six; at 80 still going strong. A couple years ago, he came
here to the White House with his fellow veterans for
a breakfast we had on Veterans Day. He tells folk he was the only
person he knows who has spilled his dessert in the White House. (laughter) And I just
have to correct you, that makes two of us. (laughter) I've messed up my tie. I've messed up my pants. (laughter) But in the spring of
1966, Bennie was just 32 years old, on his
second tour in Vietnam. He and his fellow Green Berets
were at an isolated camp along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A huge North Vietnamese
force attacked, bombarding Bennie and his
comrades with mortars and white phosphorus. At a time, it was nearly
impossible to move without being wounded or killed. But Bennie ran into enemy fire
again and again -- to retrieve supplies and ammo; to carry
the wounded to safety; to man the mortar pit,
holding off wave after wave of enemy assaults. Three times, explosions blasted
him out of that mortar pit, and three times, he returned. I have to be honest, in a battle
and daring escape that lasted four days, Bennie performed
so many acts of bravery we actually don't have time
to talk about all of them. Let me just mention three. On the first day, Bennie
was helping load a wounded American onto a helicopter. A Vietnamese soldier jumped onto
the helo trying to escape the battle, and aimed his weapon
directly at the wounded soldier, ready to shoot. Bennie stepped in,
shielded his comrade, placing himself directly
in the line of fire, helping to save his
wounded comrade. At another point in the battle,
Bennie and a few other soldiers were trapped in the mortar
pit, covered in shrapnel and smoking debris. Their only exit was blocked
by enemy machine gun fire. So Bennie thought fast. He dug a hole out of the pit
and snuck out the other side. As another American
escaped through that hole, he was shot in the leg. An enemy soldier charged him,
hoping to capture a live POW and Bennie fired, taking
out that enemy and pulling his fellow American to safety. By the third day of battle,
Bennie and a few others had managed to escape
into the jungle. He had cuts and wounds
all over his body, but he refused to
be evacuated. When a rescue
helicopter arrived, Bennie insisted that
others go instead. And so, on the third night,
Bennie, wounded and bleeding, found himself with his men
up on that jungle hill, exhausted and surrounded,
with the enemy closing in. And after all they
had been through, as if it weren't enough,
there was something more -- you can't make this up
-- there in the jungle, they heard the
growls of a tiger. It turns out that tiger might
have been the best thing that happened to Bennie in those
-- during those days because, he says, "the North Vietnamese
were more scared of that tiger than they were of us." (laughter) So the enemy fled. Bennie and his squad
made their escape. And they were rescued,
finally, the next morning. In Bennie's life, we see the
enduring service of our men and women in uniform. He went on to serve a
third tour in Vietnam, a total of more than
two decades in uniform. After he retired, he earned
his Master's Degree -- actually not one, but two. Opened up an accounting firm. Taught adult education classes. Became national commander of the Legion of Valor
veterans organization. So he has earned his retirement,
despite what he says. (laughter) He's living outside Auburn. And, yes, he is a fan
of the Auburn Tigers, although I did a poll of the
family and there are some Crimson Tide fans here. (laughter) So there's obviously
some divisions. But Bennie will tell you that
he owes everything to the men he served with in Vietnam,
especially the five who gave their lives in that battle. Every member of his unit
was killed or wounded. Every single one was
recognized for their service. Today, we're joined by some of
the men who served with Bennie, including Major John
Bradford, the soldier that Bennie shielded
in that helicopter, and Major Wayne Murray,
the soldier Bennie saved from being captured. And I'd ask them and all our
Vietnam veterans who are here today to please stand or raise
your hand and to be recognized. (applause) And now, I'd ask
that the citation be read. MILITARY AIDE: The President
of the United States, authorized by Act of
Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of
Congress the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class
Bennie G. Adkins, United States Army. Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty while serving as an
Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th
Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, during
combat operations against an armed enemy at Camp A
Shau, Republic of Vietnam, from March 9 to 12, 1966. When the camp was attacked by
a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the
early morning hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins
rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar
position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite
incurring wounds as the mortar pit received several direct
hits from enemy mortars. Upon learning that several
soldiers were wounded near the center of camp, he temporarily
turned the mortar over to another soldier, ran through
exploding mortar rounds, and dragged several
comrades to safety. As the hostile fire subsided,
Sergeant First Class Adkins exposed himself to sporadic
sniper fire while carrying his wounded comrades to
the camp dispensary. When Sergeant First Class Adkins
and his group of defenders came under heavy small arms fire
from members of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group that
had defected to fight with the North Vietnamese, he
maneuvered outside the camp to evacuate a seriously wounded
American and draw fire, all the while successfully
covering the rescue. When a resupply air drop landed
outside of the camp perimeter, Sergeant First
Class Adkins, again, moved outside of the
camp walls to retrieve the much-needed supplies. During the early morning
hours of March 10, 1966, enemy forces launched their main
attack and within two hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins
was the only man firing a mortar weapon. When all mortar
rounds were expended, Sergeant First Class Adkins
began placing effective recoilless rifle fire
upon enemy positions. Despite receiving additional
wounds from enemy rounds exploding on his position,
Sergeant First Class Adkins fought off intense waves
of attacking Viet Cong. Sergeant First Class Adkins
eliminated numerous insurgents with small arms fire after
withdrawing to a communications bunker with several soldiers. Running extremely
low on ammunition, he returned to the mortar pit,
gathered vital ammunition and ran through intense
fire back to the bunker. After being ordered
to evacuate the camp, Sergeant First Class Adkins
and a small group of soldiers destroyed all signal equipment
and classified documents, dug their way out of the rear
of the bunker and fought their way out of the camp. While carrying a wounded
soldier to the extraction point he learned that the last
helicopter had already departed. Sergeant First Class Adkins led
the group while evading the enemy until they were rescued by
helicopter on March 12, 1966. During the 38-hour battle and
48 hours of escape and evasion, fighting with mortars, machine
guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades,
it was estimated that Sergeant First Class Adkins had killed
between 135 and 175 of the enemy while sustaining 18 different
wounds to his body. Sergeant First Class Adkins'
extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond
the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of
the military service and reflect great credit upon himself,
Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group,
1st Special Forces and the United States Army. (The medal is presented) (applause) The President: Over the decades, our Vietnam veterans didn't always receive the thanks
and respect they deserved. That's a fact. But as we have been
reminded again today, our Vietnam vets were
patriots and are patriots. You served with valor. You made us proud. And your service is
with us for eternity. So no matter how long it takes,
no matter how many years go by, we will continue to
express our gratitude for your extraordinary service. May God watch over Don Sloat and
all those who have sacrificed for our country. May God keep safe those who
wear our country's uniform, and veterans like Bennie Adkins. And may God continue to bless
the United States of America. At this point I'd ask
our chaplain to return to the stage for the
benediction. Male Speaker: let us
continue to pray. As we go forth, be not
afraid, go out into the world in peace, have courage,
hold onto what is good. Trend no evil for evil,
strengthen the faint hearted, support the weak and
help the suffering. And we honor all people. Let us love and serve and may
God's blessing be upon us, remain with us always. Amen. Audience Members: Amen. The President: And
at this point, I would welcome everybody
to join the Sloat family and the Adkins family
for a reception. I hear the food is
pretty good. (laughter) And once again, to
all of you who serve and your families who serve along with
them, the nation is grateful. And your Commander-in-Chief
could not be prouder. Thank you very much, everybody. (applause)
