Male Speaker: Let us pray. We confess to you, all knowing God, what we are. We are sometimes not the people we like ourselves to think that we are. We have at times failed to be a people whose actions measure up to our words. We've been called to love our neighbor, as we love ourselves, we are humbled by the love demonstrated by these men, the valor 24 of whom we honor today. From World War II to Korea and Vietnam, you'll hear stories woven into a heroic hole, you remind us that although we may be different in many ways, we are alike in the most important of ways, we are American soliders. Today we celebrate a legacy which isnpires our service. Grant unto us the decncy of purpose, steadfast of resvole, and strength and will which these men posessed. Fill us with courage, with humility, and we may follow their path, that our spiritual God, that we may never forget that the highest
appreciation is not to utter words, but to become a model of what we advocate. We pray and ask your holy name, amen. The President: Good
afternoon, everybody. Please be seated. Well, welcome to
the White House. The presentation of our
nation's highest military decoration -- the Medal
of Honor -- is always a special occasion. But today, it is
truly historic. This is the single largest
group of service members to be awarded the Medal
of Honor since the Second World War. And with several of these
soldiers recognized for their valor during that
war, this ceremony is 70 years in the making. As one family member
has said, this is long overdue. Many of these families --
and I had a chance to meet all of them who are
present here today -- they've known these
stories of heroism for decades. Still, they were pretty
surprised when we called them to break the news
about the Medal of Honor. Some of them thought
it was a prank. (laughter) Some of them
thought it was a scam. A few of them thought it
might be some trick to get their credit card number. (laughter) When I called
Melvin Morris -- who we'll recognize in a moment
for his actions in Vietnam -- his first reaction was,
"Oh, my God, what have I done?" (laughter) When I told him
it was all good -- the Medal of Honor -- I could
hear through the phone, he almost passed out. (laughter) You see, for
their gallantry under fire each of these soldiers was
long ago recognized with the Army's
second-highest award -- the Distinguished Service Cross. But ask their fellow
veterans, ask their families, and they'll
tell you that their extraordinary
deeds merited the highest recognition. And today, we have the
chance to set the record straight. This ceremony reminds us
of one of the enduring qualities that makes
America great -- that makes us exceptional. No nation is perfect,
but here in America we confront our imperfections
and face a sometimes painful past -- including
the truth that some of these soldiers fought, and
died, for a country that did not always
see them as equal. So with each generation we
keep on striving to live up to our ideals of
freedom and equality, and to recognize the dignity
and patriotism of every person, no matter who they
are, what they look like, or how they pray. And that's why, more than
a decade ago, Congress mandated a review to make
sure that the heroism of our veterans wasn't
overlooked because of prejudice or
discrimination. Our military reviewed
thousands of war records. They teamed up with
veterans groups and museums to get this right. It was painstaking work,
made even harder because sometimes our service
members felt as if they needed to change their
last names to fit in. That tells a story
about our past. But, ultimately, after
years of review, these two dozen soldiers --
among them Hispanic, African American and Jewish
veterans -- were identified as having
earned the Medal of Honor. This is the length to
which America will go to make sure everyone who
serves under our proud flag receives the thanks
that they deserve. So this is going to
be a long ceremony. We're going to read all 24
citations, because every one is a story of bravery
that deserves to be told. But first, I want to take
just a few minutes to describe the Americans
behind these actions, the men these families know --
the brilliant lives behind the smiling faces in those
old photographs, and how they reflected all the
beauty and diversity of the country that
they served. They were Americans by
birth and Americans by choice -- immigrants,
including one who was not yet even a citizen. They grew up in big
city neighborhoods like Brooklyn, rural
communities like Hooper, Nebraska, small
towns in Puerto Rico. They loved to fish
and play baseball. They were sons who made
their parents proud, and brothers who their
siblings looked up to. They were so young --
many in their early 20s. And when their country
went to war, they answered the call. They put on the uniform,
and hugged their families goodbye -- some of them
hugged the wives and children that they'd
never see again. They fought in the rocky
hills of Italy, the blood-stained beaches of
France, in the freezing mountains of Korea, the
humid jungles of Vietnam. Their courage almost
defies imagination. When you read the records
of these individuals, it's unimaginable, the valor
that they displayed. Running into bullets. Charging machine gun nests
and climbing aboard tanks and taking them out. Covering their comrades
so they could make it to safety. Holding back enemies, wave
after wave, even when the combat was hand-to-hand. Manning their posts --
some to their very last breaths -- so that their
comrades might live. Of the 24 American
soldiers we honor today, 10 never came home. One of them -- Corporal
Joe Baldonado, from the Korean War -- is still
missing, reminding us that, as a nation,
we have a scared obligation to keep working to give the
families of our missing service members from all
wars a full accounting of their loved ones. Through their grief, the
families of our fallen summoned the strength to
carry on: wives whose hearts ached for their
husbands; sons and daughters who grew up
without their dad; nieces and nephews and
grandchildren. These families
join us here today. And they know, more than
most, that because others laid down their lives for
us, we've been able to live our lives in freedom,
pursue our dreams. So there's a legacy
here born of sacrifice. That includes a soldier's
nephew -- a kid from New York, who grew up
to become one of the great rock stars of all time and
who honors his uncle here today. It includes soldiers
who came home and took different paths -- some
continued to serve in uniform, some beginning
new careers, some getting married and raising their
kids, serving their communities, taking care
of their fellow vets. These veterans lived out
their lives in the country that they helped to
defend, and doing what they loved --like William
Leonard, who at age 71 passed away in his
backyard, sitting in his chair, listening
to his beloved Yankees play on the radio. And that's where this
story might have ended. But Mitchel Libman -- a
friend of one of these soldiers and an Army vet
himself -- set out on a mission. He and his wife Marilyn
spent years writing letters and working with
Congress and our military to get this done. And so we thank all those
who worked so hard for so long to bring us to this
moment, especially Marilyn and Mitchel -- now 83
years old -- who I'd ask to stand so that we
can all say thank you. (applause) Finally, of
these 24 soldiers, three remain with us and have
joined us here today -- men who remind us that
sometimes the heroes we seek are right in front of us, literally living right next door. Most days, you can find
Jose Rodela in his San Antonio home -- a
76-year-old retiree who enjoys watching baseball
on TV, and working on his 1975 Chevy pickup, and
mowing the grass for his neighbors. Jose is such a humble
guy that he did not even mention the ceremony to
his neighbors -- who I think would be pretty
shocked to turn on the news tonight -- (laughter)
-- and see that the guy who cuts their lawn is
getting the Medal of Honor. (laughter) Today, we
remember how 32--year-old Sergeant First Class
Rodela fought through his wounds in Vietnam and
rallied his men during 18 hours of constant combat. Most days, you can find
Melvin Morris at home in Port St. John, Florida --
72 years old, a retired salesman and a
great-grandfather. You'll find him working on
his boat, going fishing, reading the Bible,
spending time with his beautiful wife Mary -- married 53 years this month. You're going to have
to give me some tips. (laughter) We're not
that far along yet. Today, we remember how
27-year-old Staff Sergeant Morris -- one of our
nation's very first Green Berets -- one of our very
first Green Berets -- think about that. I mean, that's legendary
-- how Staff Sergeant Morris recovered a fallen
comrade in Vietnam, took out several enemy bunkers,
and kept going even after he was shot three times. And on most days, you can
find Santiago Erevia at home in San Antonio -- he's a 68-year-old retired postal worker. He's fixing up his house,
typically, tending to the garden, going on walks
with his wife, or doing some push-ups to
stay in shape. (laughter) Today, we
remember how 23-year-old Specialist Four Erevia,
under a hail of bullets in Vietnam, gave first aid to
his wounded comrades and single-handedly destroyed
four enemy bunkers. These are extraordinary
Americans. They are exemplary
soldiers. And so I want to begin by
welcoming Santiago Erevia to the stage for the
reading of the citation. Military Aide: Specialist
Four Santiago J. Erevia. United States Army. Specialist Four
Santiago J. Erevia distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a
radio telephone operator in Company C, 1st
Battalion (Airmobile), 501st Infantry, 101st
Airborne Division (Airmobile) during search
and clear mission near Tam Ky, Republic of Vietnam
on May 21, 1969. After breaching an
insurgent perimeter, Specialist Four Erevia was
designated by his platoon leader to render first aid
to several casualties, and the rest of the
platoon moved forward. As he was doing so, he
came under intense hostile fire from four bunkers
to his left front. Although he could have
taken cover with the rest of the element, he chose
a retaliatory course of action. With heavy enemy fire
directed at him, he moved in full view of the
hostile gunners as he proceeded to crawl from
one wounded man to another, gathering
ammunition. Armed with two M-16 rifles
and several hand grenades, he charged toward the
enemy positions behind the suppressive fire
of the two rifles. Under very intense fire,
he continued to advance on the insurgents until he
was near the first bunker. Disregarding the enemy
fire, he pulled the pin from a hand grenade and
advanced on the bunker, leveling suppressive fire
until he could drop the grenade into the bunker,
mortally wounding the insurgent and destroying
the fortification. Without hesitation, he
employed identical tactics as he proceeded to
eliminate the next two enemy positions. With the destruction
of the third bunker, Specialist Four Erevia had
exhausted his supply of hand grenades. Still under intense fire
from the fourth position, he courageously charged
forward behind the fire emitted by his
M-16 rifles. Arriving at the very edge
of the bunker, he silenced the occupant within
the fortification at point blank range. Through his heroic actions
the lives of the wounded were saved and the members
of the Company Command Post were relieved from a
very precarious situation. His exemplary performance
in the face of overwhelming danger was an
inspiration to his entire company and
contributed immeasurably to the success of the mission. Specialist Four Erevia's
conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and
intrepidity at the risk of his own life, above and
beyond the call of duty, were in keeping with the
highest traditions of military service and
reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Sergeant First
Class Melvin Morris. United States Army. Staff Sergeant Melvin
Morris distinguished himself by acts of
gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call
of duty while serving as Commander of a Strike
Force drawn from Company D, 5th Special Forces
Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, during
combat operations against an armed enemy in the
vicinity of Chi Lang, Republic of Vietnam on
September 17, 1969. On that afternoon,
Staff Sergeant Morris's affiliated companies
encountered an extensive enemy mine field and were
subsequently engaged by a hostile force. Staff Sergeant Morris
learned by radio that a fellow team commander had
been killed near an enemy bunker and he immediately
reorganized his men into an effective
assault posture before advancing forward and splitting off with two men to recover the team commander's body. Observing the maneuver,
the hostile force concentrated its fire on
Staff Sergeant Morris's three-man element and
successfully wounded both men accompanying him. After assisting the two
wounded men back to his forces' lines, Staff
Sergeant Morris charged forward into withering
enemy fire with only his men's suppressive
fire as cover. While enemy machine gun
emplacements continuously directed strafing
fusillades against him, Staff Sergeant Morris
destroyed the positions with hand grenades and
continued his assault, ultimately eliminating
four bunkers. Upon reaching the bunker
nearest the fallen team commander, Staff Sergeant
Morris repulsed the enemy, retrieved his comrade and
began the arduous trek back to friendly lines. He was wounded three times
as he struggled forward, but ultimately succeeded
in returning his fallen comrade to a
friendly position. Staff Sergeant Morris'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, his unit, and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Master Sergeant First Class Jose Rodela. United States Army. Sergeant First Class Jose
Rodela distinguished himself by acts of
gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call
of duty while serving as the company commander,
Detachment B-36, Company A, 5th Special Forces
Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces during
combat operations against an armed enemy in Phuoc
Long Province, Republic of Vietnam on
September 1, 1969. That afternoon, Sergeant
First Class Rodela's battalion came under an
intense barrage of mortar, rocket, and
machine gun fire. Ignoring the withering
enemy fire, Sergeant First Class Rodela
immediately began placing his men into defensive positions
to prevent the enemy from overrunning the
entire battalion. Repeatedly exposing
himself to enemy fire, Sergeant First Class
Rodela moved from position to position, providing
suppressing fire and assisting wounded, and
was himself wounded in the back and head by a B-40
rocket while recovering a wounded comrade. Alone, Sergeant First
Class Rodela assaulted and knocked out the B-40
rocket position before successfully returning to
the battalion's perimeter. Sergeant First Class
Rodela'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, his
unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) The President: Before Jose returns to his seat, I just want to ask Santiago and Melvin to
return to the stage, please. This is a
remarkable moment. And as they come up, I'll
like to recall -- as they take their positions I'd
like to recall the words of a poet: "Tho' much is
taken, much abides; and tho' We are not now that
strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven;
that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic
hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in
will To strive, to seek, to find, and
not to yield." Santiago Erevia, Melvin
Morris, Jose Rodela -- in the thick of the fight,
all those years ago, for your comrades and your
country, you refused to yield. And on behalf of a
grateful nation, we all want to thank you for
inspiring us -- then and now -- with your
strength, your will, and your heroic hearts. Please give them a big
round of applause. (applause) Gentlemen,
thank you. Please take your seats. We'll proceed with the
rest of the ceremony. Military Aide: Lenora
Alvarado accepting on behalf of her father, Specialist Four Leonard L. Alvarado. Specialist Four Leonard L. Alvarado distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a
Rifleman with Company D, 2d Battalion, 12th
Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
during combat operations against an armed enemy
in Phuoc Long Province, Republic of Vietnam
on August 12, 1969. On that day, as Specialist
Four Alvarado and a small reaction force moved
through dense jungle en route to a beleaguered
friendly platoon, Specialist Four Alvarado
detected enemy movement and opened fire. Despite his quick
reaction, Specialist Four Alvarado and his
comrades were soon pinned down by the hostile force
that blocked the path to the trapped platoon. Specialist Four Alvarado
quickly moved forward through the hostile
machinegun fire in order to engage the
enemy troops. Suddenly, an enemy grenade
exploded nearby, wounding and momentarily
stunning him. Retaliating immediately,
he killed the grenadier just as another enemy
barrage wounded him again. Specialist Four Alvarado
crawled forward through the fusillade to pull
several comrades back within the hastily-formed
perimeter. Realizing his element
needed to break away from the hostile
force, Specialist Four Alvarado began maneuvering
forward alone. Though repeatedly thrown
to the ground by exploding satchel charges, he
continued advancing and firing, silencing several
emplacements, including one enemy machinegun
position. From his dangerous forward
position, he persistently laid suppressive fire on
the hostile forces, and after the enemy troops
had broken contact, his comrades discovered that he had succumbed to his wounds. Specialist Four Alvarado's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty,
are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Richard Conde
accepting on behalf of his father, Sergeant First
Class Felix M. Conde-Falcon. Staff Sergeant Felix M. Conde-Falcon distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as
an acting Platoon Leader in Company D, 1st
Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 82d
Airborne Division during combat operations against
an armed enemy in Ap Tan Hoa, Republic of
Vietnam on April 4, 1969. While entering a heavily
wooded section on the route of advance, Staff
Sergeant Conde-Falcon and his company encountered
an extensive enemy bunker complex, later identified as a battalion command post. Following tactical
artillery and air strikes on the heavily-secured
enemy position, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon's
platoon was selected to assault and clear the
bunker fortifications. Moving out ahead of his
platoon, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon
charged the first bunker, heaving grenades as he went. As the hostile fire
increased, he crawled to the blind side of
an entrenchment position, jumped to the roof, and
tossed a grenade into the bunker aperture. Without hesitating,
he proceeded to two additional bunkers, both
of which he destroyed in the same manner
as the first. Rejoining his platoon,
Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon advanced
about one hundred meters through the trees before
coming under intense hostile fire. Selecting three men
to accompany him, he maneuvered toward the
enemy's flank position. Carrying a machinegun, he
single-handedly assaulted the nearest fortification,
killing the enemy inside before running
out of ammunition. After returning to the
three men with his empty weapon and taking
up an M-16 rifle, he concentrated on
the next bunker. Within ten meters of his
goal, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon was shot by
an unseen assailant and soon died of his wounds. Staff Sergeant
Conde-Falcon's extraordinary heroism and
selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and
beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the
highest traditions of military service and
reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) Military Aide: Shyrell Jean
Copas accepting on behalf of her father,
Specialist Four Ardie R. Copas. Specialist Four Ardie R. Copas distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a
Machinegunner in Company C, 1st Battalion
(Mechanized), 5th Infantry Regiment, 25th
Infantry Division during combat operations against an
armed enemy near Ph Romeas Hek, Cambodia
on May 12, 1970. That morning, Specialist
Four Copas's company was suddenly attacked by a
large hostile force firing recoilless rifles,
rocket-propelled grenades, and automatic weapons. As Specialist Four Copas
began returning fire, his armored car was struck by
an enemy recoilless round, knocking him to the ground
and injuring four American Soldiers beside
the vehicle. Ignoring his own wounds,
Specialist Four Copas quickly remounted the
burning vehicle and commenced firing his
machinegun at the belligerents. Braving the hostile fire
directed at him and the possible detonation of the
mortar rounds inside the track, Specialist Four
Copas maintained a heavy volume of suppressive
fire on the foe while the wounded Americans were
safely evacuated. Undaunted, Specialist Four
Copas continued to place devastating volleys of
fire upon the adversary until he was mortally
wounded when another enemy round hit his vehicle. Specialist Four Copas's
daring action resulted in the safe evacuation
of his comrades. Specialist Four Copas's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty,
are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) MILITARY AIDE: Tina Duran-Ruvalcaba
accepting on behalf of her father, Specialist
Four Jesus S. Duran. Specialist Four Jesus S. Duran distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving
as an acting M-60 machinegunner in Company
E, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry
Division (Airmobile) during combat operations
against an armed enemy in the Republic of Vietnam
on April 10, 1969. That afternoon, the
reconnaissance platoon was moving into an elaborate
enemy bunker complex when the lead elements began
taking concentrated ambush fire from every side. The command post was in
imminent danger of being overrun. With an M-60 machinegun
blazing from his hip, Specialist Four Duran
rushed forward and assumed a defensive position
near the command post. As hostile forces stormed
forward, Specialist Four Duran stood tall in a
cloud of dust raised by the impacting rounds and
bursting grenades directed towards him and thwarted
the enemy with devastating streams of
machinegun fire. Learning that two
seriously wounded troopers lay helplessly pinned down
under harassing fire, Specialist Four Duran
assaulted the suppressive enemy positions, firing
deadly bursts on the run. Mounting a log, he fired
directly into the enemy's foxholes, eliminating four
and cutting down several others as they fled. Specialist Four Duran
then continued to pour effective fire on the
disorganized and fleeing enemy. Specialist Four Duran'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) MILITARY AIDE: Command Sergeant Major
Michael Grinston accepting on behalf of Sergeant
Candelario Garcia. Sergeant Candelario Garcia
distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty
while serving as an acting Team Leader for Company
B, 1st Battalion, 2d Infantry, 1st Brigade,1st
Infantry Division during combat operations against
an armed enemy in Lai Khe, Republic of Vietnam
on December 8, 1968. On that day, while
conducting reconnaissance, Sergeant Garcia and
his platoon discovered communication wire and
other signs of an enemy base camp leading into a
densely vegetated area. As the men advanced, they
came under intense fire. Several men were hit and
trapped in the open. Ignoring a hail of hostile
bullets, Sergeant Garcia crawled to within ten
meters of a machinegun bunker, leaped to his feet
and ran directly at the fortification, firing
his rifle as he charged. Sergeant Garcia jammed two
hand grenades into the gun port and then placed the
muzzle of his weapon inside, killing
all four occupants. Continuing to expose
himself to intense enemy fire, Sergeant Garcia
raced fifteen meters to another bunker and killed
its three defenders with hand grenades
and rifle fire. After again braving the
enemies' barrage in order to rescue two casualties,
he joined his company in an assault which overran the remaining enemy positions. Sergeant Garcia'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Charles Baldonado
accepting on behalf of his brother, Corporal Joe R. Baldonado Corporal Joe R. Baldonado distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as
an acting machinegunner in 3d Squad, 2d Platoon,
Company B, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment during
combat operations against an armed enemy in
Kangdong, Korea on November 25, 1950. On that morning, the enemy
launched a strong attack in an effort to seize the
hill occupied by Corporal Baldonado and his company. The platoon had expended
most of its ammunition in repelling the enemy attack
and the platoon leader decided to commit his 3d
Squad, with its supply of ammunition, in the
defensive action. Since there was no time
to dig in because of the proximity of the enemy,
who had advanced to within twenty-five yards of the
platoon position, Corporal Baldonado emplaced his
weapon in an exposed position and delivered a
withering stream of fire on the advancing enemy,
causing them to fall back in disorder. The enemy then
concentrated all their fire on Corporal
Baldonado's gun and attempted to knock it out
by rushing the position in small groups and
hurling hand grenades. Several times, grenades
exploded extremely close to Corporal Baldonado but
failed to interrupt his continuous firing. The hostile troops made
repeated attempts to storm his position and were
driven back each time with appalling casualties. The enemy finally withdrew
after making a final assault on Corporal
Baldonado's position during which a grenade
landed near his gun, killing him instantly. Corporal Baldonado's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of
duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) Military Aide: Tyronne
Espinoza accepting on behalf of his father, Corporal Victor H. Espinoza distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as
an Acting Rifleman in Company A, 23d Infantry
Regiment, 2d Infantry Division during combat
operations against an armed enemy in Chorwon,
Korea on August 1, 1952. On that day, Corporal
Espinoza and his unit were responsible for securing
and holding a vital enemy hill. As the friendly unit
neared its objective, it was subjected to a
devastating volume of enemy fire, slowing
its progress. Corporal Espinoza,
unhesitatingly and being fully aware of the hazards
involved, left his place of comparative safety and
made a deliberate one man assault on the enemy with
his rifle and grenades, destroying a machinegun
and killing its crew. Corporal Espinoza
continued across the fire-swept terrain to an
exposed vantage point where he attacked an enemy
mortar position and two bunkers with grenades and
rifle fire, knocking out the enemy mortar position
and destroying both bunkers and killing
their occupants. Upon reaching the crest,
and after running out of rifle ammunition, he
called for more grenades. A comrade who was behind
him threw some Chinese grenades to him. Immediately upon catching
them, he pulled the pins and hurled them into the
occupied trenches, killing and wounding more of the
enemy with their own weapons. Continuing on through a
tunnel, Corporal Espinoza made a daring charge,
inflicting at least seven more casualties upon
the enemy who were fast retreating into
the tunnel. Corporal Espinoza was
quickly in pursuit, but the hostile fire from the
opening prevented him from overtaking the
retreating enemy. As a result, Corporal
Espinoza destroyed the tunnel with TNT, called
for more grenades from his company, and hurled them
at the enemy troops until they were out of reach. Corporal Espinoza's
incredible display of valor secured the vital
strong point and took a heavy toll on the enemy,
resulting in at least fourteen dead and
eleven wounded. Corporal Espinoza'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) Military Aide: Pete Corrall
accepting on behalf of his uncle, Sergeant Eduardo C. Gomez. Sergeant Eduardo C. Gomez distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving with
Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry
Division during combat operations against an
armed enemy in Tabu-dong, Korea on
September 3, 1950. That afternoon, while
conducting combat patrol, Sergeant Gomez' company
was ruthlessly attacked by a hostile force which
moved within seventy-five yards of the command post
before it was immobilized by rocket fire. However, an enemy tank and
multiple enemy machineguns continued to rake the
company perimeter with devastating fire. Realizing the tank posed
a serious threat to the entire perimeter,
Sergeant Gomez voluntarily crawled thirty yards across an
open rice field vulnerable to enemy observation and
fire, boarded the tank, pried open one of the
hatches on the turret and dropped an
activated grenade into the hull, killing the crew. Wounded in the left side
while returning to his position, Sergeant Gomez
refused evacuation. Observing that
the tripod of a .30 caliber machinegun was
rendered inoperable by enemy fire, he cradled
the weapon in his arms, returned to the forward
defensive positions, and swept the assaulting force
with withering fire. Although his weapon
overheated and burned his hands and his painful
wound still bled, Sergeant Gomez maintained his
stand and, upon orders to withdraw in the face
of overwhelming enemy superiority, remained to
provide protective fire. Sergeant Gomez continued
to pour accurate fire into the enemy ranks, exacting
a heavy toll in casualties and retarding
their advance. Sergeant Gomez would not
consent to leave his post for medical attention
until the company established new
defensive positions. Sergeant Gomez'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented) (applause) Miliary Aide: Laurie Wegner
accepting on behalf of her uncle, Private First Class Leonard M. Kravitz. Private First
Class Leonard M. Kravitz distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as
an assistant machinegunner with Company M, 5th
Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division during
combat operations against an armed enemy in
Yangpyong, Korea on March 6 and 7, 1951. After friendly elements
had repulsed two probing attacks, the enemy
launched a fanatical banzai charge with heavy
supporting fire and, despite staggering losses,
pressed the assault with ruthless determination. When the machinegunner was
wounded in the initial phase of the action,
Private First Class Kravitz immediately seized
the weapon and poured devastating fire into the
ranks of the onrushing assailants. The enemy effected and
exploited a breach on the left flank, rendering the friendly positions untenable. Upon order to withdraw,
Private First Class Kravitz voluntarily
remained to provide protective fire for
the retiring elements. Detecting enemy troops
moving toward friendly positions, Private First
Class Kravitz swept the hostile soldiers with
deadly, accurate fire, killing the entire group. His destructive
retaliation caused the enemy to concentrate
vicious fire on his position and enabled the
friendly elements to withdraw. Later, after friendly
troops had returned, Private First Class
Kravitz was found dead behind the gun he had
so heroically manned, surrounded by
numerous enemy dead. Private First Class
Kravitz's extraordinary heroism and selflessness
at the cost of his own life, above and beyond
the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest
traditions of military service and reflect great
credit upon himself, his unit and the
United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Iris Negron
accepting on behalf of her father, Sergeant Juan E. Negron. Sergeant Juan E. Negron distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a
member of Company L, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3d
Infantry Division during combat operations against
an armed enemy in Kalma-Eri, Korea
on April 28, 1951. That afternoon, Sergeant
Negron took up the most vulnerable position on his
company's exposed right flank after an enemy force
had overrun a section of the line. When notified that
elements of his company were withdrawing, Sergeant
Negron refused to leave his exposed position,
instead delivering withering fire at hostile
troops who had broken through a road block. When the hostile troops
approached his position, Sergeant Negron accurately
hurled hand grenades at short range, halting
their attack. Sergeant Negron held the
position throughout the night while friendly
forces organized and launched a counterattack. The next morning, after
the enemy had been repulsed, friendly forces
relieved Sergeant Negron and found the bodies of
fifteen enemy soldiers surrounding his position. Sergeant Negron'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Michael David Pena accepting on behalf of his father, Master
Sergeant Mike C. Pena. Master Sergeant Mike C. Pena distinguished himself
by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and
beyond the call of duty while serving as a member
of Company F, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st
Cavalry Division during combat operations against an
armed enemy in Waegwan, Korea, on
September 4, 1950. That evening, under cover
of darkness and a dreary mist, an enemy battalion
moved to within a few yards of Master Sergeant
Pena's platoon. Recognizing the enemy's
approach, Master Sergeant Pena and his men opened
fire, but the enemy's sudden emergence and
accurate, point blank fire forced the friendly
troops to withdraw. Master Sergeant Pena
rapidly reorganized his men and led them in a
counterattack which succeeded in regaining the
positions they had just lost. He and his men quickly
established a defensive perimeter and laid down
devastating fire, but enemy troops continued to
hurl themselves at the defenses in
overwhelming numbers. Realizing that their
scarce supply of ammunition would soon make
their positions untenable, Master Sergeant Pena
ordered his men to fall back and manned a
machinegun to cover their withdrawal. He singlehandedly held
back the enemy until the early hours of the
following morning when his position was overrun
and he was killed. Master Sergeant Pena's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty,
are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Sergeant Ashley Randall accepting on behalf of her grandfather, Private
Demensio Rivera. Private Demensio Rivera
distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty
while serving as an automatic rifleman with 2d
Platoon, Company G, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d
Infantry Division during combat operations against
an armed enemy in Changyong-ni, Korea
on May 23, 1951. Early that morning, a
large hostile force emerged from a dense fog
and viciously attacked Private Rivera
and his comrades. Private Rivera immediately
responded by firing with deadly accuracy until
his weapon jammed. Without hesitating, he
threw his rifle down and began to engage the enemy
with his pistol and grenades. At one point, Private
Rivera fearlessly crawled from his emplacement to
engage an infiltrating enemy soldier in fierce
hand-to-hand combat. With only the sound of
footsteps and obscure shadows to guide his aim,
Private Rivera held his position against
tremendous odds, inflicting numerous
casualties on the enemy until he found himself
without ammunition of any kind except one grenade. Displaying a peerless
fighting spirit and an utterly selfless devotion
to duty, Private Rivera pulled the pin
from his last grenade and calmly waited for the enemy
to reach his position. As enemy troops leaped
inside his bunker, Private Rivera activated the
grenade with the full knowledge that it meant
his almost certain death. When the debris from the
explosion had cleared, friendly forces recovered
a severely wounded Private Rivera and discovered
the bodies of four dead or dying enemy
soldiers surrounding him. Private Rivera'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) Military Aide: Joe Rodriguez
accepting on behalf of his uncle, Private Miguel A. Vera. Private Miguel A. Vera distinguished himself
by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and
beyond the call of duty while serving as an
automatic rifleman with Company F, 38th Infantry
Regiment, 2d Infantry Division in Chorwon,
Korea, on September 21, 1952. That morning, despite
suffering from wounds inflicted in a previous
battle, Private Vera voluntarily left
the aid station to join his comrades in an
attack against well-fortified enemy positions on a hill
of great importance. When the assaulting
elements had moved within twenty yards of the enemy
positions, they were suddenly trapped by a
heavy volume of mortar, artillery and
small-arms fire. The company prepared to
make a limited withdrawal, but Private Vera
volunteered to remain behind to provide
covering fire. As his companions moved
to safety, Private Vera remained steadfast in
his position, directing accurate fire against the
hostile positions despite the intense volume of
fire which the enemy was concentrating upon him. Later in the morning,
when the friendly force returned, they discovered
Private Vera in the same position, facing
the enemy. Private Vera's noble
intrepidity and self-sacrifice saved many
of his comrades' lives. Private Vera's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty,
are in keeping with the highest traditions of
the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Nancy Weinstein
accepting on behalf of her husband, Sergeant Jack Weinstein. Sergeant Jack Weinstein
distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty
while leading 1st Platoon, Company G, 21st Infantry
Regiment, 24th Infantry Division in Kumsong, Korea
on October 19, 1951. That afternoon,
thirty enemy troops counterattacked Sergeant
Weinstein's platoon. Most of the platoon's
members had been wounded in the previous action and
withdrew under the heavy fire. Sergeant Weinstein,
however, remained in his position and continued to
fight off the onrushing enemy, killing at least
six with his M-1 rifle before running
out of ammunition. Although under extremely
heavy enemy fire, Sergeant Weinstein refused to
withdraw and continued fighting by throwing enemy
hand grenades found lying near his position. He again halted the
enemy's progress and inflicted numerous
casualties. Alone and unaided, he
held the ground which his platoon had fought
tenaciously to take and held out against
overwhelming odds until another platoon was able
to relieve him and drive back the enemy. Sergeant Weinstein's leg
had been broken by an enemy grenade and old
wounds suffered in previous battles had
reopened, but he refused to withdraw and
successfully bought time for his wounded comrades
to reach friendly lines. Sergeant Weinstein's
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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Dominga Perez
accepting on behalf of her father, Private Pedro Cano. Private Pedro Cano. acts of gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty
while serving with Company C, 8th Infantry Regiment,
4th Infantry Division during combat operations
against an armed enemy in Schevenhutte, Germany on
December 2 and 3, 1944. On the afternoon of the
2nd, American infantrymen launched an attack against
German emplacements but were repulsed by enemy
machinegun fire. Armed with a rocket
launcher, Private Cano crawled through a densely
mined area under heavy enemy fire and
successfully reached a point within ten yards of
the nearest emplacement. He quickly fired a rocket
into the position, killing the two gunners and five
supporting riflemen. Without hesitating, he
fired into a second position, killing two more
gunners, and proceeded to assault the position with
hand grenades, killing several others and
dispersing the rest. Then, when an adjacent
company encountered heavy fire, Private Cano crossed
his company front, crept to within fifteen yards
of the nearest enemy emplacement and killed the
two machinegunners with a rocket. With another round he
killed two more gunners and destroyed
a second gun. On the following day, his
company renewed the attack and again encountered
heavy machinegun fire. Private Cano, armed with
his rocket launcher, again moved across fire-swept
terrain and destroyed three enemy machineguns in
succession, killing the six gunners. Private Cano'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Miriam Adams
accepting on behalf of her uncle, Private Joe Gandara. Private Joe Gandara
distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty
while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, 507th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne
Division during combat operations against an
armed enemy in Amfreville, France on June 9, 1944. On that day, Private
Gandara's detachment came under devastating enemy
fire from a strong German force, pinning the men to
the ground for a period of four hours. Private Gandara
voluntarily advanced alone toward the enemy position. Firing his machinegun
from his hip as he moved forward, he destroyed
three hostile machineguns before he was
fatally wounded. Private Gandara's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty,
are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Alfonzo Lara accepting on behalf of his brother, Private First
Class Salvador J. Lara. Private First
Class Salvador J. Lara distinguished himself
by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and
beyond the call of duty while serving as the Squad
Leader of a rifle squad with 2d Platoon, Company
L, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division during
combat operations against an armed enemy in Aprilia,
Italy on May 27 and 28, 1944. On the afternoon of the
27th, Private First Class Lara aggressively led
his rifle squad in neutralizing multiple
enemy strongpoints and in inflicting large numbers
of casualties on the enemy. Having taken his initial
objective, Private First Class Lara noticed that
the unit to his right was meeting stiff resistance
from a large, well-entrenched enemy
force in a deep ditch. Private First Class Lara
quickly gathered three men and attacked a wide
section of the enemy position, killing four,
forcing fifteen others to surrender and causing two
enemy mortar crews to abandon their weapons. His fearless and efficient
performance enabled both his own unit and the unit
to his right to continue to their objective. The next morning, as
his company resumed the attack, Private First
Class Lara sustained a severe leg wound, but did
not stop to receive first aid. His company suffered heavy
casualties as a result of withering machinegun fire
coming from an enemy strongpoint on
the right flank. After requesting
permission to destroy the enemy machineguns armed
only with a Browning Automatic Rifle, Private
First Class Lara crawled alone toward the
nearest machinegun. Despite his painful wound
and the extreme danger of the task, he rose and
fearlessly charged the nest, killing
the crew members. Another machinegun opened
fire on him, but he quickly neutralized this
weapon with accurate fire from his Browning, killing
three more of the enemy. His aggressive attack
forced two other machinegun crews to
flee their weapons. After rejoining his
company, Private First Class Lara continued his
exemplary performance until he captured
his objective. Private First Class Lara'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Patricia
Kennedy accepting on behalf of her father, Private First
Class William F. Leonard. Private First
Class William F. Leonard distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a
Squad Leader in Company C, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3d
Infantry Division during combat operations against
an armed enemy near St. Die, France on
November 7, 1944. Private First Class
Leonard's platoon was reduced to eight men as
a result of blistering artillery, mortar,
machinegun, and rifle fire. Private First Class
Leonard led the survivors in an assault over a hill
covered by trees and shrubs which the enemy
continuously swept with automatic weapons fire. Ignoring bullets which
pierced his pack, Private First Class Leonard
killed two snipers at ranges of fifty and seventy-five
yards and engaged and destroyed a machinegun
nest with grenades, killing its two-man crew. Though momentarily stunned
by an exploding bazooka shell, Private First Class
Leonard relentlessly advanced, ultimately
knocking out a second machinegun nest and capturing the roadblock objective. Private First Class
Leonard'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, his
unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Alice
Mendoza accepting on behalf of her husband, Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza. Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as
a Platoon Sergeant with Company B, 350th Infantry,
88th Infantry Division during combat operations
against an armed enemy on Mt. Battaglia, Italy on
October 4, 1944. That afternoon, the
enemy launched a violent counterattack preceded by
a heavy mortar barrage. Staff Sergeant Mendoza,
already wounded in the arm and leg, grabbed a
Thompson sub-machinegun and ran to the crest of
the hill where he saw approximately 200 enemy
troops charging up the slopes employing
flame-throwers, machine pistols, rifles,
and hand grenades. Staff Sergeant Mendoza
immediately began to engage the enemy, firing
five clips and killing ten enemy soldiers. After exhausting his
ammunition, he picked up a carbine and
emptied its magazine at the enemy. By this time, an
enemy soldier with a flame-thrower had almost
reached the crest, but was quickly eliminated as
Staff Sergeant Mendoza drew his pistol and fired. Seeing that the enemy
force continued to advance, Staff Sergeant
Mendoza jumped into a machinegun
emplacement that had just been abandoned and opened fire. Unable to engage the
entire enemy force from his location, he picked up
the machinegun and moved forward, firing from
his hip and spraying a withering hail of bullets
into the oncoming enemy, causing them to
break into confusion. He then set the machinegun
on the ground and continued to fire
until the gun jammed. Without hesitating, Staff
Sergeant Mendoza began throwing hand grenades at
the enemy, causing them to flee. After the enemy had
withdrawn, he advanced down the forward slope
of the hill, retrieved numerous enemy weapons
scattered about the area, captured a wounded enemy
soldier, and returned to consolidate friendly
positions with all available men. Staff Sergeant Mendoza's
gallant stand resulted in thirty German soldiers
killed and the successful defense of the hill. Staff Sergeant Mendoza'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.)
(applause) Military Aide: Robert Nietzel accepting on behalf of his first cousin, Sergeant Alfred B. Nietzel. Sergeant Alfred B. Nietzel distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a
section leader for Company H, 16th Infantry Regiment,
1st Infantry Division during combat operations
against an armed enemy in Heistern, Germany on
November 18, 1944. That afternoon, Sergeant
Nietzel fought tenaciously to repel a vicious enemy
attack against his unit. Sergeant Nietzel employed
accurate, intense fire from his machinegun and
successfully slowed the hostile advance. However, the overwhelming
enemy force continued to press forward. Realizing he desperately
needed reinforcements, Sergeant Nietzel ordered
the three remaining members of his squad to
return to the company command post
and secure aid. He immediately turned his
attention to covering their movement
with his fire. After expending all his
machinegun ammunition, Sergeant Nietzel began
firing his rifle into the attacking ranks until
he was killed by the explosion of an
enemy grenade. Sergeant Nietzel's
extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost
of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty,
are in keeping with the highest traditions of
military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) Military Aide: Dr. Terry
Schwab accepting on behalf of his father, First Lieutenant Donald K. Schwab. First Lieutenant Donald K. Schwab distinguished
himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty while serving as
the Commander of Company E, 15th Infantry Regiment,
3d Infantry Division, during combat operations
against an armed enemy near Lure, France on
September 17, 1944. That afternoon, as First
Lieutenant Schwab led his company across four
hundred yards of exposed ground, an intense,
grazing burst of machinegun and
machine-pistol fire sprung forth without warning from
a fringe of woods directly in front of the
American force. First Lieutenant Schwab
quickly extricated his men from the attempted ambush
and led them back to a defiladed position. Soon after, he was ordered
to overwhelm the enemy line. He rapidly organized his
men into a skirmish line and, with
indomitable courage, again led them forward into the
lethal enemy fire. When halted a second time,
First Lieutenant Schwab moved from man to man to
supervise collection of the wounded and organize
his company's withdrawal. From defilade, he rallied
his decimated force for a third charge on the
hostile strong point and successfully worked his
way to within fifty yards of the Germans before
ordering his men to hit the dirt. While automatic weapons
fire blazed around him, he rushed forward alone,
firing his carbine at the German foxholes, aiming
for the vital enemy machine-pistol nest which
had sparked the German resistance and caused
heavy casualties among his men. Silhouetted through the
mist and rain by enemy flares, he charged to the
German emplacement, ripped the half-cover off the
hostile firing pit, struck the German gunner on the
head with his carbine butt and dragged the German
back through a hail of fire to friendly lines. First Lieutenant Schwab's
action so disorganized hostile infantry
resistance that the enemy forces withdrew,
abandoning their formidable defensive line. First Lieutenant Schwab'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, his unit and
the United States Army. (The medal is presented.) (applause) The President: Ladies and gentlemen, it is very rare where
we have the opportunity to reflect
on the extraordinary courage and patriotism
of such a remarkable collection of men. We are so
grateful to them. We are so grateful
to their families. It makes us proud and
it makes us inspired. And so, before we conclude
the program, I would ask all those who have
witnessed this extraordinary day to
please rise and give these latest recipients of
the Medal of Honor your warmest applause. (applause) Chaplain, would you give us the benediction? (A prayer is offered) Thank you so much, everybody. This concludes
our program. But please have an
opportunity to enjoy the White House. We are so grateful that
all of you had a chance to come. God bless you. God bless America. (applause)
