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President Joe Biden, in his final Medal of Honor ceremony as commander in chief, awarded the nation’s highest military decoration to seven U.S. Army soldiers on Friday.
The honorees, most of whom received the medal posthumously for acts of extraordinary valor during the Korean War, were recognized for their heroism in the face of grave danger.
“This is the greatest honor of my life, to be entrusted with the greatest fighting force in the history of the world,” Biden said during the White House ceremony.
He emphasized that these soldiers, spanning different ranks and generations, exemplified unparalleled bravery, risking or sacrificing their lives for their comrades and the ideals of freedom and democracy.
Kenneth J. David was the only recipient present to personally accept the Medal of Honor. Biden placed the medal around David’s neck and praised him as a “genuine hero.”
David, a private first class and radio-telephone operator during the Vietnam War, displayed remarkable courage in May 1970 when his unit came under attack. Surrounded by enemy forces from three directions, David drew enemy fire toward himself to protect medevac helicopters evacuating the wounded.
Even after being injured by shrapnel, he refused to retreat until the final helicopter had landed. “Ken himself was hit in the back with shrapnel but he couldn’t and wouldn’t give up,” Biden recounted. “Imagine that courage.”
Another Vietnam War hero, Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr., was honored posthumously. In June 1966, Nelson, an aircraft commander of a Huey helicopter, saved two trapped specialists after his helicopter was shot down. He shielded one of the men with his body, ultimately sacrificing his own life to save his comrade.
The remaining Medal of Honor recipients served during the Korean War. Among them was the late Gen. Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic four-star general in U.S. Army history.
Cavazos, who passed away in 2017, was recognized for his leadership during a June 1953 raid on a key enemy position, where he braved intense fire to rescue five fellow soldiers. Fort Hood was recently renamed in his honor.
Pfc. Charles R. Johnson, another Korean War hero, was honored for his bravery during a Chinese attack on his outpost in June 1953.
Despite severe injuries, Johnson provided first aid to his comrades and dragged them to safety. He was killed in action but saved 10 lives in the process.
Cpl. Fred B. McGee’s heroism was also recognized. In June 1952, McGee assumed command of his squad after his leader was wounded, holding off the enemy to allow his team to evacuate safely. Similarly, Pfc. Wataru Nakamura was honored for his actions in May 1951 when he defended several bunkers from enemy forces before being killed by a grenade.
Lastly, Pvt. Bruno R. Orig was posthumously awarded for his actions in February 1951, where he saved several soldiers and suppressed enemy fire with his machine gun to facilitate a withdrawal. He was killed during the firefight.
In addition to the Medal of Honor recipients, Biden awarded the Medal of Valor—the highest honor for public safety officers—to eight individuals on Friday. Among the honorees were five heroes who subdued a mass shooter in Nashville in March 2023.
On Thursday, Biden also presented the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor, to 20 individuals.
Recipients included former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who led the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Reflecting on the ceremony, Biden lauded the courage and sacrifices of all honorees, emphasizing their contributions to protecting the values of democracy, freedom, and justice.
“These heroes fought for, and many of them died for, ideals of America—the freedom we cherish, the democracy that has made our progress possible,” he said.
