President Biden will award the Medal of Honor to seven U.S. Army soldiers and the Medal of Valor to eight public safety employees at the White House on Friday.
The Medal of Honor is awarded to military personnel who have distinguished themselves in combat. Six of Friday's seven winners will receive their awards posthumously.
The President will award the rank of corporal to Private First Class Bruno R. Orig, who was killed while manning a machine gun to retake lost ground in South Korea, and Private First Class Wataru Nakamura, who was killed while attacking an enemy bunker in South Korea. Fred B. McGee, who evacuated the wounded and dead while under fire in Korea, and Private First Class Charles R. Johnson, who was killed in action while saving the lives of 10 soldiers while stopping the enemy in Korea.
Others include Lt. Richard E. Cavazos, who served in South Korea and then served for more than 30 years, achieving the rank of four-star general before his death in 2017. Captain Hugh R. Nelson Jr. was shot and killed while assisting another professional in Vietnam. and Private First Class Kenneth J. David, who set himself on fire to protect the wounded before being evacuated in Vietnam. Of those honored, only David is still alive.
The Medal of Valor is the nation's highest award of bravery awarded by public safety personnel. Candidates are recommended by the Attorney General and a review committee, which is comprised of members appointed by the President, the Senate majority and minority leaders, the Speaker of the House, and the House minority leader.
The president will give an award to Sgt. Jeffrey Mathes, Officer Rex Engelbert, Detective Michael Collazo, Detective Ryan Cagle, Detective Zachary Capture the shooter at Covenant School, a Nashville elementary school in March 2023.
Biden will also award the award to Sgt. Thu Tran who saved a woman from drowning in Lincoln, Nebraska in February 2023, New York Fire Department Lt. John Vanderster who saved a mother and child from a burning apartment in October 2022, and New York Firefighter Brendan. – Gaffney was punished by the department in February 2023 for twice running through a burning apartment to rescue an unconscious victim.
Mr. Biden on Thursday at the White House honored the president's citizens with 20 people, including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), who served as speaker and vice president of the January session. Awarded a medal. 6 committees. Biden also praised former Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Ted Kaufman (D-Delaware).
