Citizen Service Before Self Announced and Honored 2011 Recipients

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2011 – The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation today on Medal of Honor Day announced and nationally honored the Citizen Service Before Self Honors recipients for 2011.  After a nationwide search and selection process, three Americans have been selected for their selflessness and indomitable courage.  The three unsung heroes are:

Timothy Brooks of Philadelphia, Pa. for valiantly rescuing a woman and her three children who were stranded in the Delaware River after their tour boat collided with a barge and sank on July 7, 2010;

Marie Conley of Boston, Mass. for sacrificing her life to save a young boy by shielding him with her own body from a car that was barreling towards him on October 21, 2008; and,

Dr. Pascal Spino of Greensburg, Pa. for a lifetime’s commitment to treating children, often not charging those who cannot afford healthcare and saving tens of thousands of lives.

The 2011 Citizen Service Before Self Honors recipients were recognized by our nation’s most honored heroes, the fewer than 90 living Medal of Honor recipients, in the shadow of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.  The Tomb represents the epitome of courage, sacrifice and selflessness in service to our nation.  The Citizen Service Before Self Honors and the American Spirit Award Ceremony was held at 2:45 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 25, 2011, following a Medal of Honor Day wreath laying ceremony.  More than 30 Medal of Honor recipients were in attendance.

General James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, made special remarks, and Major Garrett, Congressional Correspondent for National Journal emceed the ceremony.  Sponsors of the 2011 Citizen Service Before Self Honors initiative are Lockheed Martin Corporation T. Boone Pickens Foundation, The Boeing Company, and the TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

“I, along with all of the living Medal of Honor recipients, salute Timothy Brooks, Marie Conley and Dr. Pascal Spino, for their selfless acts,” said Leo Thorsness, President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and a Foundation board member.  “As true heroes among us, these three remarkable recipients epitomize the Citizen Service Before Self Honors concept of ‘service before self’ and are truly deserving of this award.  Their actions are an inspiration to Americans everywhere.”

After considering all nominations, a panel including Medal of Honor recipient representation, selected 20 national finalists. From among the finalists, a second panel of Medal of Honor recipients selected three individuals to receive the prestigious civilian honors, Citizen Service Before Self Honors.  Complete profiles for each of the three recipients are listed on the site, www.CitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors.org.

This year marks the 150^th anniversary of the Medal of Honor, which President Abraham Lincoln signed into law in 1861. Since that enactment, the Medal, which has been awarded fewer than 3,500 times, has been our nation’s highest award for military valor. Its monumental anniversary represents 150 years of courage and sacrifice on the part of the millions of men and women who have defended our freedoms in uniform.

At the ceremony, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation and Society also presented the American Spirit Award to Jack Pape, a 17-year-old Boy Scout from Omaha, Neb. Pape, a junior in high school, helped to provide first aid to Scouts injured during the tornado that struck Little Sioux Scout Ranch in 2008 and administered CPR to a young boy who had stopped breathing while at a hotel swimming pool in 2009. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary skill, professionalism and a spirit of excellence in a challenging situation.

In 2010, Boy Scouts of America and Boys’ Life magazine conducted a national search, and four Scouts were selected as nominees for the American Spirit Award. An online vote at boyslife.org, combined with the evaluations from a judging panel, one recipient was selected.  This year, Boys’ Life magazine is celebrating its 100^th year of turning “today’s readers into tomorrow’s leaders.” For more information, please visit http://boyslife.org/.

CITIZEN SERVICE ABOVE SELF HONORS (CSASH) NEWS, March 25, 2010

2010 Citizen Service Above Self Honors Presented 

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2010 – The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation today announced the Citizen Service Above Self Honors recipients for 2010.  After a nationwide search and selection process, three Americans have been selected for their selflessness and indomitable courage.  The three unsung heroes are:

Dylan Nelson of Madison, S.D. who sacrificed his own life while saving two others in Lake Madison on Aug. 8, 2009;

Jeffrey Michael Ross of Roseville, Calif. who rescued a semiconscious woman from her sinking vehicle in the Folsom South Canal on July 12, 2009; and,

Dr. Jordy Cox of Phoenix, Ariz. who has selflessly volunteered and offered his medical skills to perform surgeries that have saved many lives in Haiti, the Congo, and the Ivory Coast.

Complete profiles for each of the three recipients are listed on the Citizen Service Above Self Honors Web site, www.CitizenServiceAboveSelfHonors.org.

A panel, including Medal of Honor recipient representation, considered all nominations and selected 20 national finalists. From among the finalists, a second panel of Medal of Honor recipients selected three individuals to receive Citizen Service Above Self Honors.  The recipients were selected because their actions epitomize the concept of “service above self” and have been performed “above and beyond” their professional area of responsibility or conduct.

Citizen Service Above Self Honors are unique, because they are presented to unsung heroes by our nation’s most honored heroes—fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor recipients who comprise the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

The recipients will be honored at a ceremony on Thursday, March 25, 2010, at 2:15 p.m. EDT, in conjunction with National Medal of Honor Day.  The ceremony will be held in the shadow of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery in Washington, D.C. and will be emceed by Martha Raddatz, Chief White House Correspondent, ABC News.

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, March 25, 2009 

2009 Above & Beyond Citizen Honors Presented 

Above & Beyond Citizen Honors Announces and Honors 2009 Recipients

One of the Highest Civilian Honors Given to Three Unsung Heroes by Medal of Honor Recipients

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2009 – The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation today announced and nationally honored the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients for 2009. After a nationwide search and selection process, three Americans have been selected for their selflessness and indomitable courage. The three unsung heroes are:

Rick Rescorla of New Jersey, posthumously, for going above and beyond on September 11, 2001 by courageously rescuing his fellow citizens by ordering the evacuation of all 2,700 Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. employees from the building and leading them to safety, and following, by re-entering the building to search for survivors.

David Bryan of Kansas City, Missouri, for going above and beyond by valiantly rescuing a motorist from a burning automobile on Eastbound I-70, one mile from the city of Higginsville, Missouri.

Jeremy Hernandez of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a part-time youth worker, for above and beyond by saving the lives of 50 children as the school bus they were on was about to plunge into the Mississippi River following the I-35W Bridge Collapse.

The 2009 Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients were recognized by our nation’s most honored heroes, the fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor recipients, in the shadow of the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. The Tomb of the Unknowns represents the epitome of courage, sacrifice and selflessness in service to our nation.

The Above & Beyond Citizen Honors ceremony was held on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at 2 p.m. EDT. The primary sponsor of the 2008 Above & Beyond initiative is TriWest Healthcare Alliance, with additional support provided by the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Lt. Gen. James B. Peake (Ret.), M.D., Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Robert Howard, the President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society; and, David J. McIntyre, Jr., Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation board member and TriWest Healthcare Alliance President and CEO made formal remarks. More than thirty-five Medal of Honor recipients were in attendance.

“I, along with all of the living Medal of Honor recipients, salute Rick Rescorla, David Bryan, and Jeremy Hernandez for their selfless acts,” said Bruce Whitman, Co-Chairman of the Board of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. “As true heroes among us, these three remarkable recipients epitomize the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors concept of ‘service above self’ by representing the values of courage, sacrifice and selfless service. Their actions are an inspiration to Americans everywhere.”

After considering all nominations, a panel of judges consisting exclusively of Medal of Honor recipients, selected one finalist from every state, plus the District of Columbia. From among these 51 finalists, the panel then selected three individuals to receive one of the highest civilian honors, Above & Beyond Citizen Honors. A complete list of the 51 finalists is available on the Above & Beyond website, www.aboveandbeyond365.com.

“The Above and Beyond Citizens Honors recipients are evidence that the ideals demonstrated on the battlefield by those who received the nation’s highest distinction, the Medal of Honor, are as applicable to civilian life as they are to military life” said David J. McIntyre, Jr., Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation board member and TriWest Healthcare Alliance President and CEO.

“It just doesn’t get any better than this, our nation’s quintessential heroes lifting up civilians who have also demonstrated exemplary selflessness, courage, love of country and service to their fellow man. Just imagine where our country would be were we all to live by such values,” added McIntyre.

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, March 24, 2008 

2008 Above & Beyond Citizen Honors Presented 

New York, N.Y., March 24, 2008 – The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which is solely comprised of fewer than100 living Medal of Honor recipients, has announced that after a nationwide search and selection process, three Americans have been selected as their 2008 Citizen Service before Self Honorees. These unsung heroes are:

Jencie Fagan of Nevada, a school teacher, who went above and beyond with her brave stand against a school shooter who had already wounded two students. She courageously put herself in harm’s way by standing in front of the armed student, protecting others, as she calmly talked the boy into putting down his weapon.

Matthew Miller of Fridley Minnesota, a student and construction worker, went above and beyond for others as he saved the lives of ten people and helped scores of injured in the 35W Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis.

Don Schoendorfer of Orange County California, an engineer, for going above and beyond as an advocate for the disabled, as he created, manufactured and distributed over 250,000 wheelchairs to those in need.

Hosted by Brian Williams, with Honorary Co-Chair General Colin L. Powell (USA) Ret., the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors presentation ceremony will take place on National Medal of Honor Day – March 25, 2008.

The site selected by the Society for this historic ceremony is the ultimate symbol of anonymous heroism – the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. All of the anonymous soldiers who have found eternal rest in the Tomb, have been presented with our nation’s highest award for valor in combat, The Medal of Honor. On the east side of the Tomb is a sculpture of three Greek citizens, each representing the virtues of Peace, Victory and Valor. So the world will always know that the most revered military heroes in the United States have the distinct honor of presenting America’s most prestigious civilian awards, the image of these figures from the Tomb, have been placed on the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors medals themselves.

The selection of the Citizen Service before Self Honorees and their remarkable stories of hope and courage will be broadcast to the nation on the NBC Today Show on March 26, 2008.

“I, along with all of the living Medal of Honor recipients salute Jencie Fagan, Matthew Miller and Don Schoendorfer,” said Robert Howard, the President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “As Americans, we must realize that the acts of individual citizens can have a tremendous impact on our nation. It is my sincere hope that the selfless acts of these three remarkable citizens, and indeed all of our State Finalist as well, will inspire our fellow citizens towards public service. This unique award honors the true heroes among us.”

Honorary Co-Chairs of Above & Beyond Citizen Honors include former Presidents Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, and General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.). David McIntyre, President and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance serves as Event Chairman.

The primary sponsor of the 2008 Above & Beyond initiative is TriWest Healthcare Alliance, with additional support provided by the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, October 26, 2007 

President Bill Clinton confirms as Above & Beyond Honorary Co-Chair 

New York, N.Y., October 24, 2007 – The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which is solely comprised of fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor Recipients, is proud to announce that President Bill Clinton has joined President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) as an Honorary Co-Chair of their Above & Beyond broadcast which will showcase their Above & Beyond Citizen Honors.

The Society, recently launched Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, their non-partisan “Service before Self” initiative and annual broadcast, which will identify and honor those ordinary Americans who have become extraordinary through their selflessness. “We are pleased and proud that President Bill Clinton has joined with President George H.W. Bush and General Colin Powell as an Honorary Chair of our Above & Beyond initiative,” said Paul Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and Above & Beyond designate from the Society. “This sends a clear message that regardless of one’s political persuasions, Americans will unite and work together to celebrate unsung heroes in uniform or out, who go above and beyond for others.”

With just two months left before the December 16 nominating deadline, Presidents Clinton, Bush, and General Powell are urging all Americans to nominate their fellow citizens for the nation’s most prestigious civilian award for service. Anyone can nominate a fellow citizen—now through December 16 at www.aboveandbeyond365.com.

The Above & Beyond awards will be presented annually to three American civilians at a gala awards ceremony at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC and broadcast on national television on Medal of Honor Day.

After a nationwide search and selection process for the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, the Society will select 50 Finalists to represent their respective states. From these remarkable Americans, the Society will announce three Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients at the Medal of Honor Day ceremony in March, 2008, and their remarkable stories of hope and courage will be broadcast to the nation and to the men and women in uniform serving around the world.

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, October 26, 2007 

Lockheed Martin Supports Above & Beyond 

(New York, N.Y.) – The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, comprised of fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor Recipients, has announced that technology and aerospace leader Lockheed Martin Corporation has become a sponsor of their new Above & Beyond Public Service initiative, which will feature the presentation of the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors – the nation’s most prestigious civilian awards. The non-partisan Above & Beyond Citizen Honors initiative honors the men and women in uniform, and also identifies and honors ordinary Americans who have become extraordinary through their acts of selflessness.

“We are honored to join with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society in support of Above & Beyond,” said Bob Stevens – Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. “At Lockheed Martin, we believe that creating a better world starts with selfless acts within our own communities. And what better way to recognize these noble individual deeds than with this unique award.

“After a nationwide nomination process by the American public to identify the heroes in our midst for the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors , through online balloting at www.aboveandbeyond365.com , the Congressional Medal of Honor Society will select 50 Finalists to represent their respective states. From these remarkable Americans, the Society will announce three Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients at the National Medal of Honor Day ceremony in March, 2008, and their remarkable stories of hope and courage will be broadcast to the nation and to the men and women in uniform serving around the world from Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

Honorary Co-Chairs of Above & Beyond Citizen Honors include former Presidents Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, and General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.).

“We are delighted to have the Lockheed Martin Corporation as a sponsor of the Above & Beyond initiative,” said Paul Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and Above & Beyond designate from the Society. “Lockheed Martin has a tradition of working together to build and support the best products and technology that represent our nation. And now they are stepping forward to support the best among us, celebrating unsung heroes throughout the nation, who go above and beyond for others.

“Above & Beyond, co-created by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and EPOP International, is historic, as it is the first time all of the living Medal of Honor recipients have banded together to create a national platform to promote “Service before Self.” The Above & Beyond Citizen Honors are unique, because they are presented to unsung heroes by our nation’s most honored heroes, all of the living Medal of Honor recipients. Lockheed Martin joins the TriWest Healthcare Alliance as a sponsor of Above & Beyond.

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, October 9, 2007 

Above & Beyond Announced on Steps of Lincoln Memorial 

Washington, D.C. October 9, 2007 — The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which is solely comprised of fewer than 100 living Medal of Honor recipients, Honorary Co-chairs Former President George H.W. Bush, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), members of the 110th Congress announced Above & Beyond, the Society’s non-partisan “Service before Self” initiative and annual broadcast, and called upon the American public to nominate their fellow citizens for the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, at a press conference today on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in honor of the President who created the Medal of Honor. On hand to support the Society and their Above & Beyond initiative included NFL great Tiki Barber, former Senator Sam Nunn, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy H.C. Barnum, Jr., Senator Ken Salazar (D-Co) and Congressman Henry Brown (R-SC).

Above & Beyond, co-created by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and EPOP International, with initial funding from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, is historic, as it is the first time all of the living Medal of Honor recipients have banded together to create a national platform to promote “Service before Self.” At the heart of the initiative is the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, which recognize and honor those ordinary Americans who become extraordinary through their selflessness. The Above & Beyond Citizen Honors are unique, because they are presented to unsung heroes by our nation’s most honored heroes, all of the living Medal of Honor recipients themselves.

The live event hosted by Brian Williams and orchestrated by Louis J. Horvitz, the Emmy winning Director of The Academy Awards, with Emmy Award winning producers Nancy Stern and Lisa Lax from Lookalike Productions, will be taped on National Medal of Honor Day, March 25, 2008, at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The show will include our nation’s leaders, dignitaries, and celebrities.  There will be musical performances and short documentary films that outline dramatic Medal of Honor recipient stories and remote performances by world renowned comedians, musicians and celebrities from remote venues such as Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq. Above & Beyond will be edited and broadcast to the nation on March 30, 2008 on MSNBC, and internationally on The Armed Forces Network, where it will be seen by all service members and their families stationed overseas, including every ship in the United States Navy. This star-studded evening will include a range of performers and participants such as Multi platinum artists Toby Keith, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Harvey Keitel, and Gary Sinise.

“We hope that this unique honor will help establish, support and recognize the profound notion that within each and every person lies the potential to challenge one’s own destiny and change the world.” said Paul Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and Above & Beyond designate from the Society. “The Medal of Honor recipients are ordinary people who, one time in their lives, faced circumstances when they decided that destiny, as they understood it to be, was unacceptable. They found within themselves the potential to literally change fate. This same potential resides in every American and it is worthy of respect and celebration without the need of a medal or a uniform.”

The press conference announced the launch of the annual Above & Beyond Citizen Honors initiative and the Above & Beyond television broadcast spectacular on National Medal of Honor Day on March 25, 2008. Our nation’s greatest heroes encouraged the American public to nominate their fellow citizens who have inspired them through individual stories of courage and service. For additional information on the nomination process, citizens can visit the official Above & Beyond web site at http://www.aboveandbeyond365.com.

In addition to the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, the press conference announced the Above & Beyond Spotlight Honor, which will be awarded to a person of character who has used his or her public spotlight as a platform to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces, and who has selflessly helped those less fortunate.

“It is an honor to represent the Society and their Above & Beyond initiative,” said Honorary Co-Chair General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.). “Through the telling of these heroic stories of American citizens and Medal of Honor recipients, Above & Beyond will seek to remind the nation, especially its youth, that a hero is not necessarily an actor, sports figure or rock star whose worth is measured by ticket sales or fame. Rather, a hero can be someone just like them.”

“I am proud to take part in this announcement and celebration. The Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recognizes the notion that regular Americans – no matter what their background or circumstances – have the potential to change the world through acts of selflessness and courage,” said Honorary Co-Chair & Former President George H.W. Bush. “I believe that the determination and selflessness of these ordinary American citizens who will be celebrated and saluted by our nation’s greatest heroes, will guide, inspire and help unite us as Americans, as we move into the next century.”

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with the Society to build this historic initiative on the foundation of the Medal of Honor and Abraham Lincoln who created it. By identifying and celebrating unsung heroes across this nation, they are, in the words of President Lincoln, appealing to ‘the better angels of our nature,’” said David Clark, Chief Executive Officer of EPOP International and Co-creator and Executive Producer of Above & Beyond.

“The Medal of Honor and those who wear it represent the values of courage, sacrifice and selfless service,” added David J. McIntyre, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of TriWest Healthcare Alliance and founding sponsor of Above & Beyond. “Through their Above & Beyond initiative, these men will lead the way as perhaps no other can, so all Americans begin to understand and value those who put others before themselves.

After a nationwide search and selection process for the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors, the Society will select 50 Finalists to represent their respective states. From these remarkable Americans, the Society will announce three Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients at the show, and their remarkable stories of hope and courage will be broadcast to the nation.

To highlight this national selection process, each of the 50 Above & Beyond Citizen Honors Finalists will be invited to the Above & Beyond Gala in Washington, D.C. to represent their state. Prior to the televised show, short videos on each of the 50 finalists will be available on the Above & Beyond website, along with extended video packages of the three Above & Beyond Citizen Honors recipients.

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, March 25, 2007 

National Medal of Honor Day Announced 

The first Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest award for valor, was presented on March 25, 1863. In recognition of this esteemed decoration’s values and its recipients, the 110th Congress has passed, by a unanimous vote, a concurrent resolution to declare March 25 National Medal of Honor Day.

To celebrate this historic occasion and announce National Medal of Honor Day to the nation, a photographic exhibition entitled “Visions of Valor” by renowned photographer Nick Del Calzo, was unveiled in the Russell Rotunda. Dignitaries, along with prominent members of Congress and the military, were on hand to celebrate and salute the 31 living Medal of Honor recipients in attendance.

“We are thrilled that Congress has recognized the important legacy of recipients of the Medal of Honor and of all members of the Armed Forces,” said Nick Kehoe, President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. “An annual, national day of recognition is an excellent way to remember these American heroes and foster public appreciation for the important values these veterans represent.”

“The Medal of Honor and those who wear it represent the values of courage, sacrifice, selfless service and patriotism,” added David J. McIntyre, Jr., President and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance and a member of the Foundation’s board of directors. “We’ve encouraged Congress to recognize these brave Americans with a day of reflection because it helps all of us appreciate the extraordinary sacrifices made by those who serve, as well as their families, in order to secure freedom for all.”

ABOVE & BEYOND NEWS, March 24, 2007

Sunday marks first Medal of Honor Day 

By Leo Shane III

WASHINGTON — Vietnam veteran Gary Littrell doesn’t have any events or speeches planned for Sunday, the first national Medal of Honor Day. He hopes this is the last time it’s a relaxing day for him.

“I hope that every 25th of March from this day forward I’m in a school, or at a Boy Scout or Girl Scout event, or a junior ROTC event,” said Littrell, a 1973 recipient of the award and President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “I hope I can help educate our youth … foster patriotism and inspire our youth to become worthy citizens.”

Littrell spoke Wednesday at a Capitol Hill reception to celebrate Congress’ designation of the new national day of recognition. The medal is the highest military honor.

The event drew 31 Medal of Honor recipients together, including the oldest living honoree: retired sailor John Finn, who manned an anti-aircraft gun in an exposed parking lot during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

“I never dreamed I would be awarded the medal,” the 97-year-old veteran said. “I was a little curly-haired boy when I enlisted in the Navy in 1926 … I could never conceive all of the attention and adulations that all of us medal recipients receive.”

Finn said when the attack began he rushed to man the machine gun because he knew every man needed to react quickly. He said he hopes today’s troops take that lesson to heart.

Fewer than 100 medal recipients are living today, and fewer than 3,500 people have received our nation’s highest honor for combat – the Medal of Honor. Two have been awarded for actions in Iraq, both posthumously: Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham died after diving on a grenade to save his fellow troops, while Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith was killed while protecting his troops as they evacuated wounded soldiers from the battlefield.

“All of us (medal recipients) were just out there trying to do the best we could for our fellow troops on the ground,” said Ronald Ray, who as a soldier in Vietnam survived a grenade blast to lead his troops out of an ambush.

“The message is, as long as you protect each other and work to complete your mission, things will turn out right.”

Other medal holders echoed that sentiment, noting that their one day of heroism was a reflection of years of military training and preparation.

The first Medals of Honor were awarded 144 years ago Sunday to six Union soldiers who traveled nearly 200 miles into Confederate territory to steal a train in a railway sabotage attempt.