Washington: President Joe Biden on Friday recognized exceptional acts of valor and service by awarding the Medal of Honor to seven veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars and the Medal of Valor to eight law enforcement officers for their extraordinary courage.
Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to seven veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars https://t.co/G3RkeRhcHv pic.twitter.com/q2iXEPNGNc
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 4, 2025
Honoring Nashville Heroes
Among the recipients of the Medal of Valor—the nation’s highest award for public safety officers—were five members of the Nashville Police Department. These officers responded to the tragic Covenant School shooting in March 2023, where six lives were lost in an attack carried out by a former student.
During a ceremony in the Oval Office, initially planned as private but later opened to the press, Biden praised the officers for their bravery. “What they did is amazing. They literally put their lives at risk,” he said, adding, “You’re the best that America has to offer.”
Recognizing Military Valor
Later that evening, Biden presented the Medal of Honor, one of the military’s most esteemed decorations, to seven veterans in the White House’s East Room. Speaking about the privilege of leading the U.S. armed forces, Biden remarked, “It’s been the greatest honor of my life to be entrusted with the greatest fighting force in the history of the world, and the finest military in the history of the world.”
Kenneth J. David, a Vietnam War veteran and former radio-telephone operator, was the only living recipient of the Medal of Honor at the ceremony. Biden described him as a “flat-out straight-up American hero.”
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David’s actions during a May 1970 battle in Vietnam included selflessly distracting enemy forces to protect his company and rescuing wounded soldiers at great personal risk. Despite sustaining injuries himself, David’s courage saved countless lives. His bravery earned a standing ovation as Biden placed the Medal of Honor around his neck.
The six other veterans honored received the Medal of Honor posthumously, with their families accepting the awards on their behalf.
