Today the Medal of Honor was awarded to Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith. Very few of these medals are ever awarded; they're specifically "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force."
Outnumbered and exposed, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith stayed at his machine gun, beating back an advancing Iraqi force until a bullet took his life.
Smith is credited with protecting the lives of scores of lightly armed American soldiers who were beyond his position in the battle, on April 4, 2003, near the gates of Baghdad International Airport.
Sgt Smith's son accepted the Medal of Honor as Smith was killed in action.
CNN and Yahoo are carrying stories about the presentation.
Wikipedia has more on Sgt Smith. The Army has a page listing all known citations for the Medal of Honor.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
teerox:
Wow! I don't know what to say, except if you have to go, I suppose that's they way to do it. I feel for his family though. That medal is never going to bring that poor kids dad back.
teerox:
Where have you been? We're missing you. So I was checking out your pics.....and I saw your bum. hehe
