The Medal of Honor recipients received a hero’s welcome as they stepped off the bus and entered the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. There are 81 medal of honor recipients still alive and 52 made it to the islands for the convention to honor them.
"You gentlemen continue to fill big shoes because you truly are representing something great about this nation," said Gerald Coffee, former prisoner of war in North Vietnam and keynote speaker for the event.
A full military ceremony was held to commemorate their service. While they appreciate the recognition, they’ve come here to celebrate the things that really matter most, their families.
"It takes the family to hold together to keep families strong, to keep the country strong, the nation strong,so in coming together here, we have come to celebrate the family," said Medal of Honor recipient Sammy L. Davis.
The ceremony was marked with the unveiling of the memorial stone for the Congressional Medal Society. It’s a tribute to the military heroes of the past and the future. The Medal of Honor is America’s highest military honor, awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. Fewer than 500 of them have been awarded.
"The Medal of Honor recipients personify the best of American culture, self-reliance and personal responsibility," said Punchbowl Cemetery Director Gene Castagnetti.
The memorial stone will be placed at the cemetery’s memorial walk, where it will seen by more than four million visitors every year.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
