Honoring Our Veterans With The Medal of Honor

Some veterans have been overlooked for the Medal of Honor because they were African American, Hispanic, or Jewish.  This Tuesday, President Obama rewarded twenty-four veterans the Medal of Honor in an emotional ceremony. This ceremony was the culmination of  a fifty year long campaign of Korean War veteran Mitchel Libman, eighty-three years old, to procure the highest honor for his childhood friend, who he believed had been denied the honor simply because he was Jewish. THis ceremony reminds us of one of the thing s which makes America special. Here in America, we confront the imperfections from the sometimes painful past.  In 2002, the Pentagon reviewed the list of those considered for the medal, and decided that nineteen of the candidates had been denied due to racial prejudice.  Out of the whole twenty-four veterans being honored, only three are still alive. All three of these veterans served in the Vietnam War: Melvin Morris, a former Green Beret;  Santiago J. Erevia; and Jose Rodela, who served as a Special Forces commander.  During the ceremony, daughters, sons, and grandchildren heard stories of heroism: destroying an enemy tunnel with TNT while under fire, clambering on top of a tank to take it out, and getting fallen comrades even when it meant certain death. These veterans have been living a quiet life after the war, and this award ceremony is a fitting tribute to the wonderful service they gave to our country.  Thank you, veterans!