Not from the GWOT - a Vietnam War catch-up.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
September 3, 2010
President Obama to Award Medal of Honor
On September 21, President Barack Obama will award Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, U.S. Air Force, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Chief Etchberger will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on March 11, 1968 in the country of Laos. He displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor - deliberately exposing himself to enemy fire in order to place his three surviving wounded comrades in the rescue slings permitting them to be airlifted to safety. As he was finally being rescued, he was fatally wounded by enemy ground fire. Chief Etchberger's sons, Cory Etchberger, Richard Etchberger and Steve Wilson will join the President at the White House to commemorate their father’s example of selfless service and sacrifice.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
Richard (Dick) L. Etchberger served in the United States Air Force from 1951 – 1968. Born in Hamburg, Pennsylvania on March 5, 1933, he was inspired to join the military due to his brother Bob enlisting in the Navy in early 1946. Upon joining the USAF on August 31, 1951, he proved to have a high aptitude in electronics and began long list of training and assignments that he would undergo to become a master in his career field. On April 1, 1967, he was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant. He held assignments in Mississippi, Utah, Morocco, North Dakota, Philippines, Illinois and the Republic of Vietnam.
Aside from that, I think about all I'm gonna say on this is, "Hmmmmm..." No sense in muddying the occasion with speculation on political motivation or the posthumous trend. We all have our takes, and rehashing them won't change a thing.
Having to wait forty years for that award -- even of the MoH -- is...I won't say it.
I would have thought that a Medal of Honor would merit more than a press release from the "office of the Press Secretary" dropped on the Friday night of a long weekend. That is the customary tactic for burying bad news that politicians do not want to receive much attention.
He deserved better.
But, at least the leftists did not spit on him or call hiim a baby killer, this time.
Me - I'd much perfer to see Medal presentations done in front of units, rather than at the White House, but that's just me. And may not reflect the views of the people who would get stuck in the formations, waiting for the entourage to arrive.
But, in truth, I'd rather get the Medal from by commander, in front of my buddies, than in the Oval Office - and that would be true of *whoever* the President was. That's not a poltics thing to me.
As Bill said, in Vietnam, and of course now, there are acts of valor every day - some of them even get recognized with an award.