Latest news with #CongressionalMedalofHonorSociety
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Perry Principal Dan Marburger to receive posthumous award from Medal of Honor Recipients
WASHINGTON — The Congressional Medal of Honor Society on Thursday announced that Perry Principal Dan Marburger will be posthumously awarded the Citizen Honors Award by Medal of Honor Recipients. Bonobo at Ape Initiative in Des Moines has died A panel of Medal of Honor Recipients reviewed nominations from around the country and chose five individuals and one non-profit organization to receive the Citizen Honors Award, an award given to those who exemplify the ideals of the Medal of Honor — courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, citizenship, and patriotism. Perry Principal Dan Marburger was one of the five selected to receive the award for his brave and selfless actions during the January 4, 2024 shooting at Perry High School that resulted in the death of himself and sixth-grade student Ahmir Jolliff. The award ceremony will take place in Arlington, Virginia on March 25. Iowa News: Perry Principal Dan Marburger to receive posthumous award from Medal of Honor Recipients WHO 13 Farm Report: Thursday, March 20th Cyclones' Tamin Lipsey optimistic he will be available for first round of March Madness Drake star Bennett Stirtz's dad talks about his son's NCAA tournament debut Officials and advocates gather for Celebrate Iowa's Outdoors Day Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Medal of Honor Month: Harold ‘Hal' Fritz
Harold Arthur Fritz commissioned as an Armor Second Lieutenant through OCS in 1967. While serving as a Platoon Leader in Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, then-First Lieutenant Fritz earned the Medal of Honor for actions near Quan Loi in Vietnam. On January 11, 1969, Fritz led a seven-vehicle armored column on Highway 13 to rendezvous with and escort a truck convoy. Fritz's column was engaged from multiple directions by a reinforced enemy company in prepared ambush positions. At the outbreak of the ambush, Fritz's vehicle was hit and seriously wounded. Despite his wound, the 24-year-old lieutenant leaped atop his burning vehicle to reposition the remainder of his vehicles and organize his men. Without regard for his wound or safety, Fritz exposed himself to enemy fire and ran between vehicles to direct his platoon's fire, assist the wounded, distribute ammunition, and rally his men. When the enemy assaulted the American position to overrun them, Fritz manned a machine gun himself and returned a high volume of fire. Inspired by their PL's actions, the rest of the platoon intensified their own fire to break the assault and route the attack. A second enemy force attacked and closed to within two meters of the American position. Armed with a pistol and bayonet, Fritz led a small group of his men in a fierce and daring counterattack that inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and broke their offensive. When a relief force finally arrived, Fritz saw that they were not deployed effectively against the enemy positions. Moving through enemy fire, he directed their deployment which forced the enemy to withdraw. Despite the intense combat and his wounds, Fritz refused medical attention to assist his men and ensure that his wounded troops were treated and evacuated first. For his actions in Vietnam, Fritz was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Nixon at the White House in March 2, 1971. Fritz went on to serve 27 years in the Army before retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. Beyond his Medal of Honor, Fritz was also awarded the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V device for combat and oak leaf cluster, and Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster. He also served as the President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Born in Chicago, Fritz settled in Peoria, Illinois, where he worked at the Bob Michel VA Clinic. In recognition of Fritz's extensive service, the Peoria County Veterans Assistance Commission was renamed in his honor on November 15, 2024. During the ceremony, Fritz joked about previous honors that didn't last. 'They named a building after me in Germany, but then they closed the base. The Army named a horse after me, but then they sold the horse,' Fritz said at the Peoria VAC. 'Hopefully, this place sticks around longer.' Learn more about the Congressional Medal of Honor Society at or find them on Instagram |Facebook Participate in Medal of Honor Day on March 25 by sharing a recipient's story Support veteran hiring and transition programs in your workplace Teach younger generations about the values of courage, sacrifice, and service Medal of Honor Month isn't just about recognizing history. It's about keeping the mission alive for the future. Observe Medal of Honor March on We Are The Mighty here.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Missing Medal of Honor portrait found in McDowell County
A Medal of Honor recipient's portrait and citation are now out of a courthouse closet and back up on a courthouse wall. The Bluefield Daily Telegraph recently ran a letter to the editor from Ed Rotenberry of Princeton, who was concerned that a portrait and citation honoring McDowell County native Phil McDonald, a McDowell County native and recipient of the Medal of Honor, was missing from its place at the McDowell County Courthouse. Rotenberry had researched McDonald's history and worked to get his portrait in a place of honor. On June 7, 1968, McDonald was serving as a platoon leader in Vietnam when his unit came under heavy fire and volunteered to evacuate two of his fellow soldiers who were wounded. Crawling through intense enemy gunfire, he destroyed an enemy automatic weapon emplacement threatening the evacuation, then returned to his platoon and volunteered to keep providing covering fire while the other soldiers moved from their exposed position. Enemy gunners then concentrated their fire on McDonald. Despite being hit and seriously wounded, McDonald recovered a wounded machine gunner's weapon and kept firing so the wounded soldier could be evacuated. When other soldiers were pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, McDonald crawled to the enemy position and destroyed it with hand grenades. He was mortally wounded during this action. McDonald's sacrifice was recognized in April 1970 during a White House ceremony when President Richard Nixon posthumously presented him with the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor. The award is sometimes called the Congressional Medal of Honor because it was created by Congress, but it is a military award, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Rotenberry said that he requested permission from the McDowell County Commission to hang McDonald's portrait and citation at the McDowell County Courthouse. Both were placed at the courthouse on June 19, 2009. In an article, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph then noted that McDonald is McDowell County's only Medal of Honor recipient. Rotenberry said that he and his wife paid for the portrait and citation. Not long after his letter to the editor was published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Rotenberry called the newspaper and said that McDonald's portrait and citation had been found in a courthouse closet and was once again hanging on a courthouse wall. McDonald is one of two Medal of Honor recipients now memorialized in the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame. The second one is the late Hershel 'Woody' Williams of the Marine Corps. Williams, a native of Marion County, was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on Oct. 5, 1945, for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima, according to the West Virginia Hall of Fame. Williams arrived on the beach of Iwo Jima with 1st Battalion, 21st Marines on Feb. 21, 1945. Two days later, tanks opening up a lane for the infantry were halted by several enemy pillboxes. Williams, armed with a flamethrower and demolition charges and joined by four other Marines, spent four hours destroying the enemy positions so American forces could keep advancing. One Medal of Honor recipient who called Mercer County home isn't currently in the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame, but an interstate bridge now bears his name. His Medal of Honor is on display at the Those Who Served War Museum in Princeton. The display features a painting of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Ira 'Junior' Spurrier being congratulated by Allied Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower. Spurrier was serving in France during World War II when, despite being by himself, he attacked German positions around the French town of Achain. Using captured German weapons and ammunition when Americans ones were not on hand, he drove enemy troops into a barn and then set it on fire. When the battle was over, Spurrier had inflicted 36 causalities on the enemy and captured 32 prisoners. This achievement earned him the nickname 'Task Force Spurrier.' Maybe a portrait hall of fame could be created someday for paintings of all West Virginia's Medal of Honor recipients as well as other outstanding West Virginians such as General Chuck Yeager. It could be a starting point for educating future Mountaineers about the people who came before them and brought honor to the state.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Greg Jordan: Missing Medal of Honor portrait found in McDowell County
Feb. 13—A Medal of Honor recipient's portrait and citation are now out of a courthouse closet and back up on a courthouse wall. The Bluefield Daily Telegraph recently ran a letter to the editor from Ed Rotenberry of Princeton, who was concerned that a portrait and citation honoring McDowell County native Phil McDonald, a McDowell County native and recipient of the Medal of Honor, was missing from its place at the McDowell County Courthouse. Rotenberry had researched McDonald's history and worked to get his portrait in a place of honor. On June 7, 1968, McDonald was serving as a platoon leader in Vietnam when his unit came under heavy fire and volunteered to evacuate two of his fellow soldiers who were wounded. Crawling through intense enemy gunfire, he destroyed an enemy automatic weapon emplacement threatening the evacuation, then returned to his platoon and volunteered to keep providing covering fire while the other soldiers moved from their exposed position. Enemy gunners then concentrated their fire on McDonald. Despite being hit and seriously wounded, McDonald recovered a wounded machine gunner's weapon and kept firing so the wounded soldier could be evacuated. When other soldiers were pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, McDonald crawled to the enemy position and destroyed it with hand grenades. He was mortally wounded during this action. McDonald's sacrifice was recognized in April 1970 during a White House ceremony when President Richard Nixon posthumously presented him with the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor. The award is sometimes called the Congressional Medal of Honor because it was created by Congress, but it is a military award, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Rotenberry said that he requested permission from the McDowell County Commission to hang McDonald's portrait and citation at the McDowell County Courthouse. Both were placed at the courthouse on June 19, 2009. In an article, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph then noted that McDonald is McDowell County's only Medal of Honor recipient. Rotenberry said that he and his wife paid for the portrait and citation. Not long after his letter to the editor was published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Rotenberry called the newspaper and said that McDonald's portrait and citation had been found in a courthouse closet and was once again hanging on a courthouse wall. McDonald is one of two Medal of Honor recipients now memorialized in the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame. The second one is the late Hershel "Woody" Williams of the Marine Corps. Williams, a native of Marion County, was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on Oct. 5, 1945, for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima, according to the West Virginia Hall of Fame. Williams arrived on the beach of Iwo Jima with 1st Battalion, 21st Marines on Feb. 21, 1945. Two days later, tanks opening up a lane for the infantry were halted by several enemy pillboxes. Williams, armed with a flamethrower and demolition charges and joined by four other Marines, spent four hours destroying the enemy positions so American forces could keep advancing. One Medal of Honor recipient who called Mercer County home isn't currently in the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame, but an interstate bridge now bears his name. His Medal of Honor is on display at the Those Who Served War Museum in Princeton. The display features a painting of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Ira "Junior" Spurrier being congratulated by Allied Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower. Spurrier was serving in France during World War II when, despite being by himself, he attacked German positions around the French town of Achain. Using captured German weapons and ammunition when Americans ones were not on hand, he drove enemy troops into a barn and then set it on fire. When the battle was over, Spurrier had inflicted 36 causalities on the enemy and captured 32 prisoners. This achievement earned him the nickname "Task Force Spurrier." Maybe a portrait hall of fame could be created someday for paintings of all West Virginia's Medal of Honor recipients as well as other outstanding West Virginians such as General Chuck Yeager. It could be a starting point for educating future Mountaineers about the people who came before them and brought honor to the state. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
