WASHINGTON, D.C. — Five decades after conducting a daring rescue in Vietnam, retired Lt. Col. Charles Kettles of Ypsilanti, Michigan has been awarded the Medal of Honor: the nation’s highest military honor for valor.
Kettle’s story is so remarkable, that during the presentation ceremony on Monday, President Obama said, “[you can’t] make this up. It’s like a bad Rambo movie.”
After U.S. soldiers were ambushed in Duc Pho in May 1967, Kettles repeatedly returned to the site by helicopter, carrying reinforcements and rescuing the wounded. Constantly under fire, he was credited with saving the lives of 40 soldiers and four members of his unit.
“In spite of the severe damage to his helicopter, Kettles once more skillfully guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety,” the Army said in a statement. “Without his courageous actions and superior flying skills, the last group of soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the battlefield.”
Selflessly, in a video posted by the U.S. Army, Kettles gave all of the credit to everyone else who was there that fateful day.
“I didn’t do it by myself. There were some 74 pilots and crew members involved in this whole mission that day, so it’s not just me,” Kettles said. “The medal is not mine. It’s theirs.”
The full original report can be found on Fox News’ website linked here.
(H/T Fox News)
July 18th, 2016