1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:02,590 Good morning ladies and gentlemen , 2 00:00:02,740 --> 00:00:04,962 welcome to the Medal of Honor induction 3 00:00:04,962 --> 00:00:07,140 ceremony in honor of Staff Sergeant 4 00:00:07,150 --> 00:00:09,950 Edward and Kaneshiro posthumously 5 00:00:09,990 --> 00:00:12,760 Specialist five Dwight W . Birdwell 6 00:00:13,140 --> 00:00:16,350 Specialist five Dennis M . Fuji 7 00:00:16,940 --> 00:00:20,070 Major . Retired john J . Duffy , 8 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:22,410 Colonel , Retired ralph Puckett , 9 00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:26,260 junior and Sergeant Major thomas P pain . 10 00:00:27,540 --> 00:00:30,220 Staff Sergeant Kenny shiro posthumously , 11 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,770 Specialist five Birdwell Specialist 12 00:00:32,770 --> 00:00:36,660 five fuji Major , Retired Duffy Colonel , 13 00:00:36,660 --> 00:00:38,870 Retired Pocket junior and Sergeant 14 00:00:38,870 --> 00:00:41,510 Major Pain were presented our nation's 15 00:00:41,510 --> 00:00:44,220 highest and most prestigious award for 16 00:00:44,220 --> 00:00:46,276 valor by the President of the United 17 00:00:46,276 --> 00:00:48,930 States the Medal of Honor . This 18 00:00:48,930 --> 00:00:50,708 morning , they will formally be 19 00:00:50,708 --> 00:00:52,597 inducted into the pentagon's most 20 00:00:52,597 --> 00:00:55,880 sacred place , the Hall of Heroes . Our 21 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,100 official party for today's ceremony 22 00:00:58,110 --> 00:01:00,950 includes the Secretary of Defense , the 23 00:01:00,950 --> 00:01:03,460 honorable Lloyd J . Austin , the 24 00:01:03,460 --> 00:01:05,571 Secretary of the army , the honorable 25 00:01:05,571 --> 00:01:08,180 Christine E . Wilmoth , the chairman of 26 00:01:08,180 --> 00:01:10,180 the Joint Chiefs of Staff General , 27 00:01:10,180 --> 00:01:12,550 Mark A Milley and the Vice Chief of 28 00:01:12,550 --> 00:01:14,990 Staff of the Army . General joseph M . 29 00:01:14,990 --> 00:01:17,990 Martin . Ladies and gentlemen , please 30 00:01:17,990 --> 00:01:20,101 stand for the arrival of the official 31 00:01:20,101 --> 00:01:21,990 party and remain standing for the 32 00:01:21,990 --> 00:01:23,879 singing of our national anthem by 33 00:01:23,879 --> 00:01:25,934 Sergeant , first class Brendan Karen 34 00:01:25,934 --> 00:01:27,712 and the invocation delivered by 35 00:01:27,712 --> 00:01:29,990 chaplain . Major General thomas soldem . 36 00:02:02,540 --> 00:02:05,270 Oh , say . Can you 37 00:02:05,270 --> 00:02:08,370 see by the dawn's 38 00:02:08,370 --> 00:02:11,690 early light What so 39 00:02:11,690 --> 00:02:15,670 proudly we held at the 40 00:02:15,670 --> 00:02:19,060 twilight's last gleaming 41 00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:22,150 whose broad stripes and bright 42 00:02:22,150 --> 00:02:25,910 stars through the para 43 00:02:25,910 --> 00:02:28,840 last fight or the 44 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,810 ramparts we watched were 45 00:02:32,810 --> 00:02:36,760 so gallantly streaming 46 00:02:37,140 --> 00:02:39,760 and the rockets , red 47 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,750 glare . The bombs bursting 48 00:02:43,750 --> 00:02:46,730 in air give 49 00:02:46,730 --> 00:02:50,310 proof through the night 50 00:02:50,500 --> 00:02:53,570 that our flag was still 51 00:02:53,570 --> 00:02:56,960 there . Oh , say . 52 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,320 Does that star spangled 53 00:03:00,330 --> 00:03:02,530 banner yet 54 00:03:02,530 --> 00:03:06,350 wave or the 55 00:03:06,350 --> 00:03:08,580 land of the 56 00:03:08,590 --> 00:03:11,910 Free and the 57 00:03:11,910 --> 00:03:14,780 home of the 58 00:03:14,790 --> 00:03:17,560 brave 59 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,471 ladies and gentlemen , please join me 60 00:03:29,471 --> 00:03:31,582 as we mark this very special ceremony 61 00:03:31,582 --> 00:03:33,830 in a word of prayer . O Lord ! Our 62 00:03:33,830 --> 00:03:36,850 strong tower , defender and ever 63 00:03:36,850 --> 00:03:39,560 present help in time of struggle . You 64 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,560 are the God above all the earth who 65 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,750 trains our hands for war and whose 66 00:03:43,750 --> 00:03:45,861 presence goes with us . In the day of 67 00:03:45,861 --> 00:03:48,770 battle We gather this data nour six 68 00:03:48,770 --> 00:03:51,150 warriors who exemplified humble acts of 69 00:03:51,150 --> 00:03:53,300 courage . Soldiers who are in the 70 00:03:53,300 --> 00:03:55,810 crucible of conflict , committed acts 71 00:03:55,810 --> 00:03:58,110 of extraordinary bravery and courage . 72 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,230 No matter what the personal cost . With 73 00:04:01,230 --> 00:04:03,174 a profound sense of pride , we pay 74 00:04:03,174 --> 00:04:05,286 tribute to the valor of such warriors 75 00:04:05,286 --> 00:04:07,286 who gave so much of themselves in a 76 00:04:07,286 --> 00:04:09,590 moment in time and one who gave the 77 00:04:09,590 --> 00:04:11,870 full measure in this Medal of honor 78 00:04:11,870 --> 00:04:13,870 Hall of Heroes induction ceremony . 79 00:04:14,290 --> 00:04:16,420 They by far represent the best of who 80 00:04:16,420 --> 00:04:19,840 we are as a nation . Today we add Staff 81 00:04:19,840 --> 00:04:21,673 Sergeant Edward , Kenneth Cheryl 82 00:04:22,140 --> 00:04:25,460 Specialist , Dwight Birdwell Specialist , 83 00:04:25,460 --> 00:04:28,960 Dennis Fujii Major , Retired john Duffy , 84 00:04:29,540 --> 00:04:31,707 Colonel , retired Ralph Puckett junior 85 00:04:31,780 --> 00:04:34,080 and Sergeant Major , thomas . Paine to 86 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,247 our nation's conclave of true american 87 00:04:36,247 --> 00:04:38,358 heroes for their boldness , sacrifice 88 00:04:38,358 --> 00:04:40,400 and bravery . They understood the 89 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,050 hazards of their chosen profession yet 90 00:04:43,050 --> 00:04:45,106 upheld it with honor , integrity and 91 00:04:45,106 --> 00:04:47,560 selfless service . Each of these men , 92 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,727 when faith was danger and overwhelming 93 00:04:49,727 --> 00:04:52,160 odds in the throes of combat drew from 94 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,327 your almighty strength of heart , soul 95 00:04:54,327 --> 00:04:56,049 and spirit and made courageous 96 00:04:56,049 --> 00:04:58,216 decisions . Built on the foundation of 97 00:04:58,216 --> 00:05:00,438 their love and devotion to their fellow 98 00:05:00,438 --> 00:05:02,716 soldiers . Their leaders , the mission , 99 00:05:02,716 --> 00:05:04,990 the army and their nation . We thank 100 00:05:04,990 --> 00:05:07,157 the families who have faithfully stood 101 00:05:07,157 --> 00:05:09,157 alongside their soldier . Those who 102 00:05:09,157 --> 00:05:11,268 carry the memory of their loved one . 103 00:05:11,268 --> 00:05:13,212 Friends and teammates who are here 104 00:05:13,212 --> 00:05:15,212 today and others in spirit to honor 105 00:05:15,212 --> 00:05:17,101 these great american soldiers and 106 00:05:17,101 --> 00:05:18,879 heroes , bless our nation . The 107 00:05:18,879 --> 00:05:20,823 Department of Defense , the United 108 00:05:20,823 --> 00:05:23,050 States Army with women and men of 109 00:05:23,050 --> 00:05:25,272 character , courage and commitment like 110 00:05:25,272 --> 00:05:27,050 these may the beacon of liberty 111 00:05:27,050 --> 00:05:29,217 continue to burn bright for our nation 112 00:05:29,217 --> 00:05:31,272 and freedom loving people around the 113 00:05:31,272 --> 00:05:33,272 world . I pray these things in your 114 00:05:33,272 --> 00:05:35,450 holy majestic and mighty name . Amen . 115 00:05:37,340 --> 00:05:38,396 Please be seated . 116 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:44,430 Ladies and gentlemen , the Vice Chief 117 00:05:44,430 --> 00:05:45,708 of Staff of the Army . 118 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,107 Well , good morning everybody 119 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,290 to the Kaneshiro family Judge 120 00:06:12,290 --> 00:06:16,220 Birdwell and family Mr Fujii 121 00:06:16,230 --> 00:06:19,750 and family Major Duffy and Family . 122 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,760 Lieutenant Colonel Retired mrs locke 123 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,640 and started major pain and family . 124 00:06:25,940 --> 00:06:29,160 Thank you all for being here today . 125 00:06:30,940 --> 00:06:32,996 Thank you also to the Medal of Honor 126 00:06:32,996 --> 00:06:36,240 recipient Mr James Mclaughlin and Gold 127 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,390 Star . Family member Miss Jane Horton 128 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,560 who have joined us today , Secretary 129 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,810 Austin , Secretary War Meth it's an 130 00:06:44,810 --> 00:06:46,754 honor to share the podium with you 131 00:06:46,754 --> 00:06:50,460 today . Senator ernst , General Milley , 132 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,230 General Shinseki , General Mccaffrey 133 00:06:54,350 --> 00:06:56,710 and all other distinguished attendees . 134 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,060 Welcome to today's induction ceremony . 135 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,280 We're here today to recognise six 136 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:04,450 Incredible American soldiers for acts 137 00:07:04,450 --> 00:07:07,580 of heroism . But first I want to take a 138 00:07:07,580 --> 00:07:10,630 moment to set the scene . It's almost 139 00:07:10,630 --> 00:07:12,852 impossible to describe the brutality of 140 00:07:12,852 --> 00:07:16,560 battle . It is chaotic , confusing , 141 00:07:16,940 --> 00:07:19,750 exhausting and unrestrained 142 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,270 in these particular battles . The enemy 143 00:07:23,270 --> 00:07:26,040 who would close the enemy was close and 144 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,650 overwhelming , death was imminent . 145 00:07:30,540 --> 00:07:34,330 Yet These six men took action . They 146 00:07:34,330 --> 00:07:35,997 invigorated the fight against 147 00:07:35,997 --> 00:07:37,941 overwhelming violence and provided 148 00:07:37,941 --> 00:07:40,540 clarity to their comrades in moments of 149 00:07:40,550 --> 00:07:44,380 utter chaos . You will hear 150 00:07:44,390 --> 00:07:46,920 more details about the actions of from 151 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,087 the other speakers , but what I'd like 152 00:07:49,087 --> 00:07:51,253 to do is highlight a couple of witness 153 00:07:51,253 --> 00:07:53,740 perspectives that stood out to me as I 154 00:07:53,740 --> 00:07:57,270 reviewed these packets In the Kim Song 155 00:07:57,270 --> 00:07:59,730 Valley , soldiers from Troop C , first 156 00:07:59,730 --> 00:08:01,952 of the 9th cavalry were ambushed by the 157 00:08:01,952 --> 00:08:04,360 enemy from a from a camouflage trench . 158 00:08:04,940 --> 00:08:06,996 They were pinned down by machine gun 159 00:08:06,996 --> 00:08:09,510 fire , unable to fall back and evacuate 160 00:08:09,510 --> 00:08:11,510 the wounded . They watched 161 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,860 incredulously as Staff Sergeant 162 00:08:13,870 --> 00:08:17,400 Kaneshiro alone and unstoppable 163 00:08:17,410 --> 00:08:19,410 jumped into the trench , cleared it 164 00:08:19,410 --> 00:08:21,410 with a rifle in six hand grenades , 165 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:23,729 they said they could see his head 166 00:08:23,729 --> 00:08:26,800 bobbing along at times just 10 m away , 167 00:08:26,810 --> 00:08:29,750 popping out or popping out to shout 168 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,980 grenade before he threw his rounds , 169 00:08:33,940 --> 00:08:37,850 One man assaulted his one man assault 170 00:08:38,340 --> 00:08:40,750 ended their destruction 171 00:08:42,940 --> 00:08:44,996 at an air base outside of Saigon , A 172 00:08:44,996 --> 00:08:47,162 sergeant who had been blown out of his 173 00:08:47,162 --> 00:08:49,329 track by an RPG and was mobilized in a 174 00:08:49,329 --> 00:08:51,830 nearby ditched , watched as the Viet 175 00:08:51,830 --> 00:08:54,490 Cong and the North Vietnamese army 176 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:57,730 soldiers advanced towards him , but 177 00:08:57,730 --> 00:09:00,560 every time they did As they approached , 178 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:02,671 they were thwarted by specialist five 179 00:09:02,671 --> 00:09:04,380 birdwell who was laying down 180 00:09:04,390 --> 00:09:07,050 devastating fires from his tanks guns . 181 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,270 Sergeant smith described Birdwell 182 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,880 sitting exposed and fearlessly in the 183 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,450 tanks , hats surrounded by a cloud of 184 00:09:15,450 --> 00:09:17,750 paint chips from the enemy's rounds 185 00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:20,210 hitting around him . Specialist Bird 186 00:09:20,210 --> 00:09:22,380 Wells actions saved many lives , 187 00:09:22,390 --> 00:09:26,070 including Sergeant Smith's in the 188 00:09:26,070 --> 00:09:27,910 mountains of Laos . Forward air 189 00:09:27,910 --> 00:09:29,577 controllers were supporting a 190 00:09:29,577 --> 00:09:31,799 Vietnamese ranger group that was nearly 191 00:09:31,799 --> 00:09:33,966 overrun . They took direction from the 192 00:09:33,966 --> 00:09:36,188 lone american on the ground , A medevac 193 00:09:36,188 --> 00:09:40,060 crew chief Specialist five fuji 194 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,840 who crash landed and repeatedly waved 195 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,630 off evacuation due to the onslaught of 196 00:09:45,630 --> 00:09:49,390 enemy fires . Specialist five . He 197 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,120 had been under continuous fire for days 198 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,530 and had lost a lot of blood but seemed 199 00:09:54,540 --> 00:09:57,160 inexhaustible to the men on the radio . 200 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,784 He continuously exposed himself to 201 00:09:59,784 --> 00:10:02,400 fires to pinpoint enemy locations and 202 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,890 he remains steady and composed as he 203 00:10:04,890 --> 00:10:06,960 relayed highly accurate targeting 204 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,950 information and when american crews 205 00:10:09,950 --> 00:10:11,894 arrived on station to evacuate the 206 00:10:11,894 --> 00:10:14,117 remainder of the Vietnamese battalion , 207 00:10:14,140 --> 00:10:17,050 Major Duffy was advising , They were 208 00:10:17,050 --> 00:10:20,980 amazed . It seemed unfathomable 209 00:10:20,980 --> 00:10:23,440 that some 40 men with no food water or 210 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:25,607 ammunition could still be alive amidst 211 00:10:25,607 --> 00:10:27,830 the swarm of enemy fighters . It was 212 00:10:27,830 --> 00:10:30,090 Major Duffy's many heroic acts , 213 00:10:30,090 --> 00:10:32,340 including calling for strikes on his 214 00:10:32,350 --> 00:10:35,180 own position to allow his battalion to 215 00:10:35,180 --> 00:10:38,560 retreat that enabled the escape . Major 216 00:10:38,560 --> 00:10:40,782 Duffy's Vietnamese brothers , including 217 00:10:40,782 --> 00:10:43,004 Lieutenant Colonel Lee who is here with 218 00:10:43,004 --> 00:10:45,227 us today , credit him with saving their 219 00:10:45,227 --> 00:10:48,060 battalion from complete annihilation 220 00:10:48,740 --> 00:10:51,018 according to Lieutenant or Colonel lee . 221 00:10:51,018 --> 00:10:54,630 He appeared to be fearless many years 222 00:10:54,630 --> 00:10:56,940 before in the biting cold near the 223 00:10:56,940 --> 00:10:59,150 changchun river in Korea . Then 224 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,550 Lieutenant Pocket jumped off his tank 225 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,220 which was halted by enemy fired as he 226 00:11:05,220 --> 00:11:07,740 shouted , Let's go rangers ! As he led 227 00:11:07,740 --> 00:11:10,450 his company on foot towards hill 205 228 00:11:11,340 --> 00:11:13,284 when one of the many platoons were 229 00:11:13,284 --> 00:11:15,118 suppressed by machine gun fire , 230 00:11:15,118 --> 00:11:17,173 Colonel Puckett ran into the open to 231 00:11:17,173 --> 00:11:19,118 draw fire and allow his rangers to 232 00:11:19,118 --> 00:11:21,910 locate the gunner . two times he ran 233 00:11:21,910 --> 00:11:24,650 across the field and still in good 234 00:11:24,650 --> 00:11:27,400 humor shouted , okay , I'm only gonna 235 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,380 do this one more time . Colonel Pollard 236 00:11:30,390 --> 00:11:33,180 corporal Pollack Watch described him as 237 00:11:33,180 --> 00:11:36,770 the bravest man he ever saw . Then 238 00:11:37,110 --> 00:11:39,900 decades later , Northern Iraq Sergeant 239 00:11:39,900 --> 00:11:41,844 Major Payne and his team entered a 240 00:11:41,844 --> 00:11:43,980 building that was burning to rescue 241 00:11:43,980 --> 00:11:46,750 hostages from an ISIS compound . The 242 00:11:46,750 --> 00:11:49,530 smoke was thick and the air was 243 00:11:49,530 --> 00:11:52,870 suppressive li hot so in major pain 244 00:11:52,870 --> 00:11:55,220 call called for a bolt cutter and 245 00:11:55,220 --> 00:11:57,442 exposed himself to enemy fire as he cut 246 00:11:57,442 --> 00:11:59,730 the locks and freed the hostages . The 247 00:11:59,730 --> 00:12:01,508 call came that the building was 248 00:12:01,508 --> 00:12:03,397 collapsing but sorry , major pain 249 00:12:03,397 --> 00:12:05,508 stayed to assist the fleeing people . 250 00:12:05,508 --> 00:12:07,730 As he finally exited the building , his 251 00:12:07,730 --> 00:12:09,897 teammates heard him shout , Last man , 252 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,296 he was helping the final hostage who 253 00:12:12,296 --> 00:12:15,330 had been immobilized by despair . Help 254 00:12:15,330 --> 00:12:17,441 us find him find his way to freedom . 255 00:12:18,340 --> 00:12:22,160 Beacons of hope in a storm of despair . 256 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,460 It's almost inconceivable to imagine 257 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,210 how any person could act the way these 258 00:12:28,210 --> 00:12:30,870 men did . So what drove them ? The 259 00:12:30,870 --> 00:12:34,140 answer in these stories tells us these 260 00:12:34,140 --> 00:12:36,290 men exhibited unbelievable courage , 261 00:12:36,290 --> 00:12:38,401 Strength of will and selflessness out 262 00:12:38,401 --> 00:12:41,730 of love for their fellow man . What a 263 00:12:41,730 --> 00:12:44,910 testament to human potential . These 264 00:12:44,910 --> 00:12:47,077 soldiers now have a venerated place in 265 00:12:47,077 --> 00:12:49,480 american law and forever will represent 266 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,647 the greatness of our country and those 267 00:12:51,647 --> 00:12:53,680 who serve it . They will inspire 268 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:55,847 generations of service members who are 269 00:12:55,847 --> 00:12:58,013 looking for clarity as they face their 270 00:12:58,013 --> 00:13:00,236 own battles . And these stories will be 271 00:13:00,236 --> 00:13:02,347 a shining example of what the band of 272 00:13:02,347 --> 00:13:04,930 brothers and sisters can compel young 273 00:13:04,930 --> 00:13:07,450 people to believe or be 274 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,160 today . We use the phrase Army Strong . 275 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,230 These men epitomize that phrase in the 276 00:13:15,230 --> 00:13:17,341 face of terror . They were pillars of 277 00:13:17,341 --> 00:13:20,660 strength , endurance of love that is 278 00:13:20,660 --> 00:13:23,210 army strong . Their stories will always 279 00:13:23,210 --> 00:13:25,432 be a reminder of the potential strength 280 00:13:25,432 --> 00:13:27,599 of the american soldier . So next time 281 00:13:27,599 --> 00:13:30,150 you hear someone say Army Strong , I'd 282 00:13:30,150 --> 00:13:34,030 ask you to think of them . Thank 283 00:13:34,030 --> 00:13:36,670 you gentlemen and your families for 284 00:13:36,670 --> 00:13:39,630 your service and unbelievable sacrifice . 285 00:13:39,630 --> 00:13:41,519 Two years . Country Army Strong . 286 00:13:52,540 --> 00:13:54,810 Thank you . General Martina Ladies and 287 00:13:54,810 --> 00:13:57,260 gentlemen , the Secretary of the Army , 288 00:14:10,740 --> 00:14:13,630 Good morning everyone and welcome to 289 00:14:13,630 --> 00:14:16,810 our distinguished guests to our Medal 290 00:14:16,810 --> 00:14:19,220 of Honor recipients , to their families 291 00:14:19,220 --> 00:14:21,490 and their friends . It's wonderful to 292 00:14:21,490 --> 00:14:23,268 have you with us this morning . 293 00:14:23,268 --> 00:14:25,730 Secretary Austin . General Milley , 294 00:14:25,740 --> 00:14:27,962 thank you so much for being with us and 295 00:14:27,962 --> 00:14:29,907 thank you all of our distinguished 296 00:14:29,907 --> 00:14:31,907 guests who are too numerous to name 297 00:14:31,907 --> 00:14:34,290 today . We honor six Medal of honor 298 00:14:34,290 --> 00:14:37,410 recipients . Staff Sergeant Kenichiro 299 00:14:37,420 --> 00:14:40,850 Specialist five Birdwell Major Retired 300 00:14:40,850 --> 00:14:44,420 Duffy Colonel Puckett Specialist , five 301 00:14:44,550 --> 00:14:47,960 G . Each of whom fought either in 302 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,580 Vietnam in Korea and Sergeant Major 303 00:14:50,580 --> 00:14:53,610 Payne who fought in Iraq . We honor 304 00:14:53,610 --> 00:14:56,130 these men as soldiers of the world's 305 00:14:56,140 --> 00:14:58,740 greatest land fighting force who went 306 00:14:58,750 --> 00:15:01,520 above and beyond the call of duty . We 307 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,940 honor their families . We honor their 308 00:15:03,940 --> 00:15:07,190 heroism and sacrifice and we honor each 309 00:15:07,190 --> 00:15:10,650 of them as individuals as beloved sons , 310 00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:13,560 husbands , fathers and grandfathers . 311 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,610 Our country calls upon soldiers of the 312 00:15:16,610 --> 00:15:19,000 United States Army to fight and win our 313 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,650 nation's wars . Our soldiers go 314 00:15:21,650 --> 00:15:23,950 willingly with courage and honor to 315 00:15:23,950 --> 00:15:26,550 defend our country , our democracy and 316 00:15:26,550 --> 00:15:28,900 our national interests . The six 317 00:15:28,900 --> 00:15:31,011 individuals that we're inducting into 318 00:15:31,011 --> 00:15:33,790 the Hall of Heroes today did just that 319 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,390 and so much more . In the moments that 320 00:15:36,390 --> 00:15:38,650 mattered most , these men made the 321 00:15:38,650 --> 00:15:41,100 choice time and time again to step 322 00:15:41,110 --> 00:15:44,250 forward . They reached deep into their 323 00:15:44,250 --> 00:15:47,990 personal reserves of faith values and 324 00:15:47,990 --> 00:15:49,934 training and in the most dangerous 325 00:15:49,934 --> 00:15:52,060 situations they mustered the strength 326 00:15:52,060 --> 00:15:55,080 to prevail duty and devotion to their 327 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,530 fellow soldiers in arms , animated 328 00:15:57,530 --> 00:15:59,770 their selflessness and enabled their 329 00:15:59,780 --> 00:16:03,030 uncommon heroism despite their brave 330 00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:05,252 achievements , some of our soldiers did 331 00:16:05,252 --> 00:16:07,252 not receive the hero's welcome they 332 00:16:07,252 --> 00:16:09,910 deserved when they returned home . As 333 00:16:09,910 --> 00:16:11,799 I'm sure some of the audience can 334 00:16:11,799 --> 00:16:13,820 remember when our soldiers returned 335 00:16:13,820 --> 00:16:15,790 from Vietnam , our country was in 336 00:16:15,790 --> 00:16:18,630 considerable turmoil . Our veterans 337 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,280 often bore the brunt of that political 338 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,030 and social unrest a burden that really 339 00:16:24,030 --> 00:16:26,730 was not theirs to bear . And for many 340 00:16:26,730 --> 00:16:29,050 veterans and heroes of the Vietnam War 341 00:16:29,060 --> 00:16:31,490 including Specialist five Birdwell , 342 00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:33,820 the war went into a box that he would 343 00:16:33,820 --> 00:16:36,750 never open again . So I'm especially 344 00:16:36,750 --> 00:16:38,583 honored this morning to tell you 345 00:16:38,583 --> 00:16:40,750 something , a little , something about 346 00:16:40,750 --> 00:16:42,972 each of our recipients and our heroes . 347 00:16:43,540 --> 00:16:45,762 The first honoree I'd like to introduce 348 00:16:45,762 --> 00:16:48,230 you to is Staff Sergeant Edward Navarro 349 00:16:48,230 --> 00:16:50,750 Kenichiro who received our nation's 350 00:16:50,750 --> 00:16:53,050 highest honor for valor posthumously . 351 00:16:53,060 --> 00:16:55,650 He is represented here today by his 352 00:16:55,650 --> 00:16:58,950 Children , Naomi Tom and retired Master 353 00:16:58,950 --> 00:17:02,170 Sergeant John Kenichiro Edward 354 00:17:02,170 --> 00:17:05,030 Kaneshiro was born to cam and Thoma 355 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,690 Kenichiro in Honolulu Hawaii the eighth 356 00:17:08,700 --> 00:17:12,380 of 16 siblings . He graduated from Lei 357 00:17:12,380 --> 00:17:14,860 lei hula High School , the home of the 358 00:17:14,860 --> 00:17:17,420 mighty mules in central Oahu and he 359 00:17:17,420 --> 00:17:19,460 worked on the family farm until he 360 00:17:19,460 --> 00:17:22,970 joined the army in 1959 . He was 361 00:17:22,970 --> 00:17:26,550 husband to Mitsuko and Dad to Naomi Tom 362 00:17:26,550 --> 00:17:30,060 and John and July 19 and in 363 00:17:30,060 --> 00:17:33,450 July 1966 , he deployed to fight 364 00:17:33,460 --> 00:17:36,030 America's war in Vietnam when his 365 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,880 oldest child was 10 and his youngest 366 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,860 was just four months old . In Vietnam . 367 00:17:41,860 --> 00:17:44,080 Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro was a squad 368 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,580 leader with Troop C first Squadron , 369 00:17:46,590 --> 00:17:49,230 ninth Cavalry Regiment , first Cavalry 370 00:17:49,230 --> 00:17:51,660 Division . He was part of the Blues 371 00:17:51,660 --> 00:17:53,716 unit , a unit that took the fight to 372 00:17:53,716 --> 00:17:56,420 the enemy when photos were drawn out of 373 00:17:56,420 --> 00:17:58,364 their hiding spot . The blues were 374 00:17:58,364 --> 00:18:00,531 called to go in and look for the fight 375 00:18:00,940 --> 00:18:03,430 After repeated acts of extraordinary 376 00:18:03,430 --> 00:18:06,130 courage , he was killed ultimately by 377 00:18:06,140 --> 00:18:09,550 enemy gunfire in March of 1967 . 378 00:18:10,140 --> 00:18:12,120 In the years that followed Staff 379 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:14,930 sergeant Kenichiro son john who is here 380 00:18:14,930 --> 00:18:17,570 today carried on his father's proud 381 00:18:17,570 --> 00:18:19,630 legacy of service to the nation , 382 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,650 joining the army as an N C . O . And he 383 00:18:22,650 --> 00:18:25,810 retired as a master sergeant . I'm told 384 00:18:25,810 --> 00:18:27,866 that it was the shared experience of 385 00:18:27,866 --> 00:18:30,120 wearing the uniform of our nation that 386 00:18:30,120 --> 00:18:32,430 helped bring john closer to the man who 387 00:18:32,430 --> 00:18:34,810 was his father , a man who he did not 388 00:18:34,810 --> 00:18:37,520 get the opportunity to know . Staff 389 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,650 Sergeant Kaneshiro , the son of 390 00:18:39,650 --> 00:18:42,510 Japanese immigrants , was 13 years old 391 00:18:42,510 --> 00:18:44,520 when America was attacked at Pearl 392 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,740 Harbor . We can all only imagine what 393 00:18:47,740 --> 00:18:49,907 it must have been like for him and his 394 00:18:49,907 --> 00:18:52,360 family during that time . And yet he 395 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:54,660 chose to serve our country and go to 396 00:18:54,660 --> 00:18:56,850 war on its behalf . More than 20 years 397 00:18:56,850 --> 00:19:00,510 later Yesterday , he became the 14th 398 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,670 Japanese American recipient of the 399 00:19:02,670 --> 00:19:04,837 Medal of Honor from the Great State of 400 00:19:04,837 --> 00:19:06,980 Hawaii . And his is a story that is 401 00:19:06,980 --> 00:19:09,202 only possible here in the United States 402 00:19:09,202 --> 00:19:12,430 of America . Our second Vietnam war 403 00:19:12,430 --> 00:19:15,360 hero is specialist five Dwight D 404 00:19:15,370 --> 00:19:18,240 Birdwell , a proud son of the Cherokee 405 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,170 nation . Mr Birdwell is a published 406 00:19:21,180 --> 00:19:24,120 author , a former Chief justice of the 407 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:26,560 Cherokee nation Supreme Court and the 408 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,380 33rd native american to receive the 409 00:19:29,380 --> 00:19:31,800 Medal of honor . He met his wife 410 00:19:31,810 --> 00:19:34,320 Virginia also from a Cherokee family 411 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:36,410 when they were still Children while 412 00:19:36,410 --> 00:19:38,521 they had known each other for years . 413 00:19:38,521 --> 00:19:40,466 It was only after he returned from 414 00:19:40,466 --> 00:19:43,380 Vietnam that they fell in love . Mr 415 00:19:43,380 --> 00:19:45,490 Birdwell is father to Edward and 416 00:19:45,490 --> 00:19:47,830 Stephanie father in law to Spike , 417 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:51,720 Bighorn of Montana and pa to his twin 418 00:19:51,730 --> 00:19:54,380 granddaughters , Willow and raven who 419 00:19:54,380 --> 00:19:57,960 are with us today . Mr Birdwell 420 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,140 graduated from Stillwell High School 421 00:20:00,150 --> 00:20:03,910 and in 1966 , at the age of 18 he 422 00:20:03,910 --> 00:20:05,799 enlisted in the regular army as a 423 00:20:05,799 --> 00:20:08,690 private . His first overseas assignment 424 00:20:08,690 --> 00:20:10,880 was to Korea , where he served in the 425 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,600 second Infantry Division Specialist 426 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,030 Five Birdwell then went on to serve in 427 00:20:16,030 --> 00:20:18,790 Vietnam as a gunner with Troop C third 428 00:20:18,790 --> 00:20:20,846 Squadron , fourth Cavalry Regiment , 429 00:20:20,846 --> 00:20:24,430 25th Infantry Division Specialist 430 00:20:24,430 --> 00:20:26,820 Birdwell lived by the Cherokee creed . 431 00:20:26,830 --> 00:20:29,770 Don't bring shame on your ancestors and 432 00:20:29,770 --> 00:20:33,490 on that faithful day , January 433 00:20:33,490 --> 00:20:36,780 31 , 1968 , those words steadied and 434 00:20:36,780 --> 00:20:39,510 sustained him . When Mr Birdwell 435 00:20:39,510 --> 00:20:41,732 returned from Vietnam , he received his 436 00:20:41,732 --> 00:20:43,732 bachelor's degree from Northeastern 437 00:20:43,732 --> 00:20:46,190 State University with the encouragement 438 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,600 of Cherokee nation elders . He pursued 439 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,822 his juris doctorate from the University 440 00:20:50,822 --> 00:20:54,030 of Oklahoma . Many of the soldiers who 441 00:20:54,030 --> 00:20:56,020 fought with him in Vietnam faced 442 00:20:56,020 --> 00:20:58,620 hostility at home for their service and 443 00:20:58,620 --> 00:21:01,580 struggled with ptsD alcoholism and 444 00:21:01,580 --> 00:21:04,240 myriad other health issues . In one of 445 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:06,460 his classes at Northeastern State , a 446 00:21:06,460 --> 00:21:08,500 professor asked those who fought in 447 00:21:08,500 --> 00:21:11,420 Vietnam to raise their hands , although 448 00:21:11,420 --> 00:21:13,430 he knew some would scorn him . He 449 00:21:13,430 --> 00:21:15,760 raised his hand . He was proud to have 450 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,730 served and mr Birdwell , We are so 451 00:21:18,730 --> 00:21:21,160 proud and thankful for your service 452 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,220 Specialist five Dennis M . Fuji . He is 453 00:21:26,220 --> 00:21:29,230 another proud son of Hawaii . He was 454 00:21:29,230 --> 00:21:31,080 born on the island of Kauai and 455 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,500 attended Waimea High School . His 456 00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:35,630 mother's family were rice farmers and 457 00:21:35,630 --> 00:21:37,741 his stepfather was a mechanic for the 458 00:21:37,741 --> 00:21:40,990 Hawaii National Guard . Mr Fuji is 459 00:21:40,990 --> 00:21:43,810 husband to Ray , father to Tiffany and 460 00:21:43,810 --> 00:21:46,410 has a nine month old grandson . He is 461 00:21:46,410 --> 00:21:49,080 an avid fisherman and the 15th japanese 462 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:50,990 american to receive the nation's 463 00:21:50,990 --> 00:21:54,740 highest honor for valor . In 1967 . By 464 00:21:54,740 --> 00:21:56,760 the time specialist five Fuji , he 465 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,220 enlisted in the army as a private . The 466 00:21:59,220 --> 00:22:01,860 Vietnam War was already well underway 467 00:22:01,870 --> 00:22:03,860 and that is where he wanted to be 468 00:22:04,340 --> 00:22:06,510 Specialist Fuji . He deployed to 469 00:22:06,510 --> 00:22:09,790 Vietnam in 1968 where he spent his 470 00:22:09,790 --> 00:22:12,590 first nine months assigned to Company C 471 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,000 Second Battalion , 35th Infantry 472 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,390 Regiment , fourth Infantry Division as 473 00:22:17,390 --> 00:22:19,720 an assistant machine gunner . His 474 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,600 second tour to Vietnam two years later 475 00:22:22,610 --> 00:22:26,330 was with the 237th Medical Detachment , 476 00:22:26,340 --> 00:22:29,640 61st Medical Battalion , 37th Medical 477 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,380 Group reflecting on his time in the 478 00:22:32,380 --> 00:22:34,810 army and his service in Vietnam 479 00:22:34,820 --> 00:22:37,130 Specialist Fuji . He expressed that he 480 00:22:37,130 --> 00:22:40,120 was driven by a desire to do his fair 481 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:43,260 share . While he was deployed friends 482 00:22:43,260 --> 00:22:45,820 and family back home asked him why are 483 00:22:45,820 --> 00:22:48,042 you there , what are you fighting for ? 484 00:22:48,340 --> 00:22:50,660 Specialist Fujii told them that he felt 485 00:22:50,660 --> 00:22:52,870 called to do for his country what it 486 00:22:52,870 --> 00:22:55,450 needed to defend democracy against 487 00:22:55,450 --> 00:22:58,050 communism and to preserve a better life 488 00:22:58,060 --> 00:23:01,410 for the people of Vietnam . Thank you . 489 00:23:01,410 --> 00:23:04,450 Mr Fuji for doing immeasurably more 490 00:23:04,460 --> 00:23:07,900 than your fair share . Our 4th Vietnam 491 00:23:07,900 --> 00:23:11,400 War Hero is major retired John J . 492 00:23:11,410 --> 00:23:14,950 Duffy . Major Duffy is 493 00:23:15,340 --> 00:23:18,770 dad to Natalie and john and baba to 494 00:23:18,770 --> 00:23:21,480 Marcus and Judd . In addition to being 495 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:23,940 one of the most decorated Army veterans 496 00:23:23,950 --> 00:23:27,050 of his generation , he is also a poet , 497 00:23:27,060 --> 00:23:29,830 a Pulitzer prize nominee , a publisher 498 00:23:29,830 --> 00:23:31,960 and the founder of an investment firm 499 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:36,400 In 1955 . At the age of 17 , he aspired 500 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,770 to be a paratrooper and he enlisted in 501 00:23:38,770 --> 00:23:41,690 the army as a private . When asked what 502 00:23:41,690 --> 00:23:44,130 set him on that particular path , he 503 00:23:44,130 --> 00:23:46,130 recalled that his neighbor was a US 504 00:23:46,130 --> 00:23:48,650 Army paratrooper and had very shiny 505 00:23:48,650 --> 00:23:50,950 boots . These boots made quite an 506 00:23:50,950 --> 00:23:53,230 impression on the young john Duffy who 507 00:23:53,230 --> 00:23:55,174 decided that he too would become a 508 00:23:55,174 --> 00:23:58,640 paratrooper . So , at 17.5 , Major 509 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,240 Duffy was not only a fully qualified 510 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,960 paratrooper , but he now had his own 511 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:06,120 pair of boots , a pair that he kept 512 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:09,400 shined to perfection . Major Duffy 513 00:24:09,410 --> 00:24:11,530 prided himself on training . Training 514 00:24:11,530 --> 00:24:14,010 hard as he told me yesterday , he 515 00:24:14,010 --> 00:24:16,980 attended 17 military schools and 516 00:24:16,980 --> 00:24:19,202 received specialized training in things 517 00:24:19,202 --> 00:24:21,313 like forward air control , which came 518 00:24:21,313 --> 00:24:23,790 in very handy during his four tours in 519 00:24:23,790 --> 00:24:27,090 Vietnam . At multiple point in his life 520 00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:29,400 of triumphs and tribulations , he asked 521 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,120 himself , what should I do next , what 522 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:34,480 is the thing I should be doing ? This 523 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:36,650 question led Major Duffy to become a 524 00:24:36,650 --> 00:24:38,650 commissioned officer and then to be 525 00:24:38,650 --> 00:24:40,910 stationed at Fort Bragg serving with 526 00:24:40,910 --> 00:24:43,500 the special Forces . The war in Vietnam 527 00:24:43,500 --> 00:24:45,556 was just beginning and this time for 528 00:24:45,556 --> 00:24:47,667 john Duffy , the next thing to do was 529 00:24:47,667 --> 00:24:50,750 to volunteer to serve in Vietnam . So 530 00:24:50,750 --> 00:24:54,070 in December of 1972 as an advisor to 531 00:24:54,070 --> 00:24:56,270 elite South Vietnamese paratroopers . 532 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:59,300 His job was to call in enemy positions 533 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:01,920 to American air power as the only 534 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,142 american on the ground . He worked hand 535 00:25:04,142 --> 00:25:06,031 in hand with his south Vietnamese 536 00:25:06,031 --> 00:25:08,500 counterpart , Lieutenant Colonel Maley , 537 00:25:08,510 --> 00:25:10,550 who is also with us here today . 538 00:25:11,140 --> 00:25:13,590 Despite the repeated attacks and the 539 00:25:13,590 --> 00:25:15,700 wounds he suffered , Major Duffy 540 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:17,980 persisted . When Lieutenant Colonel Lee 541 00:25:17,980 --> 00:25:20,540 was seriously injured , Duffy led the 542 00:25:20,540 --> 00:25:22,740 remaining defenders on charlie Hill to 543 00:25:22,740 --> 00:25:24,810 safety and his partnership with 544 00:25:24,810 --> 00:25:26,477 Lieutenant Colonel Lee on the 545 00:25:26,477 --> 00:25:28,780 battlefield turned into a lifelong 546 00:25:28,780 --> 00:25:31,580 friendship . After retiring from the 547 00:25:31,580 --> 00:25:34,010 army , john Duffy became a legend in 548 00:25:34,010 --> 00:25:36,330 the special operations community . He 549 00:25:36,330 --> 00:25:38,330 is a founding member of the Special 550 00:25:38,330 --> 00:25:40,470 Operations Association and a life 551 00:25:40,470 --> 00:25:42,470 member of the Special Forces Decade 552 00:25:42,470 --> 00:25:44,980 Association , the legion of valor and 553 00:25:44,980 --> 00:25:47,840 many more . The fifth hero that we're 554 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,600 honoring today is Colonel retired Ralph 555 00:25:50,610 --> 00:25:53,420 Puckett . Junior . Colonel Puckett was 556 00:25:53,420 --> 00:25:55,600 awarded the Medal of Honor in april 557 00:25:55,610 --> 00:25:58,170 2021 I'm delighted that we're 558 00:25:58,170 --> 00:26:00,337 officially able to indict him into the 559 00:26:00,337 --> 00:26:02,780 Hall of Heroes This morning . Colonel 560 00:26:02,780 --> 00:26:05,220 Puckett is a proud son of Georgia . The 561 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:07,510 son of atticus Puckett , husband to 562 00:26:07,510 --> 00:26:10,840 gene Dad to Martha and thomas and known 563 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,660 as Big Daddy to his six grandchildren . 564 00:26:14,140 --> 00:26:16,830 He attended the US Military Academy at 565 00:26:16,830 --> 00:26:19,410 West Point and received his commission 566 00:26:19,410 --> 00:26:22,360 as an infantry officer . In 1949 , 567 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:24,896 Colonel Puckett formed and commanded 568 00:26:24,896 --> 00:26:27,150 one of the first ranger units after the 569 00:26:27,150 --> 00:26:29,317 rangers were disbanded following World 570 00:26:29,317 --> 00:26:31,760 War two . And he is considered to be 571 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,070 the architect of the modern day ranger 572 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,950 regiment . As a ranger instructor at 573 00:26:36,950 --> 00:26:38,894 Fort Benning . Colonel Puckett was 574 00:26:38,894 --> 00:26:41,350 known to say don't quit ranger at the 575 00:26:41,350 --> 00:26:43,900 turnaround of the 12 mile Foot march . 576 00:26:43,910 --> 00:26:46,410 And many soldiers today still recall 577 00:26:46,410 --> 00:26:48,688 his encouraging presence with fondness . 578 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,262 He believed then as he does now that if 579 00:26:51,262 --> 00:26:53,429 a soldier was willing and able to meet 580 00:26:53,429 --> 00:26:55,596 the standards that were set , they had 581 00:26:55,596 --> 00:26:58,430 the right to be there and being there 582 00:26:58,430 --> 00:27:00,374 was important for ralph Puckett in 583 00:27:00,374 --> 00:27:03,630 november 19 51st on Hill 2 584 00:27:03,630 --> 00:27:07,470 22 and later on Hill 205 in Korea 585 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,230 where against all odds , his leadership 586 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,660 and example helped to save his men to 587 00:27:13,660 --> 00:27:15,716 Colonel Puckett . Thank you for your 588 00:27:15,716 --> 00:27:18,550 courage for your lifetime of service 589 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:20,860 and for defining what it means to be a 590 00:27:20,860 --> 00:27:23,390 ranger for successive generations who 591 00:27:23,390 --> 00:27:26,830 followed you ? Our final inductee this 592 00:27:26,830 --> 00:27:28,663 morning in the Hall of Heroes is 593 00:27:28,663 --> 00:27:31,460 Sergeant Major thomas Patrick Payne . 594 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:34,400 Sergeant Major Payne answered the call 595 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,260 to serve after 9 11 enlisting as a 596 00:27:37,260 --> 00:27:40,900 private in 2002 . He keeps his bible in 597 00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:43,200 his pack and wears a cross necklace 598 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:46,100 close to his chest . He's a proud son 599 00:27:46,110 --> 00:27:49,070 of south Carolina . Dad to Elizabeth 600 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,050 Aaron and Joshua and husband to Allison . 601 00:27:52,540 --> 00:27:54,484 He and his wife Alison met at lake 602 00:27:54,484 --> 00:27:56,700 Murray . South Carolina where he was 603 00:27:56,700 --> 00:27:58,970 recovering from a grenade blast from 604 00:27:58,970 --> 00:28:01,570 Afghanistan they met , they fell in 605 00:28:01,570 --> 00:28:03,737 love and the rest is history . As they 606 00:28:03,737 --> 00:28:06,120 say , Pat and Allison named their 607 00:28:06,120 --> 00:28:08,910 second son josh after Master Sergeant 608 00:28:08,910 --> 00:28:11,010 Joshua Wheeler , who was killed in 609 00:28:11,010 --> 00:28:13,310 action during the hostage rescue 610 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,450 operation in New Ouija . If you've had 611 00:28:16,450 --> 00:28:18,617 the opportunity to meet Sergeant Major 612 00:28:18,617 --> 00:28:20,870 pain , you'll notice his no nonsense 613 00:28:20,870 --> 00:28:22,926 humility and relentless focus on the 614 00:28:22,926 --> 00:28:25,250 mission . But it's worth knowing that 615 00:28:25,250 --> 00:28:27,340 he served in the army's most elite 616 00:28:27,350 --> 00:28:29,780 units , including the 75th ranger 617 00:28:29,780 --> 00:28:33,350 Regiment and within several other units 618 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:36,400 in Army Special Operations Command as 619 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,511 he looks back on his life to date and 620 00:28:38,511 --> 00:28:40,790 military service , he will tell you 621 00:28:40,790 --> 00:28:43,120 that even if you laid out 100 careers 622 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,176 in front of him , he would pick this 623 00:28:45,176 --> 00:28:47,980 career every time reflecting on the 624 00:28:47,980 --> 00:28:50,091 medal of honor that he was awarded in 625 00:28:50,091 --> 00:28:52,420 2020 . Sergeant Major Payne is quick to 626 00:28:52,420 --> 00:28:54,531 note that he should not be remembered 627 00:28:54,531 --> 00:28:56,660 as a recipient . But as a Guardian , 628 00:28:57,740 --> 00:29:00,010 Shortly after the hostage rescue 629 00:29:00,010 --> 00:29:03,280 Operation Hawija in 2015 , I had the 630 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:05,390 opportunity to visit with members of 631 00:29:05,390 --> 00:29:07,334 the unit that participated in that 632 00:29:07,334 --> 00:29:09,770 operation in Kirkuk province . I 633 00:29:09,770 --> 00:29:11,881 remember worrying that day that I did 634 00:29:11,881 --> 00:29:14,048 not know what to say to the soldiers , 635 00:29:14,048 --> 00:29:16,103 I would meet who had just lost their 636 00:29:16,103 --> 00:29:17,992 brother in arms . Master Sergeant 637 00:29:17,992 --> 00:29:20,500 wheeler . I still do not have the right 638 00:29:20,500 --> 00:29:23,560 words to say today , but what I can say 639 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:25,560 is thank you for your extraordinary 640 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:28,120 courage and valor valor and thank you 641 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,460 for the many lives you saved on behalf 642 00:29:31,460 --> 00:29:33,460 of a grateful nation and a grateful 643 00:29:33,460 --> 00:29:36,370 army . Thanks to all of our Hall of 644 00:29:36,370 --> 00:29:39,370 Hero inductees for your extraordinary 645 00:29:39,370 --> 00:29:41,780 courage and valor and for the many 646 00:29:41,780 --> 00:29:44,400 lives you saved . Thank you for your 647 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,511 love of country and all that you have 648 00:29:46,511 --> 00:29:49,390 given to it to your families . Thank 649 00:29:49,390 --> 00:29:51,940 you for your sacrifice and for sharing 650 00:29:51,950 --> 00:29:54,140 your sons , husbands , fathers and 651 00:29:54,140 --> 00:29:56,050 grandfathers with all of us . 652 00:30:09,740 --> 00:30:11,940 Thank you Secretary Wilmoth . Ladies 653 00:30:11,950 --> 00:30:13,783 and gentlemen , the Secretary of 654 00:30:13,783 --> 00:30:16,170 Defense . Yeah , 655 00:30:18,340 --> 00:30:19,340 okay , 656 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:35,818 well , good morning everybody . 657 00:30:35,818 --> 00:30:38,450 Secretary warmth and general martin . 658 00:30:39,540 --> 00:30:42,060 Thank you for your moving tributes to 659 00:30:42,060 --> 00:30:45,530 our honorees and thank you for 660 00:30:45,540 --> 00:30:48,440 everything that you do for soldiers and 661 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,860 their families . It's also great to be 662 00:30:51,860 --> 00:30:55,040 here with General Milley . Thank you 663 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:57,450 for your partnership and your 664 00:30:57,450 --> 00:30:58,672 leadership . Chairman 665 00:31:01,530 --> 00:31:03,586 special Welcome to Senator ernst for 666 00:31:03,586 --> 00:31:05,752 joining us today . Thank you for being 667 00:31:05,752 --> 00:31:09,660 here to help us recognize 668 00:31:09,670 --> 00:31:13,630 some great american heroes . And let me 669 00:31:13,630 --> 00:31:16,160 also welcome the families and friends 670 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:18,896 of the recipients who are here today 671 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:21,770 and those who are joining us online , 672 00:31:23,810 --> 00:31:25,810 the families of our service members 673 00:31:25,810 --> 00:31:29,030 might never wear the uniform , but they 674 00:31:29,030 --> 00:31:32,970 serve every bit as much as their 675 00:31:32,970 --> 00:31:36,490 loved ones and we know how hard it can 676 00:31:36,490 --> 00:31:39,770 be and we can never take it for granted . 677 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,430 So from all of us here , thank you for 678 00:31:45,430 --> 00:31:46,850 everything that you do 679 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:53,350 now . It's an honor to spend time with 680 00:31:53,350 --> 00:31:56,890 one Medal of honor recipient . But 681 00:31:56,890 --> 00:31:59,190 being here today with today's gathering 682 00:31:59,190 --> 00:32:02,860 of heroes , this is once in a lifetime , 683 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:07,180 the medal of honor is reserved only for 684 00:32:07,180 --> 00:32:10,560 those whose bravery shone out during 685 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:12,660 the chaos in the den of battle , 686 00:32:14,740 --> 00:32:16,796 for those who put their lives on the 687 00:32:16,796 --> 00:32:20,200 line for their teammates and for those 688 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,760 who charge towards danger and went 689 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,760 far far above and beyond the call 690 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,630 of duty . And today , as 691 00:32:31,630 --> 00:32:34,070 you've heard , we have the enormous 692 00:32:34,070 --> 00:32:37,470 privilege of adding six Medal of honor 693 00:32:37,470 --> 00:32:40,060 recipients to our Hall of Heroes . 694 00:32:41,740 --> 00:32:43,907 Now these warriors come from different 695 00:32:43,907 --> 00:32:47,620 backgrounds . Their hometowns stretch 696 00:32:47,620 --> 00:32:51,380 from new york to Honolulu . They fought 697 00:32:51,380 --> 00:32:54,560 in conflicts from Korea to Vietnam to 698 00:32:54,940 --> 00:32:58,540 the war against ISIS and their 699 00:32:58,540 --> 00:33:02,520 time in uniform Spans nearly 80 700 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:06,450 years . But they are 701 00:33:06,450 --> 00:33:10,060 all soldiers united in their 702 00:33:10,060 --> 00:33:13,800 devotion to duty duty to 703 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:17,510 carry out their mission duty to their 704 00:33:17,510 --> 00:33:20,230 teammates and the allies who served 705 00:33:20,230 --> 00:33:24,200 alongside and duty to democracy and to 706 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,670 the country that they love 707 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:32,500 in that sense of duty carried 708 00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:35,270 them through incredible acts of courage . 709 00:33:37,340 --> 00:33:40,230 You know , none of them set out to be 710 00:33:40,230 --> 00:33:43,900 here today . But in these 711 00:33:43,900 --> 00:33:46,770 moments they displayed the rare 712 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,030 kind of valor deserving of our 713 00:33:50,030 --> 00:33:51,850 military's highest decoration . 714 00:33:55,340 --> 00:33:57,560 So let me start with Staff Sergeant 715 00:33:58,040 --> 00:33:59,660 Edward kinda shiro 716 00:34:01,340 --> 00:34:05,110 In 1966 he was serving in Vietnam as an 717 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:08,810 infantry squad leader in one day in 718 00:34:08,810 --> 00:34:10,866 december . He and his squad were out 719 00:34:10,866 --> 00:34:14,600 scouting for open terrain . They didn't 720 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:18,510 know it but North North Vietnamese 721 00:34:18,510 --> 00:34:20,566 forces were planning to ambush their 722 00:34:20,566 --> 00:34:22,980 teammates through a concealed trench 723 00:34:22,980 --> 00:34:26,960 system and when machine gunfire erupted , 724 00:34:27,340 --> 00:34:31,210 his squad moved towards the sound and 725 00:34:31,210 --> 00:34:33,210 Sergeant Sergeant Kaneshiro threw a 726 00:34:33,210 --> 00:34:35,630 grenade right through the aperture of 727 00:34:35,630 --> 00:34:37,797 the enemy bunker , stopping the ambush 728 00:34:37,797 --> 00:34:41,030 where it started . Then he jumped into 729 00:34:41,030 --> 00:34:42,930 the trenches and singlehandedly 730 00:34:42,930 --> 00:34:46,470 destroyed one Enemy Group After Another . 731 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:49,873 And because of his bravery , his 732 00:34:49,873 --> 00:34:51,984 platoon was able to withdraw from the 733 00:34:51,984 --> 00:34:55,780 village and tragically , just a 734 00:34:55,780 --> 00:34:57,780 few months later , Sergeant Kenneth 735 00:34:57,780 --> 00:35:00,160 Shiro was killed in action by enemy 736 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:03,890 fire . I 737 00:35:03,890 --> 00:35:06,057 wish that I could personally thank him 738 00:35:06,057 --> 00:35:09,730 for his heroism and his selflessness , 739 00:35:11,240 --> 00:35:13,351 but it's a profound honor to have his 740 00:35:13,351 --> 00:35:17,230 Children with us today . And as I 741 00:35:17,230 --> 00:35:20,660 told you earlier , I know that you 742 00:35:20,660 --> 00:35:22,882 didn't get enough time with your father 743 00:35:23,210 --> 00:35:26,780 and I know that no words of praise can 744 00:35:26,780 --> 00:35:30,400 make up for his loss , but I can only 745 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,730 imagine how proud you must be of his 746 00:35:33,730 --> 00:35:37,620 service and john I know how proud your 747 00:35:37,620 --> 00:35:39,870 father would be of your own military 748 00:35:39,870 --> 00:35:42,960 career , including your two deployments 749 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:46,860 to Operation Iraqi Freedom . You have 750 00:35:46,870 --> 00:35:50,460 all carried on his legacy and live 751 00:35:50,460 --> 00:35:52,760 lives that honor his memory 752 00:35:56,540 --> 00:35:59,470 Now like Sergeant Kaneshiro 753 00:36:00,830 --> 00:36:04,330 Specialist five Dwight Birdwell also 754 00:36:04,330 --> 00:36:06,441 jumped into action when his unit came 755 00:36:06,441 --> 00:36:10,330 under attack In 1968 during 756 00:36:10,330 --> 00:36:13,120 the Tet Offensive . His team was called 757 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,660 to protect an allied base near Saigon 758 00:36:17,230 --> 00:36:20,860 and they were heavily outnumbered and 759 00:36:20,860 --> 00:36:23,140 almost immediately his tank commander 760 00:36:23,140 --> 00:36:26,310 was critically wounded and Specialist 761 00:36:26,310 --> 00:36:29,730 Birdwell realized that the tank was the 762 00:36:29,730 --> 00:36:32,010 only thing between his fellow soldiers 763 00:36:32,010 --> 00:36:35,220 and the enemy . So Specialist 764 00:36:35,220 --> 00:36:37,550 Birdwell fired anything that he could 765 00:36:37,550 --> 00:36:40,770 get his hands on The tank's main 90 766 00:36:40,770 --> 00:36:43,660 millim gun and then it's machine gun 767 00:36:44,330 --> 00:36:46,497 and at several points he hopped out of 768 00:36:46,497 --> 00:36:49,080 the commander's hatch With his M 16 to 769 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:52,710 get a better shot . Even when he ran 770 00:36:52,710 --> 00:36:55,880 out of ammo , he kept on fighting , He 771 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:58,047 made his way down to a downed American 772 00:36:58,047 --> 00:37:00,269 helicopter and found two machine guns . 773 00:37:00,830 --> 00:37:03,490 His comrade took one and Specialist 774 00:37:03,490 --> 00:37:07,270 Birdwell took the other . Now that 775 00:37:07,270 --> 00:37:09,770 gun was shot out of his hands and 776 00:37:09,770 --> 00:37:11,937 Specialist Birdwell was wounded by the 777 00:37:11,937 --> 00:37:14,980 shrapnel but he still refused to leave 778 00:37:14,980 --> 00:37:18,660 the battle and Specialist Bird Rail ran 779 00:37:18,660 --> 00:37:21,490 through a storm of enemy fire and found 780 00:37:21,490 --> 00:37:24,600 a defensive position and to collect and 781 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:26,322 redistribute ammunition to the 782 00:37:26,322 --> 00:37:29,900 remaining defenders and then he led a 783 00:37:29,900 --> 00:37:33,410 group of his comrades past enemy lines 784 00:37:33,410 --> 00:37:35,830 and threw hand grenades to prevent the 785 00:37:35,830 --> 00:37:39,530 enemy from advancing and through it 786 00:37:39,530 --> 00:37:41,880 all , Specialist Birdwell continued to 787 00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:45,440 fight and when he 788 00:37:45,450 --> 00:37:48,830 returned home to Oklahoma , he 789 00:37:48,830 --> 00:37:52,590 continued to serve , he heard he earned 790 00:37:52,590 --> 00:37:54,701 his law degree and went on to preside 791 00:37:54,701 --> 00:37:56,701 over the Cherokee Nation's Judicial 792 00:37:56,701 --> 00:37:59,860 Appeals Tribunal as its Chief Justice . 793 00:38:03,020 --> 00:38:06,130 Specialist Birdwell , you said that you 794 00:38:06,130 --> 00:38:08,130 joined the army because you've been 795 00:38:08,130 --> 00:38:10,297 inspired by the many , many members of 796 00:38:10,297 --> 00:38:12,408 the Cherokee Nation who served before 797 00:38:12,408 --> 00:38:16,170 you . I hope that you know 798 00:38:17,290 --> 00:38:20,410 that your life of service will inspire 799 00:38:20,410 --> 00:38:21,840 generations to come 800 00:38:25,420 --> 00:38:28,780 Next is specialist five Dennis 801 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:32,640 Fuji And on 802 00:38:32,650 --> 00:38:35,650 24 February 1971 , 803 00:38:36,820 --> 00:38:38,987 the new york times reported from South 804 00:38:38,987 --> 00:38:41,840 Vietnam on his bravery , 805 00:38:42,620 --> 00:38:46,460 saying that quote pilots here thought 806 00:38:46,460 --> 00:38:48,340 that the man was a hero . 807 00:38:50,820 --> 00:38:53,380 Days earlier , Specialist Fuji's dust 808 00:38:53,380 --> 00:38:56,420 off crew had taken off in a helicopter 809 00:38:56,420 --> 00:38:58,800 to evacuate South Vietnamese military 810 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:02,620 personnel from a raging battlefield but 811 00:39:02,620 --> 00:39:05,150 as they approached they took intense 812 00:39:05,150 --> 00:39:08,740 fire and their Huey crash landed 813 00:39:10,420 --> 00:39:13,010 and Specialist Fuji was injured in the 814 00:39:13,010 --> 00:39:17,000 wreckage . Another american helicopter 815 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,110 was able to land nearby and his 816 00:39:19,110 --> 00:39:21,990 crewmates climbed aboard . But 817 00:39:21,990 --> 00:39:24,460 specialist Fuji was taking too much 818 00:39:24,460 --> 00:39:27,230 fire so he signaled to the pilot to 819 00:39:27,230 --> 00:39:29,452 take off without him so that the others 820 00:39:29,452 --> 00:39:32,050 could get to safety and once the 821 00:39:32,050 --> 00:39:35,640 helicopter flew away , he was the only 822 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:38,450 american left on the battlefield . 823 00:39:40,620 --> 00:39:42,620 He managed to find a radio and told 824 00:39:42,620 --> 00:39:45,240 aviators not to try to come rescue him . 825 00:39:46,220 --> 00:39:48,331 There was just too much anti aircraft 826 00:39:48,331 --> 00:39:51,110 fire , he told them and the battlefield 827 00:39:51,110 --> 00:39:54,730 was too hot . He was 828 00:39:54,730 --> 00:39:58,080 hurt and stranded but he spent the 829 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:00,136 night and the next day administering 830 00:40:00,136 --> 00:40:02,247 first aid to wounded South Vietnamese 831 00:40:02,247 --> 00:40:06,120 allies . In the meanwhile , the enemy 832 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:09,480 brought reinforcements and soon the 833 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:11,740 encampment was under renewed assault 834 00:40:11,750 --> 00:40:14,260 and Specialist Fuji found yet another 835 00:40:14,260 --> 00:40:17,760 radio but he didn't use it to 836 00:40:17,930 --> 00:40:19,940 request a rescue . 837 00:40:21,410 --> 00:40:23,910 Instead he called in enemy positions 838 00:40:23,910 --> 00:40:26,021 and directed air strikes against them 839 00:40:27,210 --> 00:40:29,940 For the next 17 hours 840 00:40:32,910 --> 00:40:35,160 and finally a helicopter airlifted him 841 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:39,110 out . But again they sustain enemy 842 00:40:39,110 --> 00:40:41,940 fire and crash landed 2.5 miles away 843 00:40:43,410 --> 00:40:46,390 and so exhausted and wounded . He had 844 00:40:46,390 --> 00:40:49,210 to wait another two days before 845 00:40:49,210 --> 00:40:52,770 reaching safety and 846 00:40:52,770 --> 00:40:56,080 specialist fuji people have known you 847 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:59,910 to be a hero ever since and I'm 848 00:40:59,910 --> 00:41:03,020 proud to officially add your name to 849 00:41:03,020 --> 00:41:04,680 our whole of heroes . 850 00:41:09,210 --> 00:41:11,820 Now , in 1972 , 851 00:41:13,010 --> 00:41:16,450 Major Duffy was a senior adviser to an 852 00:41:16,450 --> 00:41:18,930 elite battalion of the South Vietnamese 853 00:41:18,930 --> 00:41:22,440 army . He trusted his counterparts 854 00:41:23,010 --> 00:41:26,840 and they trusted him And on 14 April 855 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:29,000 their job was simple but gravely 856 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,970 dangerous . They had to hold off North 857 00:41:31,980 --> 00:41:35,000 North Vietnamese forces at fire support 858 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:37,740 base charlie for as long as possible . 859 00:41:38,910 --> 00:41:41,770 So in the early morning hours , Major 860 00:41:41,770 --> 00:41:44,770 Duffy snuck up as close as he could to 861 00:41:44,770 --> 00:41:47,880 the enemy's anti aircraft positions and 862 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:49,936 from there he called in airstrikes . 863 00:41:51,110 --> 00:41:54,720 Major Duffy was wounded by shrapnel but 864 00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:58,000 he refused evacuation and when the 865 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:00,056 enemy began bombarding the base with 866 00:42:00,056 --> 00:42:02,060 artillery , he put himself in an 867 00:42:02,060 --> 00:42:04,227 exposed position so that he could call 868 00:42:04,227 --> 00:42:08,090 in more air strikes and finally the 869 00:42:08,090 --> 00:42:11,300 enemy went silent without a moment to 870 00:42:11,300 --> 00:42:14,230 lose . Major Duffy moved allied 871 00:42:14,230 --> 00:42:17,850 soldiers to safer positions and because 872 00:42:17,850 --> 00:42:20,330 it was too dangerous for resupply 873 00:42:20,330 --> 00:42:23,280 aircraft to land , he redistributed 874 00:42:23,290 --> 00:42:26,270 what remained of the ammo and by the 875 00:42:26,270 --> 00:42:29,180 next morning the North Vietnamese 876 00:42:29,180 --> 00:42:31,080 forces resume their attacks , 877 00:42:31,090 --> 00:42:33,950 inflicting even more casualties . 878 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:38,580 Major Duffy organized an evacuation of 879 00:42:38,580 --> 00:42:41,300 those who survived and when they 880 00:42:41,310 --> 00:42:43,421 reached the exfiltration site . Major 881 00:42:43,421 --> 00:42:45,930 Duffy would not leave 882 00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:49,620 until all of his brothers in arms were 883 00:42:49,620 --> 00:42:53,620 aboard and one of those evacuees is 884 00:42:53,620 --> 00:42:56,220 here with us today . Major Duffy's 885 00:42:56,220 --> 00:42:58,387 counterpart , Lieutenant Colonel Lee . 886 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:02,400 Gentlemen , thank you both for your 887 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:03,400 service . 888 00:43:06,500 --> 00:43:08,556 You know . Years later , Major Duffy 889 00:43:08,556 --> 00:43:11,210 remembered being asked if he wanted to 890 00:43:11,210 --> 00:43:14,540 go into that battle and he 891 00:43:14,540 --> 00:43:18,230 replied , they gotta go in . 892 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:22,740 It's the job , Major 893 00:43:22,740 --> 00:43:25,310 Duffy , it is the job , 894 00:43:27,400 --> 00:43:29,622 but few have ever done that job with as 895 00:43:29,622 --> 00:43:33,620 much valor . So thank you for all that 896 00:43:33,620 --> 00:43:35,787 you have done on behalf of our country 897 00:43:39,300 --> 00:43:42,210 and today , after delays caused by the 898 00:43:42,210 --> 00:43:45,280 pandemic . I'm also glad to 899 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:48,600 officially induct to Medal of honor 900 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:52,020 recipients into the Hall of Heroes . 901 00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:56,950 Colonel Ralph Puckett and Sergeant 902 00:43:56,950 --> 00:43:58,620 Major thomas Patrick Payne . 903 00:44:00,590 --> 00:44:02,646 Although Colonel Puckett couldn't be 904 00:44:02,646 --> 00:44:05,430 with us in person today , I believe 905 00:44:05,430 --> 00:44:08,580 that he's watching from home . So good 906 00:44:08,580 --> 00:44:11,580 morning Colonel and we're glad that 907 00:44:11,580 --> 00:44:13,636 you're represented here in person by 908 00:44:14,590 --> 00:44:16,812 retired Lieutenant Colonel john locke . 909 00:44:20,390 --> 00:44:23,970 So let's think back On a frigid morning 910 00:44:23,980 --> 00:44:27,870 in 1950 during the battle of Battle for 911 00:44:27,870 --> 00:44:30,110 Hill 205 in the Korean War . 912 00:44:31,990 --> 00:44:34,212 First Lieutenant Puckett was commanding 913 00:44:34,212 --> 00:44:36,379 the eighth U . S . Army ranger company 914 00:44:37,990 --> 00:44:40,640 and he repeatedly put his life at risk 915 00:44:40,650 --> 00:44:42,760 running across an open field and 916 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:45,960 courting enemy fire so that his team 917 00:44:45,960 --> 00:44:49,780 could spot the chinese position and as 918 00:44:49,780 --> 00:44:52,910 a battleground on he was injured by 919 00:44:52,910 --> 00:44:55,243 grenade fragments but he wouldn't leave . 920 00:44:56,190 --> 00:44:58,310 Instead he moved from Foxhole to 921 00:44:58,310 --> 00:45:00,480 Foxhole redistributing ammunition and 922 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:04,190 taking care of his men . His 923 00:45:04,190 --> 00:45:07,010 compassion and his grit 924 00:45:07,990 --> 00:45:11,880 inspired his fellow rangers . And 925 00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:14,140 so when he was wounded again , he 926 00:45:14,150 --> 00:45:16,310 ordered his men to leave him behind . 927 00:45:18,390 --> 00:45:21,010 But they refused and they got him out 928 00:45:21,990 --> 00:45:24,046 because Lieutenant Puckett had shown 929 00:45:24,046 --> 00:45:26,780 them that true courage means putting 930 00:45:26,780 --> 00:45:30,470 your people first and after 931 00:45:30,470 --> 00:45:32,748 receiving the Medal of Honor last year , 932 00:45:32,748 --> 00:45:35,110 Colonel Puckett thought of his team 933 00:45:35,750 --> 00:45:38,670 saying , quote , the people who earn 934 00:45:38,670 --> 00:45:41,230 that medal are the rangers who did more 935 00:45:41,230 --> 00:45:45,110 than I asked . That's 936 00:45:45,110 --> 00:45:48,720 absolutely right . But Colonel Puckett , 937 00:45:50,190 --> 00:45:52,630 you did so much more than your country 938 00:45:52,630 --> 00:45:55,610 asked and we salute . 939 00:45:56,390 --> 00:45:58,057 You're a tremendous service . 940 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,010 And finally , from Col Puckett's 941 00:46:04,010 --> 00:46:06,980 heroism . In 1950 , we fast forward 942 00:46:06,980 --> 00:46:10,970 some 65 years and shift to Kirkuk 943 00:46:10,970 --> 00:46:12,859 province in Northern Iraq and the 944 00:46:12,859 --> 00:46:15,670 battle against ISIS in 945 00:46:15,670 --> 00:46:18,880 2015 . Then Sergeant first class 946 00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:21,080 Patrick Payne was charged with leading 947 00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:24,720 a raid to free Iraqis taken hostage 948 00:46:24,730 --> 00:46:28,560 hostage by the jihadist . His team 949 00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:30,560 knew that ISIS had been holding the 950 00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:34,130 prisoners in two buildings . So when 951 00:46:34,130 --> 00:46:36,610 Sergeant Payne's team landed in the 952 00:46:36,610 --> 00:46:40,480 dead of night , they 953 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:43,620 cleared one of those buildings and free 954 00:46:43,620 --> 00:46:47,290 the hostages and sign . But the second 955 00:46:47,290 --> 00:46:50,430 building was under intense fire and 956 00:46:50,430 --> 00:46:52,597 Sergeant Paine heard on the radio that 957 00:46:52,597 --> 00:46:54,708 his fellow soldiers needed help there 958 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:58,247 and he remembers turning to one of his 959 00:46:58,247 --> 00:47:01,360 teammates and saying quote , let's get 960 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:04,480 into the fight . The building was 961 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:07,590 burning and Sergeant paine knew that 962 00:47:07,590 --> 00:47:09,701 the prisoners locked inside would die 963 00:47:09,701 --> 00:47:12,380 if they weren't free . So he plunged 964 00:47:12,380 --> 00:47:15,670 into the smoke and the enemy fire and 965 00:47:15,670 --> 00:47:18,870 found an armored door behind that 966 00:47:18,870 --> 00:47:21,090 armored door where dozens of prisoners 967 00:47:21,090 --> 00:47:24,180 trapped . Starting pain then traded his 968 00:47:24,180 --> 00:47:27,260 rifle for boat cutters and again went 969 00:47:27,260 --> 00:47:31,230 into the building . It was on fire and 970 00:47:31,240 --> 00:47:35,200 under fire and he broke the lock on 971 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:38,900 the door . Now by this point the beer 972 00:47:38,910 --> 00:47:42,000 the building was near collapsing and 973 00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:44,222 the soldiers were ordered to evacuate . 974 00:47:44,222 --> 00:47:46,333 But certain pain ran back in again to 975 00:47:46,333 --> 00:47:50,240 to save more hostages and then he 976 00:47:50,240 --> 00:47:52,790 went in again to check that no one was 977 00:47:52,790 --> 00:47:53,790 left behind . 978 00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:59,336 And so campaign had said , let's get 979 00:47:59,336 --> 00:48:01,790 into the fight and he did 980 00:48:02,770 --> 00:48:05,090 angel and over again . 981 00:48:06,970 --> 00:48:09,350 And that night he helped to free 75 982 00:48:09,350 --> 00:48:13,180 prisoners , those men and women and 983 00:48:13,180 --> 00:48:15,990 their families will never forget that 984 00:48:15,990 --> 00:48:18,190 daring rescue and neither will we . 985 00:48:20,370 --> 00:48:22,537 So thank you Sergeant Paine and I have 986 00:48:22,537 --> 00:48:24,648 to tell you Sergeant Paine . Sergeant 987 00:48:24,648 --> 00:48:26,960 Major pain . I'm especially grateful 988 00:48:26,960 --> 00:48:29,127 because I'm the guy that sent you into 989 00:48:29,127 --> 00:48:33,100 that fight as a centcom commander and 990 00:48:33,100 --> 00:48:35,267 I will remain grateful to you and your 991 00:48:35,267 --> 00:48:37,350 comrades for the incredible , 992 00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:39,850 incredible work that you did on that 993 00:48:39,850 --> 00:48:42,920 night to save lives . So on behalf of 994 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:45,260 our country . Thank you for all that 995 00:48:45,260 --> 00:48:47,204 you and your teammates have done . 996 00:48:49,370 --> 00:48:51,203 Ladies and gentlemen , President 997 00:48:51,203 --> 00:48:53,600 Kennedy once said that a nation reveals 998 00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:56,620 itself not only by the man it produces , 999 00:48:56,630 --> 00:48:59,090 but also by the man it honors . 1000 00:49:00,670 --> 00:49:03,200 So today we etch the soldiers names 1001 00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:06,180 into the hall of Heroes to honor their 1002 00:49:06,180 --> 00:49:08,560 deeds and to remember why american 1003 00:49:08,560 --> 00:49:12,090 warriors fight . We honor these heroes 1004 00:49:12,090 --> 00:49:14,750 because they represent the very best of 1005 00:49:14,750 --> 00:49:18,530 us and we honor these heroes to inspire 1006 00:49:18,530 --> 00:49:22,220 future generations . May we all find 1007 00:49:22,220 --> 00:49:25,110 the courage to live up to the example 1008 00:49:25,110 --> 00:49:28,210 that they have set . May we all find 1009 00:49:28,210 --> 00:49:31,310 the commitment to serve and defend our 1010 00:49:31,310 --> 00:49:34,180 republic and may we all find the 1011 00:49:34,180 --> 00:49:37,370 dedication and duty to our democracy 1012 00:49:38,270 --> 00:49:40,700 that these heroes have shown . 1013 00:49:43,370 --> 00:49:45,390 May God bless our Medal , Medal of 1014 00:49:45,390 --> 00:49:49,260 Honor recipients and those who serve 1015 00:49:49,260 --> 00:49:53,000 alongside them and all who love them . 1016 00:49:53,870 --> 00:49:55,092 Thank you very much . 1017 00:50:00,760 --> 00:50:01,760 Okay , 1018 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:11,310 Secretary Wilmoth , General Milley , 1019 00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:14,360 General martin , Miss Naomi Valeria and 1020 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:17,360 Miss Ashley Jackson stress Head will 1021 00:50:17,360 --> 00:50:20,040 now join Secretary Austin on stage for 1022 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:21,818 the induction ceremony of Staff 1023 00:50:21,818 --> 00:50:24,180 Sergeant Edward , N Kenichiro . 1024 00:50:27,160 --> 00:50:29,216 Ladies and gentlemen , please remain 1025 00:50:29,216 --> 00:50:31,104 seated during the presentations . 1026 00:51:10,560 --> 00:51:12,671 The President of the United States of 1027 00:51:12,671 --> 00:51:14,600 America authorized by the Act of 1028 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:18,140 Congress . March 3 18 63 1029 00:51:18,180 --> 00:51:20,660 has post humorously awarded in the name 1030 00:51:20,660 --> 00:51:23,220 of Congress . The medal of honor to 1031 00:51:23,220 --> 00:51:25,840 Staff Sergeant Edward in Canada zero . 1032 00:51:25,930 --> 00:51:28,810 United States Army for conspicuous 1033 00:51:28,810 --> 00:51:31,100 gallantry and intrepidity at the risk 1034 00:51:31,100 --> 00:51:33,211 of his life above and beyond the call 1035 00:51:33,211 --> 00:51:36,730 of duty . Staff Sergeant Edward N 1036 00:51:37,080 --> 00:51:39,500 zero . Distinguished himself by acts of 1037 00:51:39,500 --> 00:51:42,020 gallantry and intrepidity above and 1038 00:51:42,020 --> 00:51:44,180 beyond the call of duty while serving 1039 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:46,590 as an infantry squad leader with Troop 1040 00:51:46,590 --> 00:51:49,930 C , First Squadron , ninth Cavalry , 1041 00:51:49,940 --> 00:51:53,480 first Cavalry division near to kim Sung 1042 00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:56,960 Valley , Republic of Vietnam on one 1043 00:51:56,960 --> 00:52:00,090 December 1966 , not knowing that the 1044 00:52:00,090 --> 00:52:02,146 village was heavily fortified with a 1045 00:52:02,146 --> 00:52:04,257 fully bunkered and concealed a trench 1046 00:52:04,257 --> 00:52:06,170 system and garrisoned by north 1047 00:52:06,170 --> 00:52:08,520 Vietnamese troops in vastly superior 1048 00:52:08,520 --> 00:52:11,260 force . Two squads of the platoon had 1049 00:52:11,260 --> 00:52:13,610 deployed to its center while staff 1050 00:52:13,610 --> 00:52:15,610 Sergeant Kaneshiro and his squad 1051 00:52:15,610 --> 00:52:17,666 scouted the more open terrain to the 1052 00:52:17,666 --> 00:52:20,280 east of the village , sensing the 1053 00:52:20,280 --> 00:52:22,224 opportunity to ambush the infantry 1054 00:52:22,224 --> 00:52:24,700 squads , the entrenched enemy force 1055 00:52:24,710 --> 00:52:26,932 erupted with machine gun and small arms 1056 00:52:26,932 --> 00:52:29,030 fire against the two squads at the 1057 00:52:29,030 --> 00:52:31,030 center of the village , killing the 1058 00:52:31,030 --> 00:52:32,974 platoon leader and the point man , 1059 00:52:32,980 --> 00:52:34,740 wounding four others , then 1060 00:52:34,740 --> 00:52:36,907 successfully suppressing the surviving 1061 00:52:36,907 --> 00:52:40,100 soldiers . Staff Sergeant Kunihiro 1062 00:52:40,110 --> 00:52:42,277 moved with his men to the sound of the 1063 00:52:42,277 --> 00:52:44,790 fire , swiftly reading the situation , 1064 00:52:44,990 --> 00:52:47,046 saying that the fire from the trench 1065 00:52:47,046 --> 00:52:48,990 had to be stopped if anyone was to 1066 00:52:48,990 --> 00:52:51,157 survive , he first deployed his men to 1067 00:52:51,157 --> 00:52:53,323 cover , then crawled forward to attack 1068 00:52:53,323 --> 00:52:55,680 the enemy force alone . He began by 1069 00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:57,624 throwing grenades from the parapet 1070 00:52:57,624 --> 00:52:59,402 while flattened to the ground , 1071 00:52:59,402 --> 00:53:01,624 successfully throwing the first grenade 1072 00:53:01,624 --> 00:53:03,680 through the aperture of the bunker , 1073 00:53:03,680 --> 00:53:05,847 eliminating the machine gunner who had 1074 00:53:05,847 --> 00:53:08,300 opened the action with five grenades 1075 00:53:08,300 --> 00:53:10,467 remaining and his rifle to sustain his 1076 00:53:10,467 --> 00:53:12,660 assault . Staff Sergeant Kaneshiro 1077 00:53:12,670 --> 00:53:14,670 jumped into the trench to sweep its 1078 00:53:14,670 --> 00:53:16,837 length where it fronted the two pandas 1079 00:53:16,837 --> 00:53:20,590 squads Over the distance of about 35 m . 1080 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:22,900 He worked the ditch alone , destroying 1081 00:53:22,900 --> 00:53:25,122 one enemy group with rifle fire and two 1082 00:53:25,122 --> 00:53:27,750 others with grenades . By the end of 1083 00:53:27,750 --> 00:53:30,100 his sweep , the able bodied survivors 1084 00:53:30,110 --> 00:53:32,221 of the two squads were again standing 1085 00:53:32,221 --> 00:53:34,166 and preparing to move the dead and 1086 00:53:34,166 --> 00:53:36,450 wounded . Staff Sergeant Kenny Xiros 1087 00:53:36,450 --> 00:53:39,070 actions enabled the orderly extraction 1088 00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:41,270 and reorganization of the platoon 1089 00:53:41,280 --> 00:53:43,770 ultimately led to successful withdrawal 1090 00:53:43,780 --> 00:53:46,410 from the village . Staff . Sergeant , 1091 00:53:46,410 --> 00:53:48,577 Kenneth heroes , conspicuous gallantry 1092 00:53:48,577 --> 00:53:50,799 and uncommon heroism under fire were in 1093 00:53:50,799 --> 00:53:52,966 keeping with the highest traditions of 1094 00:53:52,966 --> 00:53:54,920 military service and reflect great 1095 00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:57,490 credit upon himself . His unit and the 1096 00:53:57,490 --> 00:53:58,670 United States Army . 1097 00:54:06,540 --> 00:54:09,670 Yeah , yeah . 1098 00:54:49,240 --> 00:54:51,370 At this time the Medal of Honor flag 1099 00:54:51,370 --> 00:54:54,730 will be presented on 23 october 2000 1100 00:54:54,730 --> 00:54:58,030 and two . Public law one oh 7248 . 1101 00:54:58,120 --> 00:55:01,350 Section 81 43 established the Medal of 1102 00:55:01,350 --> 00:55:03,239 Honor flag . To recognize service 1103 00:55:03,239 --> 00:55:04,961 members who have distinguished 1104 00:55:04,961 --> 00:55:07,550 themselves by gallantry in action above 1105 00:55:07,560 --> 00:55:10,070 and beyond the call of duty . The Medal 1106 00:55:10,070 --> 00:55:11,792 of Honor flag commemorates the 1107 00:55:11,792 --> 00:55:13,780 sacrifice and bloodshed for our 1108 00:55:13,780 --> 00:55:15,940 freedoms and gives emphasis to the 1109 00:55:15,940 --> 00:55:17,884 Medal of Honor , being the highest 1110 00:55:17,884 --> 00:55:19,780 award for valor by an individual 1111 00:55:19,790 --> 00:55:22,080 serving in the armed forces of the 1112 00:55:22,080 --> 00:55:25,080 United States . The light blue color 1113 00:55:25,090 --> 00:55:27,710 with gold fringe bearing 13 white stars 1114 00:55:27,720 --> 00:55:29,720 are adapted from the Medal of Honor 1115 00:55:29,720 --> 00:55:30,720 ribbon . 1116 00:56:27,140 --> 00:56:29,410 Thank you Miss Naomi Valeria and Miss 1117 00:56:29,410 --> 00:56:30,270 Axon shelter 1118 00:56:37,140 --> 00:56:39,440 Specialist five Dwight Birdwell . 1119 00:56:39,450 --> 00:56:41,172 Please join secretary Austin . 1120 00:56:41,172 --> 00:56:43,810 Secretary Wilmoth , General Milley and 1121 00:56:43,810 --> 00:56:45,643 General Martin for the induction 1122 00:56:45,643 --> 00:56:48,260 ceremony . Ladies and gentlemen , 1123 00:56:48,270 --> 00:56:50,048 please remain seated during the 1124 00:56:50,048 --> 00:56:50,420 presentation