posted on Apr, 4 2005 @ 05:20 AM
For only the third time since the Vietnam war, President Bush is set to award Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith with the Congressional Medal of
Honor. The award is the highest that the United States can give its military personnel. The posthumous award will be presented to his widow and his
daughter for actions he took in two years to the day at the Baghdad airport.
www.foxnews.com
WASHINGTON — Outnumbered and exposed, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith stayed at his gun, beating back an advancing Iraqi force until a bullet
took his life.
Smith is credited with protecting the lives of scores of lightly armed American soldiers who were beyond his position in the battle, on April 4, 2003,
near the gates of Baghdad International Airport.
On Monday, exactly two years after his death, President Bush is awarding Smith the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor, and
presenting it to his widow, Birgit, daughter and son.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
He stayed at his post and provided cover for scores of soldiers. When a heavy machine gun crew was knocked out of action Smith took over the post and
continued to direct at the attacking forces until he was killed. Having grown up in the video game era many of us (myself included) what exactly goes
on in these firefights. My grandfather was the recipient of the Silver Star during WWII for action he took. he was proud of his service and his medal
as we should be of most of our soldiers in the Iraq politics aside. It is interesting to note, that the other two recipients, Army Master Sgt. Gary I.
Gordon and Army Sgt. 1st Class Randall D. Shughart, were two Delta Force members that died defending the helicopter crew made famous in the movie
"Blackhawk Down"
[edit on 4/4/05 by FredT]