Vietnam Vet Receives Medal of Honor

Retired Army Lt. Col. Charles Kettles received the Medal of Honor from President Obama during a July 19 ceremony, for heroism he displayed in combat nearly half a century ago. Kettles, now 86, initially received a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions. The medal later was upgraded thanks to an act of Congress. According to official records, Kettles – a Huey helicopter pilot – flew directly into enemy fire during the Vietnam War on four occasions in May 1967 and airlifted dozens of soldiers to safety. During the fourth descent into heavy fire, his aircraft was hit three times by mortar fire. Kettles still managed to take off with 13 soldiers, even though a rotor and the tail had been damaged, the windshield was shattered, and the helicopter was carrying 600 more pounds of weight than it should. “To the dozens of American soldiers that he saved in Vietnam half a century ago, Chuck is the reason they lived and came home and had children and grandchildren. Entire family trees, made possible by the actions of this one man,” Obama said during the ceremony.