By Jerilynn Sweet
On Sunday, CNN.com placed an article called "Medal of Honor recipient's
valor hidden for decades" and it was an extremely moving piece that calls attention to a once classified mission from the Vietnam War. The article goes on to explain how during the war soldiers were not suppose to be in the neutral territory of Laos but the U.S. Military had a secret group of men there on a mission called Site 85. This mission is what assisted in leading to the bombing of North Vietnam. During the mission a raid from an enemy camp came upon the soldiers and one man, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger, died in combat saving the lives of three other soldiers and assisting his men to the helicopter. It was originally released that he died in a helicopter crash with no medal of honor as President Lyndon Johnson feared exposure to the then classified mission. However, this coming Tuesday Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger three sons and one of the soldiers lives he saved will attend an award ceremony at the White House where President Obama will present the highest award in the Air Force. I thought this was a great article and shows that even though it took almost 40 years an American Hero is still being awarded an honor he rightfully is entitled to.
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