Seven Army veterans are honored with the Medal of Honor by President Biden.

On Friday, at the White House, President Biden bestowed the Medal of Honor, the country's most esteemed military honor, upon seven American soldiers who distinguished themselves through bravery during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

All of the individuals, including Private Bruno Orig, Private First Class Wataru Nakamura, Corporal Fred McGee, Private First Class Charles Johnson, retired General Richard Cavazos, Captain Hugh Nelson, Jr., and Specialist Fourth Class Kenneth David, were recognized for their achievements.

Biden stated, "These heroes, despite their varying ranks, positions, and generations, all exceeded their duties and deserve our nation's highest and oldest military recognition."

The Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to five soldiers, including the first-ever graduate from The Citadel Military College in South Carolina, Capt. Hugh Nelson Jr. Nelson had previously received the U.S. Army's Distinguished Service Cross.

On June 5th, 1966, near Moc Hoa, a rural district in Southern Vietnam, 28-year-old Captain Nelson, acting aircraft commander of an armed UH-1B Huey helicopter, was on a search and destroy reconnaissance mission. The aircraft was struck by hostile gunfire, making it virtually uncontrollable. Despite the lack of lateral controls, Nelson and his co-pilot were able to crash land the aircraft safely.

The helicopter crashed in the middle of enemy positions, destroying all the weapons on board. Nelson was the first to regain consciousness and saw the enemy surrounding the crash site. Disregarding his own injuries and enemy fire from 30-feet away, Nelson quickly sprang into action and began evacuating his three wounded crewmates—the crew chief, door gunner, and co-pilot. Using his bare hands, Nelson tore off one of the helicopter doors to evacuate himself and his crew while insurgents were firing rounds from 30-feet away. Nelson used his own body as a human shield as he lifted the door gunner to the ground and was killed by the gunfire after being shot between six and 20 times while doing so.

The wounded specialist was rescued by supporting aircraft due to Nelson's sacrifice, as he signaled support with a smoke grenade. The insurgents were prevented from advancing on the downed aircraft, and the three wounded crew members and Captain Nelson's remains were successfully rescued.

At the White House ceremony, Debra McKnight, Nelson's daughter, accepted the award on his behalf. When Nelson left for Fort Bragg, now named Fort Liberty, to begin his tour in Vietnam, Debra was only five years old and her brother, Hugh Nelson III, was just six months old. Tragically, the Army informed Nelson's family that he had been killed in battle just one day before his infant son's first birthday.

"Nelson's decision to sacrifice his life for his comrades resulted in the saving of three lives on that day, as recognized by his Medal of Honor citation. His actions align with the highest standards of military service and bring great honor to him, his unit, and the United States Army."

In 1959, Captain Nelson graduated from The Citadel. He served three years in Taiwan before the fateful battle. His co-captain, Captain Bailey Jones, was rescued and graduated from The Citadel in 1964.

On Friday, Tomas Fitzpatrick, the top Army ROTC Cadet at the Citadel, attended a ceremony.

Captain Hugh Nelson's sacrifice serves as a potent reminder of the values we hold at The Citadel, including honor, duty, and respect. As someone who plans to enlist in the U.S. Army after graduation, we all aspire to embody the same courage and dedication. Fitzpatrick, who will be joining the Army infantry in May, is one of the many graduates from The Citadel's Army ROTC department, which is among the largest commissioning sources in the country, having commissioned 120 2nd lieutenants in 2024 alone.

Nelson's courage, selflessness, and leadership, as demonstrated by Captain Hugh Reavis Nelson, Jr., are the values we instill in every Citadel cadet. His service to his comrades and country continues to inspire us all, as stated by Citadel President Gen. Glenn Walters in a statement.

Biden stated, "To learn about the stories of American heroes like Bruno, Wataru, Fred, Charlie, Richard, Hugh, Ken, who fought for our nation and embodied its best qualities, we must also recognize their sacrifices today by awarding them a Medal of Honor. However, we cannot stop here as it is our responsibility as a nation to give this medal significance, to continue fighting for one another, to defend the values these heroes fought and died for."