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Well, good morning. And welcome.
It's great to ring in the New Year with all of you in such a meaningful way.
Secretary Wormuth, General George: Thanks for your outstanding leadership of the United States Army. You know, I proudly served in the Army for more than half of my life. So your branch of our military holds a special place in my heart. And you have both led the military—led the Army with integrity and vision. Let me also thank you for your stirring tributes to the seven American heroes that we honor today.
I'm also pleased to see so many outstanding Department of Defense and Army leaders here with us today.
But mostly, I want to thank our honored guests. It was a pleasure to meet Kenneth David yesterday at the White House, when President Biden presented him with our country's highest medal for valor. We are honored by your presence, sir.
And to your family and the family members of all of our inductees into the Hall of Heroes: thanks for making the journey for this great event.
Along with their fellow veterans—many of whom are also here today—you've worked tirelessly for decades to keep the light of our gratitude shining on the extraordinary service of these heroes. Thanks for upholding their legacy.
You know, it's incredibly powerful to hear these seven stories of sheer bravery and sacrifice. The Soldiers whom we honor today came from different walks of life, from different communities, and from different parts of our country.
Some of their families traced their roots in America back for generations. Some were children of immigrants. And some were the descendants of slaves.
Some of these heroes were commissioned officers in the Army. And some of them fought in the enlisted ranks.
Yet when each of these men faced terrible danger in battle, every one of them made the same choice: To put the mission first. To never quit. To never accept defeat. And to never leave a fallen comrade.
Let me start with Private Bruno Orig.
His parents came to Hawaii from the Philippines. And after Pearl Harbor, his father and stepfather both served in their adopted country in the Army. And Bruno's turn came during the Korean War.
He stepped into the fight at the siege of Chipyong-ni on a frigid winter day in 1951. He grabbed ahold of an enemy machine gun. And he unleashed a withering assault that enabled an entire platoon of his teammates to withdraw—without taking a single casualty.
Private First Class Wataru Nakamura of California was also the son of immigrants. He fought in World War II in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made up of second-generation Japanese Nisei soldiers. Today he joins no fewer than 21 brave comrades from the 442nd who have also received the Medal of Honor.
In May of 1951, during the Battle of the Soyang River, Chinese forces attempted to cut off six South Korean divisions from the remainder of the U.S. Eighth Army. One misty morning at the height of that offensive, Wataru found himself surrounded by enemy fighters. He hurled phosphorous and fragmentation grenades. And he charged with his carbine and bayonet. And he singlehandedly routed the enemy from bunker after bunker—and he drove them into the teeth of his company's 57-milimeter recoilless rifle.
We also honor Corporal Fred McGee of Ohio today.
In June of 1952, Corporal McGee's squad leader was wounded in a heavy firefight. The second-in-command froze up—and Fred took charge. He delivered crucial covering fire for the rest of his platoon as they fought to rout the enemy out who was dug in. And ignoring his own wounds, he tended to injured comrades amid a hail of artillery.
You know, Fred's heroism that day was actually captured and depicted in a comic book. But although Fred was Black, his character in the comic book was drawn as white. And so when Fred saw the book, he was hurt and angry.
"I felt like someone else was getting the accolades for what I did," he later said.
But as a recipient of the Medal of Honor, Fred McGee will be forever remembered for who he was—and for what he did.
In May of 1953, Private First Class Charles Johnson was thrilled to find himself in the same company as Don Dingee, a high-school buddy from back home in upstate New York. Neither of them knew that just a few weeks later, Charlie would save Don's life—and those of nine other buddies.
Charlie gave his life during the assault on the Korean hilltop known as Outpost Harry. As Chinese troops approached their battered bunker, Charlie found Don amid the smoke and the rubble. And Charlie placed his hand over Don's mouth and said, "Play dead. They're outside, and they're coming in." And so they lay stone-still—both badly wounded, but daring not to breathe.
And finally, the enemy passed. Charlie used his own belt to drag Don to a more secure bunker—and then he rushed back out to drive the enemy back while Don and the others were evacuated.
The last words that Don heard Charlie say were, "I've got to protect y'all."
Richard Cavazos was born into a Mexican-American ranching family in Texas. And he was a talented college football player—until he broke his leg during his sophomore year. Then ROTC led him off the football field and onto the battlefield.
As a Lieutenant, Dick Cavazos was assigned to the all-Latino 65th Infantry Regiment and deployed to Korea. He also fought in the Battle of Outpost Harry. He led his company in a series of intense attacks on the enemy position. And after his forces were ordered to withdraw, he remained alone in the combat zone to evacuate others.
General Cavazos displayed that same fierce loyalty to his troops throughout his long Army career. And as Lieutenant General Dan Bolger once put it, Dick Cavazos was the epitome of "Army done right." And I am incredibly proud that this American hero's name now graces Fort Cavazos in Texas.
Captain Hugh Nelson was born in North Carolina, and he learned about honor and duty at the Citadel. He displayed both to their fullest extent in June of 1966 in Vietnam.
It began as a routine reconnaissance and training flight. But Hugh's helicopter started taking enemy automatic-weapons fire. And a 50-caliber round hit the Huey, and it went down hard.
Now, Hugh, as you've heard, managed to drag all of his teammates from the chopper, with the enemy just 10 yards away—10 yards. And so, Hugh put himself between the young door gunner and the fire that he was receiving from the Viet Cong.
And that young door gunner remembers Hugh saying, "Don't move, son—you'll be OK."
And that brings us to Ken David. On an early morning in May 1970, his firebase on a hill in Vietnam suddenly came under fire. And Ken raced into action.
He acted with total selflessness, drawing the enemy fire onto himself to spare his wounded teammates. He refused medical care for the wounds that he had received. And he was the last Soldier to board the last helicopter out.
And as you've heard, since coming home to Ohio, Ken has continued to put his brothers and sisters in arms first. For decades, he has volunteered to provide for his fellow veterans.
So on behalf of everyone here: thank you again, Ken.
Let's give Ken—and all of our heroes—a round of applause.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me underscore the last words that Charlie Johnson said before rushing to save his teammates. He said, "I've got to protect y'all."
And so the question for us today is: what will we protect?
These heroes risked everything for their country—and often made the ultimate sacrifice. Their stories should be more than just a source of pride. They should be a source of inspiration. And they should be a spur to action.
You know, today's ceremony reminds me of a basic truth about America. We don't always get things right. No country does. But in America, we never stop trying to be all that we can be, and to live up to our founding ideals, and to form that "more perfect union."
The recognition that we bestow on these heroes today is long overdue.
But we got here. And we got here thanks to the loved ones and the advocates who kept pushing, year after year.
It's thanks to the battle buddies, the witnesses to history, who wrote to their commanding officers—sometimes from their hospital beds just days after the battle. It's thanks to the families, who kept the faith for their loved ones. It's thanks to the civic groups, the journalists, the alumni chapters, the members of Congress, the congressional staffers, and above all the veterans.
You have all helped us to see the unmatched valor of these men's deeds—and to forever set them in their rightful place of honor.
So let us do more than honor the service and the sacrifice of these American heroes. Let us strive to live up to their example. And let us protect and strengthen the republic that they loved so much.
May God bless the men and women who risk so much to defend our country. May God bless the citizens who keep the memory of their sacrifice alive. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.
Thank you very much.
