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No Greater Love - Soldier Receives Medal of Honor For Selfless Act of Valor
by Joseph Ernest July 13, 2011
Newscast Media WASHINGTON D.C. --The Medal of Honor was presented by the president to Army Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry on Tuesday for protecting his fellow soldiers by grabbing and throwing back a live grenade while in combat in Afghanistan. Petry, 31, is the second living soldier on active duty to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This is a historic occasion," Obama said. "This is only the second time … since Vietnam that a recipient of the Medal of Honor in an ongoing conflict has been able to accept this medal in person."
Petry, his wife Ashley, and family members and fellow soldiers gathered in the East Room of the White House for the ceremony.
Petry's act of valor took place near the mountainous border of Pakistan. Petry and fellow Rangers from 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment were conducting a daytime raid to capture an enemy target in Paktya, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2008. Rangers flew in on helicopters on an insurgent compound that was believed to be housing a top al-Qaida commander.
Under fire, Petry was hit on both legs but continued to act to protect his comrades. When a grenade landed a few feet away from him, he picked it up and threw it back as it was exploding – causing him to lose his hand and riddling his body with shrapnel.
He now has a prosthetic hand, and still is trying to recover from the wounds to his legs. Last year, he re-enlisted indefinitely in the Army rather than retire. The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest award for valor.
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