The White House is a place with a lot of history. Sometimes it feels like the past is away.. One day two men who are now older stood in the White House to get a very special award. President Donald Trump gave the Medal of Honor to Colonel Paris Davis and the family of Sergeant First Class Billy Joe Maxwell. This was a deal because it happened a long time after they did something very brave in Vietnam.
This ceremony was not a formal event. It was a way to say thank you to these men for what they did. It was also a way to make things after a long time.
A Legacy of Being Brave
The Medal of Honor is a deal. You have to do something brave to get it. For Colonel Davis and Sergeant Maxwell being brave meant putting their lives in danger. They did this when it was very hard and scary.
Colonel Davis was one of the Black officers in the Special Forces. He got the Medal of Honor for what he did in June 1965. He was hurt times but he still helped his teammates. He went into enemy fire to save them. For a time people thought he would not get the Medal of Honor because of his skin color.. Finally he got it. It was a big moment for many veterans.
The Story of Billy Joe Maxwell
Colonel Davis was able to get his award in person.. The ceremony was also sad because it reminded us of Billy Joe Maxwell. His family was there to get the award for him. This was a reminder that even though we can give awards we cannot bring back the people we lost. Maxwell was very brave during a fight. He helped his unit even when it was very dangerous. He died so that others could live.
Why It Matters to Tell the Stories of Soldiers
These days news about the president and the military can seem boring or too political.. Events like this one are different. They show us that the people, in the military are not just soldiers they are also someones grandfather or friend. When we look at pictures of the ceremony we see a family who’s proud of what their grandfather did. We see a man who is thinking about his friends who died a long time ago.
Telling these stories helps us remember that soldiers are people too. They are not just heroes they are also people who were scared and tired.. They still chose to be brave.
The Medal of Honor is a Big Deal
The Medal of Honor is a medal but it means a lot to the people who get it. It reminds them of all the soldiers who did not come home. President Trump said that we can never fully thank these soldiers. We must always try.
A Nation Says Thank You
It took a time for these men to get the Medal of Honor. This shows us that sometimes it takes a time to do the right thing.. It is still important to do it. For the families of these men this award was not a piece of metal and a ribbon. It was a way for the country to say “We remember what you did and we thank you.”
Now these two men are part of history. Their stories will help us remember that being brave is important and it is never too late to do the thing. Read More
