An astounding two million service members have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.  There have been eight who have been awarded the Medal of Honor.  The most recent, and only the second since the Vietnam  War to receive the award while still living, was awarded to Sgt. First Class Leroy Arthur Petry.

 

President Obama shook Sgt. Petry’s prosthetic right hand after the ceremony, a result of his bravery in the action for which he was being honored.  The president grasped his hand to congratulate the war hero after the medal placing the medal around his neck.

 

Petry served eight combat tours, two in Iraq and six in Afghanistan.  Fellow soldiers nominated him for the award for his actions during a May 26, 2008 battle where the then- 28-year old Army Ranger was part of an effort to clear a compound where a top al Qaida leader was hiding.  In the fierce firefight, Petry was wounded in both legs and attempting to crawl behind a chicken coop for shelter with two others when a grenade injured both of his comrades.

 

Another grenade quickly followed as his two friends lay wounded and stunned.  Petry quickly grabbed the live grenade to throw it away from the group, just moments before it exploded, ripping off his hand and showering him with shrapnel.  He quickly applied his own tourniquet to stem the bleeding and radioed for support while directing the action.  His cool under extreme pressure is credited with  saving the lives of his friends, both of whom watched as he received the honor.

 

His prosthetic arm has a plaque bolted to it carved with the names of fellow soldiers from his 75^th Regiment who have died in service.

 

In all,  nine soldiers, including seven who were killed in action in Afghanistan or Iraq, have been awarded Medals of Honor during the country’s longest war. Last fall, the president awarded his first Medal Of Honor to a living service member to Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta, who watched with emotion as the ribbon was placed around Petry’s neck.