David Champagne Medal of Honor

The Olympic athlete and World War II bombardier Louis Zamperini was shot down on this day in the Pacific Ocean. He endured 47 days adrift at sea and thirteen months of captivity by the Japanese. After the War, he suffered from the after-effects of his ordeal before turning to Christ and becoming a mentor for at-risk youth. Honor and remember … Read More

Jimmy Phipps clutched a primed enemy artillery shell to his chest, absorbing the impact and saving the lives of two other Marines. From Santa Monica, CA, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor. Honor his memory and remember his sacrifice and leadership. 

Jospeh P. Martinez earned the Medal of Honor posthumously for his leadership in the Aleutian Islands, the only continental US territory seized by the Japanese in World War II. When his regiment was pinned down near Fish Hook Ridge, Martinez led two assaults that broke through the Japanese defenses. He was shot in the head when attacking the second Japanese … Read More

“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” – “Ike” Eisenhower

Thinking about Carl Luksic today, a World War II ace who had eight and a half victories. He received the Distinguished Service Cross when he became an ace-in-a-day on May 8, 1944, shooting down five German planes attacking allied bombers. On May 24, 1944, Luksic was shot down over Germany and taken as a prisoner-of-war. He tried to escape three … Read More

First African-American to earn the Medal of Honor, and the last such Civil War veteran to physically receive the Medal, William Carney’s MoH ceremony on this day for saving the 54th Massachusetts’ colors in July 1863. Honor and remember!

William Vincent O’Connor, a Catholic priest and the chaplain of the  31st Infantry Division, received the Silver Star for rescuing a wounded man while under fire  in New Guineau on August 29, 1944. O’Connor was ordained on May 22, 1941 – 84 years ago today – and he spent 36 years in the Army, earning his jump wings and becoming a mountain specialist.  … Read More

A conscientious objector, Desmond Doss saved the lives of 75 Americans at the Battle of Okinawa as a medic, earning the Medal of Honor in the process. He also earned two Bronze Stars for his heroic leadership on Guam and in the Philippines. Honor and remember him!