Trump to award first Medal of Honor

Associated Press

SOUTH HAVEN, MICH.

Members of Army medic James McCloughan’s unit in Vietnam called him “Doc.”

Now, those soldiers, several of whom McCloughan saved during the ferocious, dayslong Battle of Nui Yon Hill in 1969, will have a new name for him: Medal of Honor recipient.

Army spokeswoman Valerie L. Mongello said Tuesday that the 71-year-old former psychology/sociology teacher and three-sport coach from South Haven, Mich., will become the first person to be awarded the nation’s highest military honor by President Donald Trump.

McCloughan has already earned a slew of other awards, including the Combat Medical Badge, two Bronze Stars, the U. S. Army Valorous Unit Citation, the National Defense Medal and two Purple Hearts.

McCloughan was recommended for the MOH last year. However, it must awarded within five years of the recipient’s heroic actions unless Congress waives the time limit, which is what happened in McCloughan’s case. President Barack Obama signed the legislation.