Medal of Honor Recipient and Hero

Folks, I was blessed today. I flew into Washington Reagan National Airport at about noon today. At the gate across from mine, there was a crowd gathered, and a lot of clapping and cheering. I figured it was a group of soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan. Little did I know...

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is having a convention here in DC. And from that other plane came 20 or so Medal of Honor winners. It was difficult to tell how many, as there were so many folks gathered around cheering. I have to tell you, I was mighty proud of my fellow citizens today -- I mean those folks who came out to cheer, and the business folks who stopped what they were doing and let out a big cheer.

Since I really couldn't see them, I decided to be sneaky. I did a bee-line to the security checkpoint, and waited outside. Sure enough, there was a welcoming group there, and the MOH winners came out in ones and twos, most with a spouse. American Airlines had an escort for each and every one of them. Good for AA!

I was able to take pictures of several of these gentlemen, but most important was that I was able to shake their hands and say "thank you for your service to our country". I have never been able to shake hands with a MOH winner before, and I was floored.

I met GEN Pat Brady, and had my picture taken with Charles P. Murray, Jr., who as a LT in WWII won the MOH. 65 years ago he was a young man, ready to allow Uncle Sam to cash that check.

These gentlemen are America's heroes (along with our troops serving around the world). I met several other MOH holders, but I have to tell you that I was tearing up as I introduced myself and thanked them for their service. One of them (I just don't know which it was) said to me, "No, thank YOU...you don't need to thank me; your tears are all the thanks I need".

Pure class. Greatest generation indeed.