WASHINGTON -- An Army medic who "ran into danger" to save wounded soldiers during a Vietnam War battle despite his own serious wounds became on Monday the first Medal of Honor recipient under President Donald Trump, 48 years after the selfless acts of bravery for which James McCloughan is now nationally recognized.
McCloughan mouthed "thank you" as Trump placed the distinctive blue ribbon holding the medal around the neck of the former Army private first class. As the president and commander in chief shook McCloughan's hand, Trump said "very proud of you" and then pulled the former soldier into an embrace.
"I know I speak for every person here when I say we are in awe of your bravery and your actions," Trump said after describing McCloughan's actions for a rapt audience that included numerous senior White House and administration officials.
Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, sworn in hours earlier to be the new White House chief of staff, attended.
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McCloughan said in a brief statement on the White House driveway after the ceremony that it was "humbling" to receive the medal. Now 71 and retired, he pledged to do his best to represent the men he fought alongside "as the caretaker of this symbol of courage and action beyond the call of duty."
"I got initiated the very first day," McCloughan recalled in a recent interview with Army biographers. "We hit our first ambush. We had a man die. Had a few people to patch up. And I shot a man. That's a lot to digest in your first day.
"But I didn't know I was going to face anything like Tam Ky," he added, alluding to the location of a vicious 48-hour battle three months after he arrived in Vietnam.
McCloughan was a 23-year-old private first class who had been drafted into the Army when he found himself in the middle of the raging, days-long Battle of Nui Yon Hill in May of 1969. McCloughan voluntarily entered the "kill zone" to rescue injured comrades, even as he was pelted with shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade, the back of his body slashed from head to foot.
In its announcement in June, the White House said McCloughan "voluntarily risked his life on nine separate occasions to rescue wounded and disoriented comrades. He suffered wounds from shrapnel and small arms fire on three separate occasions, but refused medical evacuation to stay with his unit, and continued to brave enemy fire to rescue, treat and defend wounded Americans."
McCloughan, who lives in South Haven, Mich., said in a June interview that the battle was "the worst two days of my life."
McCloughan described the shrapnel as "a real bad sting" and recalled, "I was tending to two guys and dragging them at the same time into a trench line." He said he looked down to see himself covered with blood from wounds so bad that they prompted a captain to suggest that he leave the battlefield to seek treatment.
"He knew me enough to know that I wasn't going," McCloughan said.
The combat medic stuck around until the battle ended, going to the aid of his men and fighting the enemy, even knocking out an enemy position with a grenade at one point. In all, the Pentagon credits McCloughan with saving the lives of 10 members of his company.
Reflecting on his experience 48 years later, McCloughan explained to the Army biographers that he was unsettled upon learning that he'd be sent to Vietnam almost immediately upon completing basic training. He'd hoped to remain stateside, at least to start his time in the Army, but the job he wanted went to another soldier who'd enlisted.
Eventually, he said: "I got into the right frame of mind that I will serve my country. I didn't volunteer to do it, but they've asked me, so that's what I'll do."
The Medal of Honor is given to armed forces members who distinguish themselves by going above and beyond the call of duty in battle.
McCloughan left the Army in 1970 and spent decades teaching psychology and sociology, and coaching football, baseball and wrestling at South Haven High School. He retired in 2008.
In 2016, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter recommended McCloughan for the Medal of Honor. But since the medal must be awarded within five years of the recipient's actions, Congress needed to pass a bill waiving the time limit. President Barack Obama signed the measure in late 2016, but he didn't get the opportunity to recognize McCloughan with the medal before his presidential term ended this year.
"President Donald Trump will be putting that on me for the first time in his experience of doing such a thing," McCloughan said before the ceremony. "That's pretty special."
Information for this article was contributed by Darlene Superville and Mike Householder of The Associated Press; and by Andrew deGrandpre of The Washington Post.
A Section on 08/01/2017